CD — M.V. Waller: The South Shore

Received from the composer, for reviewing: M.V. Waller — “The South Shore” (2015): (…) Michael Vincent Waller’s music is typically calm, contemplative, meditative, and it (usually slowly) evolves from small melodic, harmonic, and/or rhythmic cells, avoiding abrupt changes in dynamics and texture. In many ways (and in many pieces) it reminds me of chamber music by Arvo Pärt…

Beethoven: Symphony No.3 in E♭ major, op.55, «Eroica»

Beethoven: Symphony No.3 in E♭ major, op.55, “Eroica” — comparing recordings with the following artists: Bernstein/New York Philharmonic (1964), Bernstein/Vienna Philharmonic (1978), Böhm (1972), Dausgaard (2006), Furtwängler/Vienna Philharmonic (1948), Furtwängler/Berlin Philharmonic (1952), Hogwood (1985), Kleiber/Concertgebouw (1950), Klemperer (1959), Norrington/RSO Stuttgart (2002), Toscanini (1953), Walter/New York Philharmonic (1941 & 1949), Walter/Columbia Symphony Orchestra (1961), Zinman (1998)

Faust, Blendulf / ZKO — Zurich, 2015-02-03

… it was fascinating to observe how the violin remained audible, kept a clear presence even through minimal, light movements of the bow (…)
In the subsequent Larghetto, the soloist enchanted the audience with the most intimate, whispering tones, played almost sul ponticello, with minute, discreet movements of the bow, merely a hint, but always present, down to the softest ppp and below — one could almost sense the audience holding breath, totally captured by this playing.

Yulianna Avdeeva — Piano Recital, Baden/CH, 2014-03-08

(…) Yulianna’s playing was excellent! She is very virtuosic and very expressive! Where the tempo permits, she is nearly as clear in the articulation as Steven Hough — but she is way more expressive; unlike Volodos, she follows the score; she is not overpowering the music like Volodos, but has more agility than her Russian colleague (and avoids his unnecessary additions, I should say), she is often almost as fast and eruptive as Cziffra in the virtuosic octave passages, but in general keeps her articulation under control…