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Hideko
Udagawa: Exploring Khachaturian's Legacy
by Robert Maxham
FANFARE
Khachaturian:
Sonata & Dances
Hideko
Udagawa
Boris Berezovsky, piano
KOCH 3-7571-2 HI
Hideko
Udagawa has revealed one of the violin repertoire's most puzzling
anomalies: compared to his fellow Soviet composers, Prokofiev
and Shotakovich, Aram Khachaturian seems neglected. Yet his
music for violin and piano combines the kind of accessibility
that should guarantee broad popularity with the kind of high
seriousness that should ingratiate it with even the most fastidious
critics. The dances have remained pretty much the private
preserve of Russians like Oistrakh and Kogan (and Heifetz,
an expatriate Russian himself, arranged and played "Ayesha's
Dance" and the "Sabre Dance") - when they were
played at all. How does Ms. Udagawa account for these pieces'
relative obscurity? "Probably people see Khachaturian
as a ballet composer. He composed symphonies, but fewer than
did Shostakovich or Prokofiev. And his music for the violin
and piano transcriptions isn't easily available. Heifetz's
transcriptions of the "Sabre Dance" and "Ayesha's
Dance" were easy to obtain, but I had to go special routes
to get the Russian editions of the ones by Mostras and Feigin.
In addition, while making this recording, I asked a friend
to transcribe more pieces." Will those new transcriptions
become available? "If people request them, of course,
my friend would be happy to publish them. Let's hope that
will happen. I even played from a manuscript. Khachaturian's
grandson released his grandfather's material (for the Dance
No 1) from family archives. Again, if people want it,
it could be published. It would be nice if it happened like
that - if I could help make his chamber music or violin and
piano music more popular - because it's so beautiful, and
I enjoyed playing it so much. If more people listen to and
play it, I'll be very happy."
Did
the repertoire's ethnicity present any stylistic challenges?
"I was always interested in Russian music, and, of course,
I studied with Milstein - he flattered me, saying I probably
had some Russian blood in me. He had such understanding of
Russian music, and I learned from him how to approach it.
You know, he had played the Prokofiev Sonata with Prokofiev
himself at the piano." Was that the First of Second Sonata?
"Both! But I prepared those pieces in my own way. And
Boris Berezovsky is the soul of Russian music, so he was the
ideal person for this recording. As we discussed and rehearsed,
we discovered more and more, and the interpretation deepened.
We rehearsed quite a bit, more than was necessary; sometimes,
because we enjoyed it, we rehearsed all day long. He liked
the music, too, and was also surprised that so many of the
composer's works for violin and piano hadn't been recorded."
The
short pieces, from the earliest to the latest on the program,
sound very effective on the violin. Do they lie well on the
fingerboard? "I've played most of Khachaturian's music
for violin. I didn't find the concerto difficult - it's rather
well fitted to the violin. But the transcriptions, or even
the original pieces, are somewhat more difficult. I wouldn't
say they're not well suited; but the Sonata isn't so well
written for the instrument - maybe because he was a cellist.
Some passages were awkward, not easily playable or violinistic
- unlike the Concerto." Did Oistrakh have something to
do with the Concerto's more idiomatic writing? "I'm sure.
And the cadenza's so well written by Oistrakh." Did Ms
Udagawa learn these shorter works just for the recording?
"Yes. First, I came across the Sonata's music. When I
realized that nobody had recorded it, I began to think that
I should do it; and then I planned the recording's program
of Khachaturian. At first, there weren't enough pieces; but
I gradually discovered more and more, and through an introduction
to the family, I got hold of one of the manuscripts - and,
as I said, my friend offered to make transcriptions. I did
all that for the recording, but I'd like to add some of those
pieces to my repertoire - they're really lovely. And it's
so satisfying to discover unrecorded works by great composers.
I started to search for more Russian composers' unrecorded
pieces; and I'm preparing another collection along the lines
of the Khachaturian CD. I hope you'll find more Russian composers'
premiere recordings in Koch's catalog in the future. That's
my passion at the moment."
Koch's
recorded sound seems very live and close up. Was she happy
with the result? "Yes. Actually, when I make recordings,
I like a rich, warm sound, since the violin is a very old
instrument. I don't like too much digital modern sound. Of
course, that brings a lot of clarity, but I don't want to
lose warmth. I'm always very conscious of that."
Ms
Udagawa's performances recalls Milstein, Heifetz and even
Oistrakh. Which violinist's style most deeply influenced hers?
"Obviously I've been influenced most of all by Milstein.
Next would be Heifetz - but, of course, I admire so many of
the 20th Century's great violinists. They're very individual,
and I learned a lot from them - but especially from having
lessons with Milstein and listening to Heifetz." How
did she manage not to be overwhelmed by Milstein's personality?
"I studied with him when I was very young - I'd just
come from Japan. He was generous with his time; and I was
very fortunate to have two lessons a week, with one lesson
sometimes lasting three hours. I could go through all the
violin repertoire - and he always let me record the lessons.
I have a collection of all of those Milstein lessons - he
played a lot in them. When I listen to them, all the memories
come back. Actually, it's my secret ambition to release them
sometime. But studying with him could be, in some ways, very
confusing. Because he was so individual, certain things worked
only for him and not for every other violinist. I had to decide
which things suited me, which didn't. But you couldn't avoid
his influence - and not only on technical points and on the
production of tone: he emphasized the importance of good taste.
You know, he was well known to be the aristocrat of taste.
I learned so much from him that I probably wouldn't be the
violinist I am now without him, and I'm so grateful. But,
of course, I gradually started to find my own way, not just
copying. Now, although I owe so much to his advice, I like
to think I have my own style. Young violinists don't have
so much individuality now - it seems to be going more and
more that way. The great masters' individuality is very satisfying
to listen to - their expressive range and tone, not just technique.
Many younger players have more technical perfection, but not
so much personality and individuality, and you often can't
detect who's playing. Personality is so important, I always
like to aim to have that."
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FANFARE
Khachaturian:
Sonata & Dances
Hideko
Udagawa
Boris Berezovsky, piano
KOCH 3-7571-2 HI
That
Aram Khachaturian's works for violin and piano, except for
the once ubiquitous "Sabre Dance" from Gayaneh,
haven't reached a wider audience constitutes one of the perplexing
idiosyncrasies of the instrument's repertoire. His brief Sonata,
evoking a redolent ethnic atmosphere similar to that of his
better-known Violin Concerto in its first movement and vigorously
propulsive but consistently serious and high-minded its second,
could easily step in for one of Prokofiev's Sonata's on a
recital program. Hideko Udagawa, who traces her violinistic
lineage to Nathan Milstein, plays the first movement suggestively
and the second incisively, with a sharp technical command
recalling her mentor, but with a large tone reminiscent more
of David Oistrakh's than Milstein's. The rest of the program
consists of short pieces, many from Khachaturian's ballet
scores from the 40s, but including an early set of freestanding
pieces (Elegy, Dance, Song-Poem, and Dance No 1) from
the 20s as well. These may seem severe in comparison to the
exotic melodic, harmonic, and orchestral richness of the later
works; but, like the sonata from the next decade, they reveal
a prepossessing if less flamboyant musical imagination. To
those who denigrate Khachaturian for what they consider tawdry,
amorphous splashes of color, these sharply etched miniatures
should come as a bracing surprise. Even the comparatively
extroverted Dance No. 1 from 1925 maintains an aristocratic
reserve all the way to its tongue-in-cheek conclusion. The
"Lullaby" from Gayaneh, the first of the
program's nods to the ballets, recalls, even in its version
for violin and piano, the heavily perfumed atmosphere of the
orchestral original. These pieces, even the comparatively
reflective ones, take striking advantage of the violin's technical
capabilities (the "Nuneh Variation" from Gayaneh
makes an even more splashing impression than the better-known
"Sabre Dance"). Masquerade's Nocturne, originally
a violin solo, seems equally effective in the reduced setting
with piano.
Udagawa
and Berezovsky never permit Khachaturian's wam tunefulness
to degenerate into sentimentality. While they propel these
pieces briskly through passages in which less fastidious sylists
might bog down (as in the Nocturne), their dapper aplomb more
than compensates for whatever they might have lost in natural
ease. In fact, Udagawa's portamentos and panache in the big
tunes (as in "Ayesha's Dance" from Gayaneh
and the "Dance of Egyna" from Spartacus,
and, of course, the "Sabre Dance", in which few
have wielded a sharper edge) occasionally recall Heifetz.
But, however reminiscent Udagawa's technical devices may be
of the greatest artists of the past, they never sound derivative,
so seamlessly has she integrated them into the music's fabric.
The
reverberant recorded sound serves both instruments well, providing
ample range for the frequent rhapsodic climaxes. Udagawa and
Berezovsky's centenary tribute to the composer should appeal
to both his admirers and his detractors. Strongly recommended
for its repertoire as well as for its stirring performances.
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BAY
AREA REPORTER
Khachaturian:
Sonata & Dances
Hideko
Udagawa
Boris Berezovsky, piano
KOCH 3-7571-2 HI
Several
new recordings celebrate the Khachaturian Centennial. A lovely
Koch recital, Khachaturian: Sonata and Dances, features
violinist Hideko Udagawa and pianist Boris Berezovsky in mostly
world-premiere recordings. Their rendition of the early Dance
No. 1 (1925) was made possible after the Khachaturian family
supplied the violinist with the original handwritten manuscript.
The longest work on the program, the beautiful Sonata for
Violin and Piano (1932), winningly melds Armenian sensibility
with French impressionism. Seven violin/piano arrangements
of orchestral soundfests strip away surface splash to reveal
their harmonic underpinnings. Most fetching are the energetic
Dance of Egyna and heartfelt Grande Adagio from Spartacus,
and the catchy Nuneh Variation and Sabre Dance from Gayaneh.
Udagawa,
a protégé of Nathan Milstein, plays with piquant,
occasionally resiny tone. One wishes for more bite and sweetness
but her tang does underscore Khachaturian's folksiness. Berezovsky
provides ideally sensitive support.
Jason
Serinus
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SAN
FRANCISCO CHRONICLE
Khachaturian:
Sonata & Dances
Hideko
Udagawa
Boris Berezovsky, piano
KOCH 3-7571-2 HI
That
Aram Khachaturian's works for violin and piano, except for
the once ubiquitous "Sabre Dance" from Gayaneh,
haven't reached a wider audience constitutes one of the perplexing
idiosyncrasies of the instrument's repertoire. His brief sonata,
evoking a redolent ethnic atmosphere similar to that of his
better-known Violin Concerto in its first movement and vigorously
propulsive but consistently serious and high-minded its second,
could easily step in for one of Prokofiev's sonatas on a recital
program. Hideko Udagawa, who traces her violinistic lineage
to Nathan Milstein, plays the first movement suggestively
and the second incisively, with a sharp technical command
recalling her mentor, but with a large tone reminiscent more
of David Oistrakh's than Milstein's. The rest of the program
consists of short pieces, many from Khachaturian's ballet
scores from the 1940s, but including an early set of freestanding
pieces (Elegy, Dance, Song-Poem,
and Dance No. 1) from the 20s as well. These may seem
severe in comparison to the exotic melodic, harmonic, and
orchestral richness of the later works; but, like the sonata
from the next decade, they reveal a prepossessing if tawdry,
amorphous splashes of color, these sharply etched miniatures
should come as a bracing surprise. Even the comparatively
extroverted Dance No 1 from 1925 maintains an aristocratic
reserve all the way to its tongue-in-cheek conclusion. The
Lullaby from Gayaneh, the first of the program's nods
to the ballets, recalls, even in its version for violin and
piano, the heavily perfumed atmosphere of the orchestral original.
These pieces, even the comparatively reflective ones, take
striking advantage of the violin's technical capabilities
(the "Nuneh Variation" from Gayaneh makes an even
more slashing impression than the better-known "Sabre
Dance"). Masquerade's Nocturne, originally a violin
solo, seems equally effective in the reduced setting with
piano.
Udagawa
and Berezovsky never permit Khachaturian's warm tunefulness
to degenerate into sentimentality. While they propel these
pieces briskly through passages in which less fastidious stylists
might bog down (as in Nocturne), their dapper aplomb more
than compensates for whatever they might have lost in natural
ease. In fact, Udagawa's portamentos and panache in the big
tunes (as in "Ayesha's Dance" from Gayaneh and the
"Dance of Egyna" from Spartacus, and, of course,
the Sabre Dance, in which few have wielded a sharper
edge) occasionally recall Heifetz. But, however reminiscent
Udagawa's technical devices may be of the greatest artists
of the past, they never sound derivative, so seamlessly has
she integrated them into the music's fabric.
The
reverberant recorded sound serves both instruments well, providing
ample range for the frequent rhapsodic climaxes. Udagawa and
Bereszovsky's centenary tribute to the composer should appeal
to both his admirers and his detractors. Strongly recommended
for its repertoire as well as for its stirring performances.
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to top
SAN
FRANCISCO WEEKLY
Khachaturian:
Sonata & Dances
Hideko
Udagawa
Boris Berezovsky, piano
KOCH 3-7571-2 HI
Best
known primarily for his piece "Sabre Dance" (beloved
by movie and cartoon directors for chase scenes), Russian
composer Aram Khachaturian (1903 - 1978) had a lot more goin'
on. Despite its historical context, his music had more incommon
with the Romantic era - but that didn't stop Soviet government
officials from giving him grief for being so un-PC "modern".
(His music influenced Miles Davis during his Kind of Blue
period, too). This Koch disc of Sonatas and Dances,
which spans the years 1925-54 and includes some world-premiere
recordings, is a real treasure: it's full of heart-swelling
(but never obvious) lyrical beauty infused with delicate dissonances,
flawlessly performed by Hideko Udagawa (violin) and Boris
Berezovsky (piano).
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GRAMOPHONE
Glazunov
- Violin Concerto
Tchaikovsky orch. Glazunov - Souvenir d'un lieu
cher
Chausson - Poème
Sarasate - Danzas Españolas
Saint-Saëns trans. Ysaÿe - Caprice
en forme de valse
Hideko
Udagawa, Violin
Kenneth Klein, Conductor
London Philharmonic Orchestra
Carlton Classics CIMPC966
This
is a generous collection of sugar-plum works for violin and
orchestra, played with uninhibited romanticism by the rich-toned
Udagawa. You might count her playing rather old-fashioned
in the way she allows herself the occasional portamento, but
what matters is her passionate commitment, which is clear
in every note. The Glazunov receives a heartfelt performance
which is just as compelling as the virtuoso accounts listed.
In the finale she may not offer quite such bravura fireworks
as Heiftetz (RCA) or Perlman (EMI), but with more open sound
the result is just as persuasive in its lilting way. The violin
is balanced close, but not so close as Perlman or Heifetz,
and there is far more space round the orchestral sound, which
is full and warm to match the soloist.
It
is valuable to have all three of the haunting pieces which
Tchaikovsky called Souvenir d'un lieu cher. The "Meditation"
and "Melodic" have been recorded far more frequently
than the central Scherzo, and this is currently the
only complete recording of all three in Glazunov's orchestral
arrangements. The Chausson Poème is warmly convincing
if a little heavy-handed, the Sarasate Romanze dances
delightfully, and only in the final Saint-Saëns Caprice
does Udagawa's playing sound a little effortful in its virtuosity,
though that is in part the fault of the Ysaÿe transcription.
Edward
Greenfield
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CD
REVIEW MAGAZINE
Glazunov
- Violin Concerto
Tchaikovsky orch. Glazunov - Souvenir d'un lieu
cher
Chausson - Poème
Sarasate - Danzas Españolas
Saint-Saëns trans. Ysaÿe - Caprice
en forme de valse
Hideko
Udagawa, Violin
Kenneth Klein, Conductor
London Philharmonic Orchestra
Carlton Classics CIMPC966
This
is a fascinating collection of little-known works for violin
and orchestra, very well played by the talented soloist. The
recorded quality is very good indeed, with the soloist well-balanced
against the orchestra. This is too valuable a record in terms
of unusual repertoire not to have a place in your collection.
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FANFARE
Bruch
- Violin Concerto No 1 in G minor
Brahms - Violin Concerto in D
Hideko
Udagawa - Violin
Sir Charles Mackerras - Conductor
London Symphony Orchestra
Chandos
CHAN 8974
I
enjoyed listening to this CD, which displays Udagawa's strength's
of enthusiasm, bravura attack, and an ability to convey her
enjoyment of the music.
Like
Heifetz, Udagawa gradually converts the arpeggios in the Bruch's
first movement into broken chords (for more volume), and like
Heifetz (and her teacher Milstein's Columbia 78s) she gives
octaves reinforcement to the two climactic notes before the
final scale run that leads into the slow movement. The overall
impression is of impetuous virtuosity and high spirits. Brahms
is similar: there can be a strange "catch" in long-held
notes, but the excitement level is high. The sound has impact
- the horns really blaze. The winds seem in tighter focus
than the strings, and resonance at closing chords gets soaked
up quickly. These are earthy, gutsy, entertaining performances.
David
K. Nelson
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CRONICA
ROMANA
Review
of the Enescu Festival
Recital by Hideko Udagawa and Boris Berezovsky
The
Enescu sonatas for violin, as the Greek Leonidas Kavakos and
the Japanese Hideko Udagawa interpreted them, were of the
highest artistic level.
When
a European approaches the difficult scores of Enescu, his
performance is no surprise. But, when a Japanese, Hideko Udagawa,
trying to discover the Romanian meaning of the first two sonatas
by introducing in the lyrical parts Asian emotional thrills,
and deciphering in the Far-eastern essential chromatics (taken
by Enescu from old Romanian fiddlers) archaic reminiscences
of Indo-European folklore, her interpretation acquires unusual
accents that captivated her audience.
As
an added bonus, the pianist Boris Berezovsky was a volcanic
presence relentlessly inspiring his partner in order to produce
from Enescu's scores a substance of a level never before heard.
Viorel
Cosma
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THE
DAILY TELEGRAPH
The
violinist Hideko Udagawa brought to Mozart's B-flat sonata
K. 378 at the start of her Queen Elizabeth Hall recital on
Sunday, the distinctive refinement of tone and sensibility
for which she has been particularly praised throughout Europe
and the United States. In all three movements of the sonata,
it ensured playing of an instinctively apt, astutely fashioned,
yet never self-consciously insistent, poise, grace, and spirited
clarity of diction.
Qualities
which might have seemed ideally suited to Mozart were employed
to even more striking purpose in the central, C minor sonata
from Beethoven's Opus 30. For with the vividly projected,
precisely controlled sense of drama issuing from deep within
the notes, she was here no less sensitive to the darker, turbulent
undercurrents of the outer movements, than to the poetic eloquence
of the adagio, or to the scherzo's mood of relief from the
stresses and strains in the sonata as a whole.
Both
pieces demand the closest collaboration between the violin
and the piano, and in both the partnership with her pianist,
Gerald Robbins, was one of a keenly interacting quality. A
similar, carefully balanced equilibrium was maintained through
the contrasting episodes of Schubert's C major Fantasy, the
violinist's lyrical finesse still further enhanced by her
richly expressive account of Tchaikovsky's "Meditation,"
her deftly characterised virtuosity by Heifetz's ingenious
transciptions of songs from Porgy and Bess.
Robert
Henderson
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EASTERN
DAILY PRESS
Big,
Bold Opening
Norfolk
and Norwich Festival
Hideko Udagawa - violin
Leonard Slatkin - conductor
The Philharmonia
St Andrew's Hall, Norwich
Curtain
up indeed! What a way to start the festival with, in the centenary
year of his death, an all Tchaikovsky evening.
Under
the ebullient leadership of conductor Leonard Slatkin, the
orchestra kept up festival director Heather Newill's "du
différent" policy. "Not too man people are
familiar with the Festival Overture in D Major," she
said. And so it was a beautifully vigorous, brassy and percussive
opening.
On
to the Violin Concerto in D, and the charming Japanese soloist
Hideko Udagawa immediately set a dancing tempo backed by emotionally-charged
strings. A superbly confident cadenza to the Allegro and a
display of technical mastery in a Finale followed by a symphony
to remember.
Peter
Ilych could write a fair tune, and there is an abundance in
the E minor symphony No. 5.
Michael
Drake
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TAGESSPIEGEL/Berlin
To
play two big solo sonatas in one evening calls for considerable
concentration and technical assurance: Hideko Udagawa possesses
plenty of both. The fiery driving force which she brought
to the fugue and presto of the Bach was immediate in its impact,
and masterly in her intonation in double and triple-stopping.
Her bowing combined feather-light precision with the development
of remarkable power in the heel of the bow. The tone which
she produces with such splendid firmness combined with her
rapid vibrato to give and expressive exactness.
Wolfgang
Molkow
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STEREO
MAGAZINE/Tokyo
Beloved
protégé of the great master Milstein and internationally
acclaimed herself, Hideko Udagawa has recorded two great romantic
concertos with the prestigious London Symphony. I can state,
without being biased in her favour at all, that her playing
is world class and first rate.
Nishimura
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THE
BIRMINGHAM POST/England
A
few weeks ago, I heard the young internationally celebrated
Japanese violinist Hideko Udagawa play an impressive Mendelssohn.
Here my first impressions were more than justified by her
ravishing performance of the Brahms Violin Concerto in D minor.
This soloist commands a tone of resplendent richness which
she uses effectively at all times, whether producing a music
of brilliant virtuosity or poetic lyricism. On this account
the Brahms suited her, but there was far more to her performance
than technical mastery. Above all, her understanding of the
work led to a reading of profound sympathy. Compelling poetic
playing and sure artistic judgment of climax, in the cadenza
and the excitingly precise Hungarian finale for example, were
the epitome of artistry.
Barrie
Grayson
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COMERCIO
do PORTO/Portugal
Hideko
Udagawa was, from beginning to end, a prodigious performer:
sometimes evoking profound pathos, sometimes brilliant and
seductive in her rapturous bowing, always propitiated by a
stupendous left hand. Her fluency, her confidence, her accuracy
and her personal gift of interpretation, were fully displayed
through her powerful technique and musicianship. Exalted applause
showed to what extent the audience was naturally and justly
fascinated by one of the most enchanting virtuosi of the violin
who has ever performed in Portugal. We believe that the concert
will never be forgotten by anyone present.
Hugo
Rocha
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THE
STRAD/England
Hideko
Udagawa's performance of Bruch's G Minor Concerto with the
Royal Philharmonic Orchestra was one of conviction indeed.
Her mature and sensitive playing never slid into self-indulgence.
In turn muscular and warmly lyrical, she dominated proceedings
magisterially and with natural flair, endorsing one's affection
for this indestructible old war-horse.
Jeffrey
Josephs
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THE
IRISH TIMES/Dublin
Far
too many violinists play unaccompanied Bach as a struggle
against impossible odds, rather than making glorious music
in spite of the technical physical challenge. Miss Udagawa
kept her sweet, beautiful, full tone all through, made one
(for example) enjoy the fugue both as a fugue and as lovely
music. This was no feat: it was musicmaking for which to be
thankful.
Charles
Acton
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ASAHI
SHIMBUN/Tokyo
Hideko
Udagawa is the kind of performer who is blessed by brilliant
technique and as a result of that, the whole stage brightens
up. But the reason that I found Richard Strauss's Sonata (Opus
18) so interesting was that Ms Udagawa communicated first
and foremost the essence of the composer's soul, without ever
having to push her technique to the forefront.
Hikaru
Hayashi
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BERGENS
TILENDE/Norway
With
a beautiful and clean tone, and excellent left-hand technique,
the musical expressions were rich and varied. A very respectable
performance by the young soloist, who we would very much like
to hear again.
Falter
Aamodt
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FINANCIAL
TIMES/London
This
Japanese violinist has a commanding technique: a striking
economy of left hand movement, without the slightest redundant
muscular efforts; dazzlingly agile articulation in the highest
positions; intonation in every register exact, bright and
[with] sparkling tone.
Dominic
Gill
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LOS
ANGELES TIMES
Max
Pommer led the Mozarteum Orchestra of Salzburg in an exemplary
Mozart program Friday. But it was violin soloist Hideko Udagawa
who drew special praise. Alert, bright, vigorous, confident
and tasteful, she played the Concerto in D, K. 218,
with the optimism of youth.
Chris
Pastes
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GREEN
BAY PRESS GAZETTE
Udagawa
has assembled an impressive list of solo appearances with
major orchestras, and she quickly revealed why she is much
in demand, demonstrating a bright, glistening tone that was
remarkable for its consistency and purity throughout its range.
The
soloist displayed a complete command of her instrument. She
worked closely with conductor Pommer to achieve an unusually
stately performance of the concerto [Mozart's Violin Concerto
No 4 in D Major, K. 218].
The
audience reponded warmly to Udagawa's captivating performance.
Terence
O'Grady
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THE
ARIZONA DAILY STAR
There
was no room for stereotypes on the bus that brought the Salzburg
Mozarteum Orchestra, conductor Max Pommer and violinist Hideko
Udagawa to town.
Udagawa
took center position in the all-Mozart program. Her solo work
in the Violin Concerto No 4 called to mind her mentor,
Nathan Milstein, and a handful of other grand masters of the
violin from earlier in this century.
Udagawa
offered both elegance, with a light but penetrating tone,
and sentiment, with far more sliding up and down the fingerboard
than is now fashionable. All this and a legato that should
require not a bow but a butter knife - old-school Mozart playing
at its most ingratiating.
James
Reel
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