VIOLINIST Midori gave her debut with the New York Philharmonic in 1982, aged just 11, and she gave her first public performance at the age of seven. More than 20 years of experience on the platform have afforded her an enviable confidence and assured
ness in front of an audience – confidence that permits her to tackle some of the most challenging new works for violin in intimate settings. Yet what sets Midori apart from countless other similarly veteran performers is her depth of interpretation.
That the programme notes for Wednesday night's concert were penned by the violinist herself betrayed something of the strategy with which she conceived this recital. Likewise, a timeline printed over the centrefold mapping the 20th century – the Cold War, the birth of a featured composer, MTV's debut in the US – confirmed that Midori aimed to tease out something more from the music than merely the sum of its parts.
Admirable as these goals are, however, they would have amounted to nothing more than gimmicks had they not been combined with the ability to realise them, and this is where Midori made her mark.
An earthy yet sinewy tone combined with real attacking force linked Huw Watkins's Coruscation and Reflection to Penderecki's Sonata No 2 for violin and piano. In a manner that only comes after many hours of careful thought, every sound seemed to help tell an overarching story.
Pulling off something of a programming coup, Midori managed to build upon and focus this narrative during a terse second half featuring Magnus Lindberg's Sonatas for Violin and Piano alongside James MacMillan's miniature After the Tryst and John Adams's Road Movies.
Beyond revealing the many and great talents of the soloist herself and accompanist Charles Abramovich, this recital marked itself out for giving voice to a rare dialogue of social, political and artistic ideas within the music itself.
The full article contains 320 words and appears in The Scotsman newspaper.
