Arresting Diabelli Variations in Birmingham

By Julia Zupancic, 08 April 2016

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Reviewed at Birmingham Town Hall, Birmingham on 7 April 2016

Schubert, Four Impromptus, D.899

Beethoven, 33 Variations for piano in C major "Diabelli Variations", Op.120

Dame Mitsuko Uchida, Piano

Peerless Beethoven from Dame Mitsuko Uchida at Wigmore Hall

Vishnu Bachani, 12th October

Dame Mitsuko Uchida brings forth with crystal clarity Beethoven's masterful counterpoint and harmony in a recital of his last three piano sonatas.

****1

Uchida’s Beethoven meets Shostakovich’s farewell at Carnegie Hall

Edward Sava-Segal, 23rd April

Two incongruent journeys conclude as Dame Mitsuko Uchida and the Boston Symphony meet in New York.

****1

Delicacy at the cost of spark: Mitsuko Uchida with the Mahler CO

Mengguang Huang, 26th January

While Uchida’s performances showcase remarkable precision and refinement, they occasionally feel restrained, leaving room to explore the improvisatory charm that make Mozart’s music so compelling.

***11

Philadelphia Orchestra delivers memorable Carnegie Hall finale

Susan Stempleski, 31st May

In their final Carnegie Hall appearance of the season, the Philadelphians offered a superbly integrated program bookending a Valerie Coleman premiere with groundbreaking pieces by Ravel and Debussy.

****1

Magic and solemnity: Uchida and the Mahler Chamber Orchestra

Susan Stempleski, 28th March

Mitsuko Uchida and the MCO continue their exploration of Mozart’s piano concertos and the players deliver a polished New York premiere of Jörg Widmann’s Chorale Quartet.

****1

The Philharmonia at home with Beethoven, at sea with Sibelius

David Karlin, 25th January

A concert of two halves: the Philharmonia and Dame Mitsuko Uchida light up Beethoven with the essence of Classical style, but the orchestra struggles in Sibelius’ Lemminkäinen Suite.

***11

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Julia Zupancic

Julia is a PhD student at the University of Munich who is currently based in Leeds as a Visiting Researcher. She loves writing about music (e.g. in her blog http://avantmusic.hypotheses.org) and playing the piano, and she has a keen interest in aesthetics and contemporary music.