Date: Fri 06-Dec-1996

Publication: Bee

Author: CAROLK

Illustration: C

Location: A16

Quick Words:

NFoM-Yoshida-violin-concert

Full Text:

(rev Ayako Yoshida performance for NFoM, 12/6/96)

Concert Review-

A Risk-Taking Performer, Yoshida Warms Up With Beethoven

By June April

Violinist Ayako Yoshida was born to play music. "My mother always used to play

Beethoven when she was pregnant with me," laughed the 25-year old musician,

who was the guest of last weekend's Newtown Friends of Music-sponsored concert

in Newtown. The love of music was imprinted, she feels, because at age 2« Miss

Yoshida yearned to study the violin. Happily, her parents granted her wish.

The presence and connection this young woman has for playing the violin

promises a bright future as a soloist. She has already collaborated with many

noted artists, such as pianist/conductor Andre Previn, and violinists Elmar

Oliveira and Ani Kavafian. Miss Yoshida has also played recitals in Europe,

and throughout the United States.

At the quarter-century mark of her life, she is launched in a fulfilling

career. Her 26th birthday, December 4, will be celebrated in Japan, with her

parents.

Miss Yoshida plays a 17th Century German violin made by Jacob Strainer. Many

view his instruments as being as superb as those produced by Amati and

Stradivarius. A noted performer as well as violin maker, Stainer is credited

with discovering the secret of the Italian varnish.

Yet, acknowledging all the above, there were a number of times at the December

1 concert when this reviewer found the notes played by Miss Yoshida in the

high treble register to be almost strident in quality, especially in the first

piece, a Beethoven sonata.

Her artistry shone most brightly in the Schumann Sonata No. 2 in D minor (Opus

121) . The opening was magnificent in tone and power and this quality, this

excellence, was evidenced throughout the composition. The greater melodic

range, especially of the lower musical register, proves to be Ayako Yoshida's

greatest strength at this point in her career.

An interesting contrast occurs in the third movement, entitled "Leise, einfach

(dolce semplice)," which opens with the soloist plucking the melodic line for

several minutes. The ensuing portion is slow and beautifully moving.

Miss Yoshida's technical prowess was striking in this music, as it was in the

final work, a composition by the brilliant violinist/composer Niccolo

Paganini.

What appeared disarmingly easy was in fact a musical challenge, according to

Miss Yoshida. A press release referred to her as "a risk-taking performer

offering passion and conviction..." Indeed, the Paganini was the measure of

her daring.

The second half of the afternoon's presentation was Sonata No. 1 in D minor

(Opus 75) by Camille Saint-Saens. Here again, that assignation of risk-taker,

was clear to the eye and ear. The trills and dazzling speed, especially in the

third (Allegro moderto) movement was impressive.

Without being sentimental, piano accompanist Stephen Swedish was instrumental

in raising the level of the opening work, Beethoven's "Sonata No. 8 in G Major

(Opus 30, No. 3). Having been caught in heavy traffic, the performers arrived

quite close to the 3 pm concert time. It was almost a "warm up" to play the

Beethoven, and Swedish helped balance some of the jarring higher violin tones.

All in all, it was a pleasurable way to spend a rainy Sunday afternoon, as

many NFoM concerts are. Apparently there were a number of people who felt

similarly because the house was quite full, with a reasonable number of

children in the audience.