"ÖSTRAN"
A virtuoso soloist in Jean Sibelius' violin concerto
Kalmar Music Society's Orchestra opened its spring concert last Sunday in a Nordic sound. An ethereal evening light came in through the western windows into the Green Hall of Kalmar Castle when the orchestra began the concert with one of the most famous of Edvard Grieg's compositions.....
Dazzling artistry
Tonight's guest soloist was Maximilian Bratt, introduced to Kalmar audiences a couple of years ago.
In 2005 he performed with the same orchestra as an eminent soloist on both piano and violin. Good relations have been established and last year the idea of performing together again was born.
Jean Sibelius' violin concerto in D minor demands a virtuoso soloist. Maximilian Bratt showed a dazzling technical artistry, e.g. fast changes in the third movement, but at the same time he kept the sensitivity for the nuances in his playing. It was a strong intensity and determination. It was grandiose and dramatic, and executed with a good balance between the orchestra and the soloist.
Taking on this powerful concerto was a real challenge for Kalmar Music Society and the orchestra and the conductor did work very hard and achieved great results.
The audience responded with standing ovations and a long applause.
Lena Svensson
"BOHUSLÄNINGEN"
Sparkling Concert with a Soloist in Masterclass
Maximilian Bratt, violin and piano
Uddevalla Chamber Orchestra
Conductor: Klas Gerle
Programme presenter: Olof Buckard
Venue: Pingstkyrkan in Uddevalla
Music by: J.Strauss II, H. Wieniawski and F. Chopin
Feeling insight in a meeting with music makes the musical experience deeper, that showed to be true at the concert in Pingstkyrkan, Uddevalla last Saturday. Without any doubts one of the best productions organised by the Chamber Orchestra and Collegium Musicum. As a soloist performed Maximilian Bratt from Vienna, on violin and piano in the same concert. An absolute musical talent, together with Uddevalla Chamber Orchestra - 32 musicians under the leadership of Klas Gerle. Programme presenter was Olof Buckard, a well known performer who talked in a relaxed way about musical experiences, musicians and instruments as well as about the composers and the music played during this concert.
The orchestra started the concert. What an elevating introduction, the ouverture to the classical operetta "Die Fledermaus" by J. Strauss II. The Chamber Orchestras intonation indicated thorough rehearsal. With an instrumental concordance in string sections and wind instruments this beutiful music sounded invitingly soft with it's classical waltz rythm.
Then to Maximilian Bratt, an unusually early developed talent. In a very relaxed style with the violin and the bow, a soloist with charisma in H. Wieniawski's (1835 - 1880) 2nd Violinconcert in d minor, a Polish composer and a brilliant violinist of his time. The virtuoso Maximilian Bratt, a rare talent, is a "full-blooded" musician with an apparent and exceptional joy of playing as well as enormous generosity and power to give everything and in addition on two so demanding instruments.
Wieniawski's music was a delicate experience with Maximilian Bratt as a violin soloist and with good timing between the soloist and the orchestra. Throughout the first movement Bratt's violin with the horns, flutes and brass in the background. In the second movement the soloist with with delicate contribution from flute and clarinet. In the third movement Maximilian Bratt, pure virtuoso, the violin is hot, glowing. The sound is ardent and warm with a tengible depth. He is just above the orchestra. The double-stops are refinements, instrumental highlights that make Wieniawski's music to a highlight.
Just think, after that performance Maximilian Bratt sits down in front of a Yamaha grand piano, this time in Chopin's 2nd Piano concerto in f minor. The same virtuosity on the keyboard. Maximilian Bratt loves Chopin's music. That can be heard and felt. A musical poem from the soloist, the orchestra and the conductor Klas Gerle keep everything together in a musical entirety. It is sparklingly beautiful. It is a masterclass! A big enthusiastic audience was treated with no less than two encores. Maximilian Bratt played with pianistic passion Chopin's Tarantella op.43 A-flat major and Nocturne E major op.62 nr 1.
Lennart Wikström
"BAROMETERN - OSCARSHAMNSTIDNINGEN"
Brilliant technique and romanticism
Kalmar Hall. Concert with Kalmar Music Society and double-soloist Maximilian Bratt. Conductor: Conny Arvidsson. Moderator: Olof Buckard.
In our country and even in our city you can come across musicians who can play more than one instrument. But on Sunday evening the audience at the Kalmar Hall had an opportunity to experience a musician, who not only performed as a soloist on two totally different instruments, but he did it on a high international level. The 26 years old Maximilian Bratt, born in Sweden and at the moment living in Vienna, Austria has been invited to play at the Kalmar Music Society's concert. This has to be seen as a feather in the cap of the programme makers. Maximilian Bratt plays in other words both the violin and the piano and has since the year of 2000, achieved great successes at the competitions and concerts.
During Sunday's performance the soloist started with the Polish composer Wieniawski's 2nd violin concerto. In the two allegro movements Maximilian Bratt showed brilliant technique on his instrument, which was really necessary concidering all the virtuoso passages. But even emotional romanticism in e.g. the andante movement, the so called Romance, which was exquisitely executed.
The Music Society lead by Conny Arvidsson presented a result of a good rehearsal work already in the opening piece, Verdi's ouverture to Nabucco. The orchestra sounded in tune and co-ordinated. It was pleasant to see so many young musicians in the ensemble. The orchestra also supported well in F. Chopin's 2nd piano concerto. Maximilian Bratt performed an absolutely splendid interpretation with brilliant technique and balance.
Lage Olsson
"KATRINEHOLMS KURIREN"
A Brilliant violin soloist
Saturday's concert at Tallåsaulan with the Symphony Orchestra of the Music Society conducted by Ingemar Berg with the violinist Maximilian Bratt as the soloist, comprised of music by Franz Berwald, Sven-David Sandström and Henri Wieniawski.
The last piece of the programme was also the highlight, Wieniawski's 2nd violin concerto. The soloist Maximilian Bratt was a real experience to listen to. Despite his young age, masterly executed. Sure intonation with carrying capacity in the long melodic lines. Brilliant double-stops. Authority in performance, hypnotic in parts, in other words well played.
The orchestra did its utmost under the safe leadership of Ingemar Berg. Convincing and stable fortes, a sure background for the soloist and well executed own parts. A well performed dialogue between the violas and the soloist in the second movement. In the fast final movement the orchestra was a little bit "behindhand" which did not notably affect the soloist. An impressive performance of Wieniawski's concerto, which could be observed by the response from the audience.
Göte Samuelsson
"DER NEUE MERKER"
17th and 20th of December 2003
Maximilian Bratt (violin) and Alba Ventura (piano) gave two fantastic chamber music concerts on the 17th of December at the "Gesellschaft für Musiktheater" and on the 20th of December at the "Beethoven Gedenkstätte". Playing with utmost concordance the artists performed during both evenings, with a homogenous sound, Ludwig van Beethoven's Sonata op. 30 nr 3 in G major..... Ernest Chausson's (1855-1899) "Poème"..... Manuel de Falla's (1876-1946) suite "Populaire espagnol", which in its six movements demands immense technique combined with magnificent melodiousity, melancholy..... Both musicians were in their element!.... Both concerts ended with Johannes Brahm's Sonata op.100 in A major. The artists let their emotions follow the music and a truly stormy applause broke loose as a justified thank from the audience.
Helmut Batliner
15.2 Maximilian Bratt, double soloist, played at the Beethoven Memorial - Floridsdorf, Vienna - a concert of a special kind.
.... Bach's Chaconne from the second suite for violin solo ... The young artist from Sweden let the theme and melodies to sing, the chords to murmur and presented the choral for four voices very thoughtful. Every variation.....was given a meaning in his performance....
..... Paganini's "Variations" (over an aria from Paisiello's opera "La Molinara") .....Pure virtuosity with breathtaking arpeggios, jumps and pizzicati made the music friends for the second time speachless but not applauseless.
Beethoven's Sonata op 90 in E-minor ..... The pianist did not interpret, he just gave with compassion, those delightful melodies, his emotions. Now followed, as a final contrast Chopin's Sonata op 35 in B-flat minor..... Maximilian Bratt's power of expression, his understanding of Chopin's emotions and his immense technique left the audience breathless and soon after extatic applause broke loose.....
Helmut Batliner