From Deseret News archives:
Canadian violinist is breathtaking
The field of concert violinists is immense today. And among the younger generation of violinists who has hit the world scene in a big way is Leila Josefowicz.
The 29-year-old Canadian is one of the most sought-after artists today. Her concert calendar is filled with orchestral engagements and recitals in the United States and Canada, as well as Europe and New Zealand.
Josefowicz finally made her Salt Lake City debut during Tuesday's Virtuoso Series concert in Libby Gardner Concert Hall, offering a wonderfully diverse program with her longtime collaborator, pianist John Novacek, and putting her remarkable artistry on display.
The young violinist has a wide range of recital pieces — including a respectable amount of new works — from which to choose. And Tuesday's recital, while not adhering to the printed program, did showcase her multifaceted talent and obvious love for new music.
There were two major changes in the program.
First, instead of Shostakovich's Violin Sonata, the audience was treated to a persuasive performance of Prokofiev's Violin Sonata No. 1, op. 80. One of the composer's great chamber pieces, the sonata is a darkly textured and intense work, whose somberness is only relieved in the gently flowing reflectiveness of the slow third movement.
Josefowicz and Novacek gave a breathtaking reading that easily captured the intense energy and bold lines of the sonata. A demanding work, the duo's playing was also marked by virtuosity, bold emotions and finely shaded expressions.
The other deviation from the program was Stravinsky's Duo Concertant instead of his Divertimento.
The five brief movements of the Duo Concertant are forcefully contrasting. Josefowicz and Novacek gave a wonderfully dynamic reading that captured the jagged lines and driving energy of the first, second and fourth movements, while bringing heartfelt expressiveness to the remaining two movements.
Also on the program was "Conversio," by the contemporary Estonian composer Erki-Sven Tuur. The piece is minimalist in character and effect, with repeated rhythmic/melodic motives in the violin that are commented on by the piano. Tuur gradually expands on this but doesn't move far from his original motives.
Josefowicz and Novacek gave a mesmerizing performance of this luminous piece that was vibrant, dynamic and full of raw energy.
There were also a couple of pieces from the 19th century on the program — Brahms "Sonatensatz" and Schubert's Rondo in B minor, D. 895. Both were played with romantic fervor and impassioned intensity.
As an encore, the duo gave a wonderfully heartfelt rendition of Charlie Chaplin's "Smile."
E-mail: ereichel@desnews.com
