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Leicester Mercury | February 2012
"Enraptured by panache in playing
Should you – like a certain well-known detective – have acquired a Stradivarius violin for 55 shillings and be intent on a career as a virtuoso violinist then this concert was probably not for you.
The colours and dynamics that Jack Liebeck conjured up from his lustrous Guadagnini violin would have been so off-putting that you would have thought that even at that price you had not got a bargain.
Brahms first violin sonata was effortlessly played, Martin Cousin allowing the piano part, which might otherwise dominate, to be an equal partner.
Based in part on two of Brahms songs this performance sang from first to last.
The Three Myths, Op 30 of the Polish composer Karol Symanowski are evidently a favourite of Liebeck; he played them at Loughborough University last year.
This is ideal repertoire for an artist with his range of colour, with Symanowski's highly perfumed depictions of three Greek myths wondrously varied.
At times, he appears not to let his bow touch the strings so quiet is the playing. This quiet playing is electric; yet he has more than enough power for the climaxes.
One can see why this music on record is often illustrated by Paul Klimt paintings, gold, scarlets and purples.
Tchaikovsky's Valse Scherzo might be merely salon music writ large but played with such panache by both artists it was highly relishable.
An encore of the refulgent Médiation from Thais left the capacity audience enraptured."
www.classicalsource.com | July 2011
It seemed strangely appropriate to be reviewing a concert in the official “church of the press”, St Bride’s – for a wonderful hour of music-making, though while Jack Liebeck played it was still possible to hear the City in full flow outside, with helicopters, sirens and revving trucks providing a restless backdrop.Happily, once Liebeck was in full flow he drew the concentration of the audience. Stepping in at short notice in place of Veronika Eberle, who was recovering from illness, Liebeck had a lesion of his own in a troublesome wrist. This could not have been deduced from his performances, however, as he ran through a programme similar to that devised by the original performer. We began with Bach, Liebeck taking time to let each phrase speak, free of mannerisms or excessive ornamentation. The ‘Prelude’ took a while to settle on a consistent speed, but there was real beauty in Liebeck’s sensitively played ‘Loure’, and a touch of rustic charm added to the ‘Bourrée’. Using the acoustic to his advantage, Liebeck allowed the high-register notes to ring out, waiting until the sound had died away, and it this attention to detail that characterised a thoroughly involving reading.
J. S. Bach’s works for unaccompanied violin inspired Ysa˙e to write his own set. The First of Six Sonatas published as Opus 27 is the one to draw most directly from Bach’s example. Liebeck negotiated the tricky Fugue with impressive clarity and assertiveness, while the third movement scherzoso had a graceful charm. The romanticism of Ysa˙e’s writing was immediately apparent, but Liebeck chose to dwell more on the Bach connection rather than opting for a thick, sentimental tone.
Kreisler dedicated Recitativo and Scherzo-Caprice, a rarely performed work, to Ysa˙e – and the connection was clear in reading that featured a full but still attractive tone, leading to a Scherzo that fizzed along, its subject ducking and diving. Before this we heard a remarkable piece of virtuosity in an arrangement of Tárrega’s guitar piece Recuerdos de la Alhambra, a short postcard-piece noted for its virtuosic employment of tremolos. As hard as the eye examined, it was difficult to tell how Liebeck secured a similar sound on the violin, but his bow-control was faultless, picking out the melody amidst the rapid rhythms of the background. To complement his recital Liebeck gave a short and helpful commentary on each piece, and completed the circle with the ‘Sarabande’ from Bach’s D minor Partita (BWV1004).
The Scotsman Newspaper | May 2011
Jack Liebeck & Katya Apekisheva
City Halls, Glasgow ****
City Halls, Glasgow ****
JACK Liebeck is better known as a concerto soloist than as a recitalist. But in the solo recital he gave on Wednesday with Russian pianist Katya Apekisheva it was refreshing to witness the more intimate side of his musical nature, especially in the close-knit acoustics of the City Halls Recital Room.
The event was an unusual one. Liebeck had already appeared that evening with physicist Professor Brian Foster to illustrate a lecture on Einstein, whose musical passion was the violin. The actual recital included pieces written for Einstein (Martinu's Five Madrigal Stanzas), or which were among his favourites.
Liebeck and Apekisheva added chemistry to the physics, delivering a series of performances, ranging from Baroque to 20th century, that were sinuous, delicate and intimately polished. Bach's A major Sonata benefitted from the pianist's pinpoint articulation, matched by Liebeck's silvery precision.
The entire opening of the recital was judiciously restrained, the elegance of the Bach leading gently into the muted Mozart's E minor Sonata.
From there, the sound world was transformed by the ethereal spirituality of Szymanowski's Three Myths, Op 30 and the breezy, spirited Martinu pieces, before the gravitational pull of Brahms' A major Sonata brought us back to ground.
Liebeck's Brahms was the least convincing of his performances. He played it with a dispassionate air, though just too much so to make it work. No holding back on Tchaikovsky's Valse Scherzo, however, which sent us home with a skip and a smile.
The event was an unusual one. Liebeck had already appeared that evening with physicist Professor Brian Foster to illustrate a lecture on Einstein, whose musical passion was the violin. The actual recital included pieces written for Einstein (Martinu's Five Madrigal Stanzas), or which were among his favourites.
Liebeck and Apekisheva added chemistry to the physics, delivering a series of performances, ranging from Baroque to 20th century, that were sinuous, delicate and intimately polished. Bach's A major Sonata benefitted from the pianist's pinpoint articulation, matched by Liebeck's silvery precision.
The entire opening of the recital was judiciously restrained, the elegance of the Bach leading gently into the muted Mozart's E minor Sonata.
From there, the sound world was transformed by the ethereal spirituality of Szymanowski's Three Myths, Op 30 and the breezy, spirited Martinu pieces, before the gravitational pull of Brahms' A major Sonata brought us back to ground.
Liebeck's Brahms was the least convincing of his performances. He played it with a dispassionate air, though just too much so to make it work. No holding back on Tchaikovsky's Valse Scherzo, however, which sent us home with a skip and a smile.
The Leicester Mercury | December 2010
reviewed by Peter CollettLeicester International Music Festival, December 2nd 2010
"The Leicester International Music Festival presented a stunning concert for violin and piano given by Jack Liebeck and Katya Apekisheva at New Walk Museum, Leicester. Three contrasting compositions sat well together, each offering a different insight into music for this combination of instruments. A wintry sounding Adagio began JS Bach's Sonata in B minor, the gentle piano introduction and almost imperceptible violin entry being characteristic of this sensitive performance. The fugue-like Adagio was played with conviction, followed by some beautiful ornamentation in the Andante and real energy in the closing Allegro. Composed in 1893 for his children, the attraction of Dvorák's Sonatina in G is its simplicity, combined with careful expression, colour and rhythm. Liebeck and Apekisheva gave a charming performance, full of emotion and careful phrasing, demonstrating a truly beautiful work. The Larghetto in particular had a wonderful gentleness, while the Scherzo danced beautifully. The underlying current of restlessness of Brahms' Violin Sonata in D minor was conveyed effortlessly in a stunning performance. An encore of Fritz Kreisler's Liebesleid was much appreciated by the enthusiastic audience and concluded an exquisite concert by two musicians who make brilliant music."
Liverpool Daily Post | July 2010
reviewed by Peter Spaull"The fine young English violinist Jack Liebeck turns his hand to the three Brahms Sonatas on a new Sony disc with pianist Katya Apekisheva. He was a 2010 Classical Brits award winner, and was recently at St George's Hall. This is young man's Brahms admittedly, but none the worse for that, revealing his fine tone and technique. "
The Strad | April 2010
reviewed by Edward BhesaniaCadogan Hall, London, with Kensington Philharmonic conducted by Russell Keable, 20th January 2010
"Jack Liebeck gave a performance of the Tchaikovsky that was less polished [than Caroline Widman playing Szymanowski's Violin Concerto No 1] but perhaps no less successful overall. There were some technical insecurities in the first movement, and the occasional discrepancy with the orchestra - the bold but non-professional Kensington Symphony Orchestra under Ryssell Keable - but by the first movement's cadenza Liebeck had long regained his footing. Thgroughout the movement his supple phrasing came with a freshness that was immediately winning; never over-gushing yet replete with tonal shading. Liebeck took advantage of Cadogan Hall's relatively intimate acoustic in the second-movement Canzonetta, employing the mute and communing with the orchestra in soulful chamber music making. Muscular and exuberant in the finale, he played up the movement's Russian folk origins while also injecting a note of the macabre. Although this performance could certainly have been morer slick, there was at the same time no hint of the pre-fab readings that seem to be trotted out by some of today's outstanding virtuosos, and the sound was never over-pushed. As an encore, the Sarabande from Bach's D Minor Partita could have benefited from more space, but Liebeck's stark vibratoless tone was unfailing involving."
The Northern Echo | February 2010
reviewed by Gavin EngelbrechtThe Sage, Gateshead with the Northern Sinfonia conducted by Ewa Strusinska, February 10th, 2010
"Bruch’s Violin Concerto No 1, one of the most popular works in the genre, was fronted by Jack Liebeck. His was a solid performance, avoiding the danger of sinking into mushy sentimentality, yet remaining fulsome in its passion. The singing melodies were cleancut in their beauty and cadenzas unfaltering.
Sinfonia leader Bradley Creswick happens to be one of the leading exponents of this piece, so Liebeck was assured an entirely seamless and responsive accompaniment.
The finale was exuberance personified. The programme was rounded off with that allround favourite Beethoven’s Symphony No 5. "
Classical Source | January 2010
reviewed by Bob BriggsCadogan Hall, London with the Kensington Symphony Orchestra conducted by Russell Keable, January 20th, 2010
"Jack Liebeck just seems to get better and better. His account of the Tchaikovsky Concerto was very intelligent, and, together with sensitive and careful direction from Russell Keable, he brought out the yearning soul of the work, through the judicious choice of some deliberate tempos, but still had time for fireworks. This was what impressed for the thought, not to mention the decision, to take their time over the music allowed for a gorgeous Canzonetta and the finale was held in check until all was let rip for the coda and the performance ended in a blaze. Liebeck gave us a little Bach as an encore. "
The Penguin Guide to Recorded Classical Music - 2010 Edition | January 2010
Ivan March, Edward Greenfield, Robert Layton and Paul CzajkowskiDvorak - Violin Concerto; Violin Sonata; Sonatina for Violin & piano
* * * *; 'Key recording' = top recommendation
"This neatly gathers together Dvorak's three principal works for violin solo. Liebeck, a Londoner trained at the RAM, has an easy, warm and fluent style, well-displayed in this debut concerto record for Sony. His expressiveness never runs into self-indulgence, remaining spontaneous-sounding. Garry Walker and the RSNO make the idiosynchratic structure of the Concerto very clear, leading on to the delightful Slavonic dance of the finale. The Sonata has many of the same qualities, but it is the Sonatina, product of the composer's later period, when he was influenced by American music which brings the most attractive music of all, a masterpiece that has rarely been appreciated as it deserves."
Bridge - Phantasie Trio in C min.; Piano Trio 2; 9 Miniatures for Piano Trio
* * * *; 'Key recording' = top recommendation
"Jack Liebeck and his colleagues, Alexander Chausian and Ashley Wass, provide here a genuinely inspirational collection of Frank Bridge's chamber music with a glorious performance of the visionary Second Piano Trio balanced by the Phantasie Trio and the engaging Nine Miniatures, lightweight and winningly varied, but never trivial. They are splendidly recorded and this inexpensive disc is the ideal way to begin an exploration of Bridge's chamber music"
The Gramophone | December 2009
reviewed by Duncan DruceDvorak - Masterful and delicately coloured performances from Jack Liebeck.
"From the Concerto's opening bars I was aware of being in the presence of an extremely confident player, someone sure of his ability to present a persuasive view of the music. It's surprising that such a strong, idiomatic performance - from orchestra as well as soloist - has had to wait more than four years to be issued. Dvorak, inspired by the playing of Joachim, gives the violin a powerful, masterful persona, with many forceful double-stopped and chordal passages. Liebeck can easily assume this role, while remaining alive to all the contrasting playful, delicate, or tender episodes. My only moments of doubt came in the Adagio, where Liebeck tends to linger dreamily. It's very beautiful, but takes away from the inspiring effect of the long melodic lines.
In partnership with Katya Apekisheva, Liebeck creates an impression of live performance, their accounts of the Sonata and Sonatina have an air of happy spontaneity, with the two of them listening intently and responding to each other as they play. The Sonata isn't one of Dvorak's most memorable works (until we reach the finale, with its catchy tune) but Liebeck and Apekisheva succeed in creating a lovely, tranquil atmosphere at the end of the first movement, and the finale bubbles with joy. The Sonatina, too, is a delight. I was surprised at the extreme tempo changes during the Larghetto, but the sound and character of each episode is realised in a very colourful, spirited way. The lively parts of the finale have a stomping energy, setting the stage for the nostalgic melodic interludes, where Liebeck's expressiveness is splendidly uninhibited."
The Allgemeiner Zeitung Mainz | November 2009
reviewed by Siegfried KienzleStaatstheater Mainz with Philharmonischen Staatsorchesters Mainz conducted by Catherine Rückwardt, November 13th, 2009
"Scorching finale for the solo violin
When a Finnish composer writes a violin concerto, a comparison with his musical predecessor Sibelius and his violin concerto is unavoidable. Indeed Magnus Lindberg, born in Helsinki in 1958, builds clearly on his example. The opening bars, in which the solo violin shines intoxicatingly in the highest reaches of the instrument over the shimmering tremolo of the strings, is reminiscent of the beginning of the Sibelius, as is the three-movement form.
In this concert by the Philharmonischen Staatsorchesters Mainz conducted by Catherine Rückwardt, the young violinist Jack Liebeck showed himself to be master both of the lyrical calm and the rapid accelerating sections of the piece. Sometimes the soloist sank into the orchestra, energetically led by Ruckwardt, as the composer no doubt intended.
In the cadenza, which Lindberg places in the second movement, the soloist demonstrated every conceivable virtuosic element of violin playing and enthralled the audience in the scorching finale. Liebeck, born in 1980 in London, is one of the most interesting violinists of the younger generation, because he plays unusual repetoire – for example he has not only recorded Dvorak’s Violin Concerto but also [pieces] hardly ever played ...."
(translated from the German)
The Mainzer Rhein-Zeitung | November 2009
reviewed by Matthias MaderStaatstheater Mainz with Philharmonischen Staatsorchesters Mainz conducted by Catherine Rückwardt, November 13th, 2009
"Stroke of Genius is a musical highpoint - Third symphony concert of the Staatstheatre Orchestra Mainz
Franz Schreker composed a major opera in search of it; Magnus Lindberg simply states it in his Violin Concerto, bravely banishing all doubt; but Robert Schumann really seems to have found it in his Third Symphony: the security of the essence of music, pure sound – distant, imagined and always reaffirmed.
This concept was really the theme of the third concert of the Staatstheater. Catherine Rueckwahrt succeeded in illustrating it through a comprehensive programme that made exciting connections between Romantic, Late Romantic and Modern pieces....
Magnus Lindbergh’s Violin Concerto, composed in 2006, cannot completely exclude the world and its ambiguities. However, there are enough moments when he succeeds. Admittedly, such salvation can only be attained for brief instants. Despite all the brilliant soaring into the highest registers of young soloist Jack Liebeck, the incredible energy of his attack and the utmost clarity of his tone, indeed almost because of them it becomes ever clearer that, in music, the path back to the paradise of pure harmony must remain forever closed....."
(translated from the German)
The Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung | November 2009
reviewed by Harald BudwegStaatstheater Mainz with Philharmonischen Staatsorchesters Mainz conducted by Catherine Rückwardt, November 13th, 2009
"Sleepless in Mainz
Magnus Lindberg’s Violin Concerto, composed in 2006, surprisingly proved to be a, at least superficially, conventional contribution to the repertoire. It is almost a true virtuoso concerto, with emphasis on the display of the solo part, a regular three-movement structure and even a clearly discernible solo cadenza. Nothing in this attractive, stirring piece of modern music was calculated to frighten away a conservative subscription audience. The London-born violinist Jack Liebeck played the solo part with a ravishing intensity and a joy in the music. In his interpretation it is also clear that not only has the composer limited the stock of themes he uses in the architecture of the piece but also deliberately employed particular chords to enable the structure of the composition to be followed easily. The audience’s applause was enthusiastic and unanimous. "
(translated from the German)
The Birmingham Post | October 2009
reviewed by John GoughSymphony Hall, Birmingham with City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra, cond. Michael Seal, October 22nd 2009
"In Mozart’s third violin concerto, the young British violinist Jack Liebeck was alert to every nuance of rhythm and phrasing. He gave the courtly gestures a sweet toned chamber delivery, and his finely shaded playing and precise intonation was a joy to hear. So too the introspective poise of the second movement before the bucolic high jinks of the finale."
Manuatu Standard | September 2009
reviewed by Stephen FisherRegent on Broadway, Palmerston North, New Zealand, with Stephen de Pledge, piano, September 22nd, 2009
"The violin has certainly been to the fore with Sunday's Art Gallery concert and last night's Chamber Music New Zealand presentation of the gifted young British violinist Jack Liebeck alongside the equally talented New Zealand pianist Stephen De Pledge, at the Regent.
Their programme featured works from the recognised masters; Beethoven's Spring violin sonata, Brahms' second violin sonata, Herbert Howell's first violin sonata and Elgar's E minor sonata.
The opening melody of the Spring sonata has helped it to become the most popular of Beethoven's sonatas, but here the work was given a beautifully warm performance as was Brahm's sonata.
Both works were refreshing on the ear as the energy and mastery of these performers drew us into their music.
However, it was to be the two works by the British composers Herbert Howells and Elgar that proved to be the most captivating of the evening.
Both works require a great range of emotion, while remaining easily accessible for the audience, who obviously appreciated the sincerity of the performance and the superb musicianship on display.
No, this was not an evening of great virtuosity. These players gently explore each work with a great depth of sympathy and enormous emotion, allowing the exquisite beauty of each piece to come to the fore throughout the night.
The musicians obviously enjoyed playing together and deeply cared about every note of their music.
Gloriously spellbinding! "
The Daily News | September 2009
reviewed by Allan PurdyTheatre Royal, TSB Showplace, New Plymouth, New Zealand, with Stephen de Pledge, piano, September 18th, 2009
"It never ceases to amaze me how great are the differences of style and sound quality between players of the same instrument, literally, in the case of the piano.
Jack Liebeck, British violinist, produced an amazingly silken tone (no hint of horse-hair here) and Stephen De Pledge, NZ pianist, coaxed a beautifully rounded sound from our Steinway grand.
These two acclaimed young musicians gave a recital of Mozart, Arvo Part and Franck in the Chamber Music NZ subscription series at the TSB Showplace on Friday night. Their perfect rapport and unanimity of interpretation made for a scintillating performance. It seemed as if only one brain was in control and I couldn't tell which one!
Some performances of Mozart can be quite ordinary, but their two sonatas for piano and violin had just the right measures of variety of articulation, dynamics and rubato to sustain interest and excitement throughout. Their powers of expressiveness without ever indulging to excess were amazing.
Between these two sonatas was a piece by contemporary Estonian composer Arvo Part. Entitled Spiegel im Spiegel (mirror in the mirror) this beautifully simple, reflective music relied on exquisite control of delicate bowing, vibrato and broken chord articulation. Part's compositions display fascinating inventiveness within the comfort of traditional tonality.
Part's much more energetic Fratres (brothers) opened the second half with a dashing display of double, triple and quadruple stopping on the violin and thrilling big sounds from the piano. The positive influences of Bach were on show here.
Cesar Franck's well-known Sonata in A, in rich, romantic style gave opportunity for much more "horsepower" in the playing. Both players obviously enjoyed the wide-ranging emotions of this work, from the dark foreboding of the scherzo to the bravura style of the finale.
Sustained applause from the audience brought an encore gem, Elgar's Chanson de Matin. "
The Waikato Times | September 2009
reviewed by Andrew Buchanan-SmartWel Energy Trust Academy of Performing Arts, Hamilton, New Zealand, with Stephen de Pledge, piano, September 17th, 2009
"With this excellent pairing of Jack Liebeck, violin and Stephen De Pledge, piano one was inclined to think that they brought the best out in each other; two sensitive musical temperaments performed as one.
Mozart’s Sonatas for Violin and Piano K301 and K378 were from the outset hallmarks of exquisite phrasing and balance that extracted subtleties form the music line as the moods changed. The lyricism and vitality were equally documented with displays of virtuosity, which captured the essence of the style.
Pärt’s Spiegel im Spiegel is in essence minimalist music which has been facilitated by the music's apparent spiritual qualities, combining elements of Bach, a Brahms Lullaby; and the use of tintinnabuli, reminiscent of ringing bells with simple rhythms; both very simple and very difficult. In Fratres the soundscape was more complex as it captured the sentiments of austerity.
Franck’s Violin Sonata was given a passionate full bodied account as it captured the extent of the emotion in the work. The opening impressionistic hues were very beguiling before the frenzy of French romanticism was exposed with endless sumptuous themes. The gradual rising and falling of tension was well balanced as the duo captured the foreboding calm. The final proclamation was supreme. Elgar’s Chanson de Matin as encore continued the serenity but with a more delicate palette. A very well thought out programme, stunningly performed. "
Middle-C.org | September 2009
reviewed by Lindis TaylorExpressions Arts Centre, Upper Hutt, with pianist Stephen de Pledge, Monday 21 September
"Chamber Music New Zealand have been promoting solo piano recitals by Stephen De Pledge, in their main concert series in the major centres, and violin and piano recitals involving De Pledge and English violinist Jack Liebeck in a series of concerts for the so-called ‘associated societies’ that exist in smaller centres.
When the tours were published I wondered why this arrangement had been decided upon in the light of the kind of attention Liebeck has been getting in concerts and recordings in Britain and elsewhere.
Fortunately, the proliferation of chamber music organizations in Greater Wellington makes it easy to enjoy both the piano alone (at the Wellington Town Hall and at Waikanae) and the duo at Upper Hutt and Lower Hutt where different programmes were being presented.
At Upper Hutt the emphasis was on English violin music, with an unfamiliar sonata by Herbert Howells and a somewhat better known sonata by Elgar. Before they began the Howells, Liebeck said a few words about his awakening to English music, and his keen advocacy of it was clear.
The Howells sonata has four connected parts that hardly follow the classical pattern. The opening movement spoke with a rather English voice, to be sure, in reflective elegiac tones which soon turned more lively, though hardly suggesting emotions that would have upset Victorian England (it was composed, I must point, out durng World War I). In the second movement the pace slowed again and my reaction was both to wonder at the insight shown by both musicians and their rapport, and to regret the absence of an anchor in the form of a melody or two.
The music evolved again, rather than making a distinct change, by means of emphatic piano chords into a third movement with rudiments of a dance-like tune. A fourth movement, assai tranquillo, seemed to be the composer’s most natural form of expression for it was here at last that there was a oneness between the music and the spirit of the two players.
I had heard Elgar’s violin sonata a few months ago played by a couple of local musicians; I did not know it well at that stage, and it remained something of an enigma. But in the hands of these two, it emerged as a work of considerable stature, a variety of moods and styles that Liebeck and De Pledge commanded with great conviction, both in the opening flourishes and as it settled into an attractive lyrical character and clearly structured shapes.
The first movement ended with a fine sense of power and authority. The last movement was coloured in the early stages by an ‘English light music’ quality that I find uninteresting, and its conclusion seemed to fall short in a sense of resolution and grandeur. It was the second movement with its two very distinct parts that I found most persuasive as the players exploited it melodic strengths and here, in its gorgeous muted tones, I was conscious of being in the presence of a considerable violin talent.
The other two works were familiar. Beethoven’s Spring Sonata was a delightful start to the concert, demonstrating the violin’s elegance and lyricism and the pianist’s flair for turning phrases in ear-catching ways, pointing to features and emphases that seemed somehow new.
The least interesting, most surprisingly, was Brahms Second Sonata. It was entirely flawless and unexceptionable, but perhaps as a result of the context, it seeming of rather less stature that it actually possesses, the last movement failing to rise to a finale of much consequence.
However, in spite of what was probably a personal response on my part, nothing detracted from the impact of this very fine artist, and enjoyment of the rapport that was always evident between the two musicians."
The Guardian | July 2009
reviewed by Tim Ashley* * * *
Dvorak: violin concerto, sonatas
(Sony)
"Jack Liebeck's Dvorak album consolidates his reputation as one of today's finest young violinists, though the task he sets himself could also, perhaps, be described as ungrateful. Dvorak's major violin works are notably problematic, as if hampered by some deep-seated ambivalence towards the instrument. Written in the US in 1893, the Sonatina, despite - or possibly because of - its stylistic simplicity, is the most consistently moving of the three. The more virtuosic Sonata (1880) and Concerto (1883) both suffer from lapses in inspiration, which no interpreter has ever managed to disguise. Liebeck's tone, dark yet sweet, is ideal in this music, and the prowess and finesse of his playing are never in doubt. But while he is able to refute the usual criticism that the Concerto's finale is repetitive, one is still conscious that the Adagio sprawls a bit, and also that Sonata's first movement is diffuse in comparison with the rest of it. The Royal Scottish National Orchestra, on blistering form for Garry Walker, are his accompanists in the Concerto. Pianist Katya Apekisheva takes over for the Sonata and Sonatina."
The Independent | May 2009
reviewed by Jack RileyDvorak: violin concerto, sonatas
(Sony)
"The buzz about British violinist Jack Liebeck is well-founded, judging by this major-label debut on which he tackles a trio of Dvorák pieces with the Royal Scottish National Orchestra under Garry Walker. [His] tone is fiery but elegant, equally adept whether indulging the swirling physicality of the energetic Finale to the Violin Concerto in A minor Op.53 with Slavonic gusto, or negotiating the highest lines of the opening Allegro with tightrope-walker poise. He's joined by pianist Katya Apekisheva for the Violin Sonata in F Op.57 and the charming Violin Sonatina in G Op.100, jotted down on the composer's sleeve while visiting Minnehaha Falls in Minnesota."
The Scotsman | April 2009
reviewed by Sue WilsonRoyal Concert Hall, Glasgow, with Royal Scottish National Orchestra, cond. James Judd, April 18th 2009
"Highly popular, indeed, barely covers it for Vaughan Williams's The Lark Ascending, second in the running order here and officially the favourite piece of Classic FM listeners. Violin soloist Jack Liebeck for the most part sustained an exquisite balance between ethereal fragility and untamed fervour, beautifully complemented by the orchestra."
Musicalcriticism.com | December 2008
reviewed by Mary RobbQueens Hall Edinburgh, with Scottish Chamber Orchestra, cond. Nicholas Kraemer, December 13th 2008
"The violin concerto by Magnus Lindberg was a virtuosic midfield with soloist Jack Liebeck spending most of the piece in the last three inches of the fingerboard. But even in the highest registers Liebeck performed delicately and with grit determination. In three continuous movements, the piece explored the limits of the violin, not only in register, but also in tempo, colour and character. Tonal and atonal structures took the fore as he exploited portamenti, use of the natural harmonic series and unusual double bass entries including a long held note in the brilliant violin cadenza. Liebeck certainly showed the technical mastery, accomplished playing and wit in the performance of this difficult piece."
The Herald | December 2008
reviewed by Michael TumeltyGlasgow City Halls, with Scottish Chamber Orchestra, cond. Nicholas Kraemer, December 12th 2008
"But the piece of the night, and one of the best performances of an incredibly busy week, fell jointly to Finnish composer Magnus Lindberg's Violin Concerto and the electric performance it received from Jack Liebeck, now in his late twenties, a player of enormous maturity and blinding technical accomplishment."
The Strad | July 2008
reviewed by Edward BhesaniaQueen Elizabeth Hall, South Bank, London, with Kayta Apekisheva, piano, 8th April 2008
"In his Queen Eizabeth Hall recital, strongly partnered by Katya Apekisheva, British violinist Jack Liebeck brought fresh, honest playing that left an equally effective mark on both the familiar and the less well-trodden items on his programme. Opening with Mozart's Violin Sonata in B flat major K378, Liebeck was supremely confident in taking a back-seat accompanying role, both at the very beginning and during the lyrically arching second movement, which became one of those magically beguiling Mozart arias, suspended in time.
His sprightly, stylish playing in the rest of the sonata contrasted with that of the following Dvorak Sonata, which offered Liebeck more substance - and a chance, amid the Brahmsian lyricism, to mix an individual blend of old-school tonal richness with refreshing inquisitiveness and charm.
Bridge's rarely heard sonata, after the interval, was a model of tightly coiled intensity, with its rhapsodic yet urgently expressive - indeed Expressionistic - first movement giving rise to a second movement of icy desolation. Even in the challenging Vivo e capriccioso finale, Liebeck maintained admirable control. Emotionally, this piece in itself could have formed a satisfying second half of the concert, but it was offset by the Ravel Violin Sonata. Liebeck was well attuned to the bluesy note-bending and the glassy sul ponticello - yet, together with Apekisheva, expertly applied the thumbscrews in the dark second movement to reach a monumental climax. After this, the final Perpetuum mobile was alive with buzzing detail, but even here there was no sense of empty display."
Music & Vision | May 2008
reviewed by Mike WheelerRoyal Concert Hall, Nottingham, with Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, cond. Leonard Slatkin
"The number of performers whose careers have been kick-started by appearing as a last-minute replacement when someone is taken ill must be quite substantial. On this occasion (Royal Concert Hall, Nottingham, UK, 24 April 2008) it was London-born violinist Jack Liebeck, standing in for the indisposed So-Ock Kim who was to have played Prokofiev's Second Violin Concerto. Given such short notice, Liebeck opted instead for the Mendelssohn E minor. It was a superb performance, with absolutely no allowances needing to be make for it having been thrown together at the last possible moment.
If ever there was a concerto that demanded not to be treated as just a virtuoso showpiece it's this one. Liebeck's gentle, soft playing held attention right from the beginning, and his simple, unaffected singing style in the second movement was just what the music requires. There was plenty of sparkle and energy in the finale, but it was the music we were invited to celebrate, not just the player's technique. The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra and conductor Leonard Slatkin backed him to the hilt."
The Times | April 2008
reviewed by Hilary FinchQueen Elizabeth Hall, South Bank, London, with Kayta Apekisheva, piano
"The name is not Vengerov or Benedetti: it’s Liebeck. And those who know a thing or two about the violin know to be there. Jack Liebeck may lumber on to the platform as if he’s about to change a lightbulb, but it’s when the bow touches the strings that the electricity really sparks.
The 28-year-old English violinist has already formed a longstanding musical partnership with the Moscow-born pianist Katya Apekisheva and, from the first notes of Mozart’s Violin Sonata in B flat, K378, there was something very special in the air. At first Liebeck merely accompanied, in a silky undertone, while Apekisheva’s fingers sang in quietly tender mischief. Then the roles were reversed. Simple as that. Both played in a totally unassuming way, with a contained range of dynamic and gesture. Yet the effect was mesmerising. The slow movement reinvented its own serene song as though time barely existed.
Then, suddenly, it was time for Dvorák. Another shy opening, and the sense of a melody slowly unbudding in its own time. Then, prompted by the piano, Liebeck sprang into action, eagerly investigating every corner of the leaping asymetries of the Violin Sonata in F. A lullaby lilted along in shades of half-voice and in subtly shifting textures, with Liebeck leaning into a little old-style portamento from time to time. Here and in the fleet-footed finale both Liebeck and Apekisheva seemed to be improvising a newly discovered dance in response to each other’s movements.
Liebeck’s rare and focused seriousness as a musician took on a different character after the interval. Frank Bridge’s Violin Sonata was written between the two wars, and its fragmentation and darting flames seem to be both echoes and preechoes of grief. Liebeck and Apekisheva were minutely sensitive to its fusion of defiance and dream, and so compelled our attention throughout a difficult and sometimes diffuse work.
And finally Ravel. The delicate balance between nostalgic classicism, spectral folk music and laconic blues was exquisitely captured by both performers in a virtuoso yet supercool performance."
Musical Opinion | May 2007
reviewed by Margaret DamesWigmore Hall - with Katya Apekisheva, piano.
"Violinist Jack Liebck and pianist Katya Apekisheva played to a virtually full Wigmore Hall on 11 February. Their superbly co-ordinated partnership became immediately apparent in the Allegro of Mozart's B flat major Sonata K 454, where the exchanges between the two instruments were timed with precision and yet had a fluent conversational quality. Liebeck's tone in the Andante had a lovely clarity and the smooth elegance of his playing was complemented by the animation of the piano part. They executed the high-spirited Rondo with delicacy and panache.
Hearing them play Brahms' G major Sonata Opus 78 I could readily understand Clara Schumann's great love for this work. In the opening movement the violin flowed lyrically above the supportive piano, soaring to an emotional climax, the intensity further increased in the melody given to the violin in the central Adagio. The raindrop effect conjured by Brahms' quotation from his own Regenlied in the interplay between the instruments in the final movement faded to a gentle feeling of repose, rounding off a deeply satisfying performance.
Bartok's Second Rhapsody, inspired by the Gypsy music of the composer's Hungarian heritage, gave Liebeck an opportunity for virtuosic display, first in the complex harmonies of the tortuous Lassu, then even more excitingly in the twists and turns of the atmospheric Friss.
Although Elgar's E minor Sonata Opus 82 inhabits a contrasting English world with its .illusions to his friends and their backgrounds, the allegro has a rich emotional range, freely expressed in the intense dialogue between the two. The dreamily reflective theme of the central Romance was beautifully expounded on the violin while the piano explored its own poetic path. This lingering mood of contemplation was finally swept aside in the final Allegro by a joyful theme that the violinist finally unfolded with glorious freedom and fluency."
The Herald | March 2007
reviewed by Rowena SmithRSNO, Garry Walker (cond.) - Glasgow Royal Concert Hall
"This [Korngold] concerto doesn't get as many outings as its blend off memorable lyricism and virtuosity would suggest it ought and soloist Jack Liebeck was a persuasive advocate for the cause. The young violinist's playing seems to be getting better and better; his performance here exuded authority, a warm, big-boned sound tempered with old-fashioned sweetness in the many soaring passages that Korngold writes for the soloist."
The Herald | December 2005
"Jack Liebeck gave an exemplary performance of the [Bruch] violin concerto. He seized on its virtuoso qualities and carried them all the way to the end of the work. As well as grasping all virtuoso passages head on, he played the slowmovement with real loving tenderness, poring out enough honeyed sweetness, but never making the performance sound cloying. The finale was full of fire and danger, but Lieback's playing was always splendidly clean and accurate."
The Sunday Times of Malta | November 2005
reviewed by Albert-G Storace"The recital began with Arutiunian's Concerto for violin and strings featuring soloist Jack Liebeck and the Orchestra of St John's directed by John Lubbock. Not only was the music itself so enjoyable, based on ancient Armenian musical effects and steeped in harmony but Liebeck's greatly assertive execution. The second movement, like the first, is also influenced by Armenian music of a wide-ranging passion and energy followed by a neo-classic Adagio which is in turn followed by an irrepressibly energetic finale.
Liebeck was later accompanied by pianist Anna Saradjian in Elgar's Violin Sonata in E where he displayed his considerable versatility in excellently balanced partnership."
Arietta - Journal of the Beethoven Society of Europe | July 2005
reviewed by Mina Miletic"After a very successful Wigmore Hall debut a couple of years ago, Jack Liebeck made a welcome return to the same venue, this time with the London-based Australian pianist Piers Lane, offering an imaginatively planned recital with three centrepieces of the violin repertoire combined with two world premieres.
Beethoven's 'Spring' sonata was a pure delight to listen to and a definite highlight of the recital, particularly the conclusion of the slow movement where Liebeck and Lane managed to find just the right measure between simplicity and deep musical understanding of musical content. The third movement was delivered in one breath; in a fast tempo, yet finely poised.
Alongside Beethoven's 'Spring' sonata the duo played sonatas by Prokofiev and Richard Strauss, and world premieres of two lullabies, by Patrick Hawes and T.K. Murray, the latter a beautifully simple and unpretentious piecework in which Liebeck delivered the violin recitativo sections with a most appealing warmth and the simple piano accompaniment gave it the right pathos. Massenet's 'Meditation' was a good choice for an encore, like a third lullaby of the evening.
Overall, these were absorbing, rewarding performances. Liebeck knows his Beethoven, he feels his Prokofiev. His playing is wholly persuasive and thoughtful. His sound is beautiful and emotion unforced."
The Herald | June 2005
reviewed by Conrad Wilson"...the soloist, a last-minute stand-in... brought a possible element of risk to Tchaikovsky's Violin Concerto. Still in his middle-twenties, the London-born Jack Liebeck indeed gave the evening the edge of unpredictability it badly needed. Daunted neither by the fireworks nor by the poetry of the music, he struck an increasingly nice balance between these qualities. Behind the virtuosity of the first movement he found space for something else without making it seem that showmanship was beyond his reach. But it was in the finale that the strands of this unexaggerated performance gained the pungency the music also needed and the orchestra at last did more than merely accompany..."
The Daily Telegraph - Classical CD of the Week | August 2004
reviewed by Geoffrey Norris"This excellent debut CD by the young British violinist Jack Liebeck encapsulates all those qualities that have been making his a name to watch on the concerto and recital platform. In unaccompanied music, he brings purposeful virtuosity and passion to Ysa˙e's Sonata No 3, with a powerful thrust to its Bartók-like cutting edge and a spicy touch to the Romanian inflections that Ysa˙e incorporated in tribute to the sonata's dedicatee, George Enescu.
Then, in a true artistic partnership with the pianist Katya Apekisheva, he gives exceptionally fine performances of sonatas by Prokofiev and Saint-Saëns, and of Chausson's Počme. The moto perpetuo at the end of the Saint-Saëns might take your breath away in its lightness and dazzle, but there is an essential musicality to Liebeck's way of playing that decries mere display for the sake of it. There is a strong, supple strand of lyricism, and a discriminating spectrum of expression.
Above all, he is a musician who puts the composer first, using skill, flair, a wide palette of tone and intelligent thought processes to crystallise and convey the music's character. These are thoroughly recommendable performances of impressive maturity."
The Jewish Chronicle | August 2004
reviewed by Gaby Wine*****
"This is a very impressive debut album from Jack Liebeck, who plays with a maturity beyond his 24 years. Liebeck - together with the talented Katya Apekisheva - gives a sparkling performance of works by Prokofiev, Ysa˙e, Chausson and Saint-Saëns. Both players grasp the music's nuances with confidence.
Prokofiev's Violin Sonata No. 2 in D minor was originally composed as a piece for flute and piano and later transcribed for the violin. The adaptation works well, especially for a violinist as deft as Liebeck, who demonstrates some lovely phrasing, particularly in the slower third movement.
Liebeck comes into his own in Ysa˙e's Sonata No. 3 in D minor (Ballade), a piece for solo violin. It is a haunting, multi-textured work with interesting rhythmic structures. Liebeck gives an exciting performance, unfazed by the piece's technical difficulties.
This high standard is maintained throughout the remainder of the album - the lovely lyrical "Počme" by Chausson and Saint-Saëns' Violin Sonata No. 1 in D minor. The thrilling final movement of the Saint-Saëns leaves the listener wanting more."
The Sunday Times | July 2004
reviewed by Paul DriverClassical: New Releases: Jack Liebeck: Prokofiev’s Sonata No 2 and other works
JACK LIEBECK
Prokofiev’s Sonata No 2 and other works
Katya Apekisheva (piano)
Quartz QTZ 2002
"This young violinist, who has been performing for years, has a marvellous full tone, big technique and unstoppable virtuoso dash. He displays his talent in four shiningly lyrical works. First comes Prokofiev’s D major Sonata No 2, originally composed for flute, but here sounding violinistic with a vengeance. The single movement of Ysaye’s demanding solo Sonata No 3 is decisively dispatched, while Chausson’s Počme, written for Ysaye, given in the version with piano, is a sumptuous account. Most absorbing is Saint-Saëns’s D minor Sonata No 1, positively glowing with inventive richness and largeness of ambition. Apekisheva plays with finesse."
The Scotsman | November 2003
reviewed by Mary CrockettRSNO - USHER HALL EDINBURGH
"...And then there was Brahms's Double Concerto - the least performed of his concerti, perhaps because as a solo combination, violin and cello can be tricky together: the sweet tones of the lighter instrument sometimes stealing the show. But violinist Jack Liebeck and cellist Tim Hugh have performed this work before and their rapport - from the lyrical to the wittily conversational - was electrifying. Liebeck had the advantage, though: the enthusiasm of a talented 23 year-old was almost as much of a crowd-pleaser as Maestro Lazarev himself."
The Herald | February 2003
reviewed by Michael Tumelty"It would be easy to be distracted by the virtuosity of Jack Liebeck, the stunning violinist who returned to Glasgow yesterday for another sensational recital. In his early twenties, and still a student in London (though with a burgeoning career), Liebeck has the full armoury of the concert violinist: the sound, the delivery, the interpretative skill and panache, an accuracy of intonation and execution that are mind-boggling, and a level of articulation that almost defies description.
All of this, and more, was on display yesterday in his blistering performance, with Latvian keyboard wizard Daniel Vaiman, of Saint-Saëns's little-known First Violin Sonata, a work that Liebeck has judged to be of considerable value - he is not wrong - and which he has decided to champion.
Yet to be distracted by this admittedly dazzling display would be to be seduced by sheer brilliance away from the real significance of this remarkable young musician; and that was to be heard in every bar of Brahms's D minor Sonata. Liebeck is a musician of great depth and maturity. He played the Brahms with the insight of a musician 30 years his senior. The unhurried way he unfolded the sonata - giving it all the space it needed to make its expressive points - spoke of an experience way beyond his years. His sense of structure, from phrase to phrase, movement to movement, and across the wide span of the darkly-glowing masterpiece, was absolutely flawless.
When Liebeck finishes college, a hungry profession will await him. If he is a star, there is nothing superficial about him. He is in the Vengerov mould. Enough said?"
Brighton & Hove | November 2002
reviewed by Mike Howard"Jack Liebeck is a 22-year-old Londoner. He is still studying the violin at the Royal Academy of music but not, I guess, for much longer.
He is a true prodigy and just blew my socks off with his performance of Bruch's first violin concerto with the Polish National Radio Symphony Orchestra.
His tone is sweet, his playing informed and full of wisdom. He took us to unknown heights with his mesmerising style.
This was a talent that shone, appearing like a combination of bright star and meteoric comet.
He was not brash or flamboyant, just very good with an ear for detail and an elegant, warm sound..."
Musical Opinion | September 2002
reviewed by David Alker"Violinist Jack Liebeck, partnered by Katya Apekisheva, attracted a capacity audience to the Wigmore Hall on 19 May, whose anticipation was rewarded with a recital of outstanding musicality and technical security from each of the performers. Alert and incisive playing from both kept Beethoven's A minor Sonata vital throughout their performance, the drama, full of electricity, flowing with natural instinct.
The honeyed tone of Liebeck's 1785 Guadignini continued to seduce the ear in a most stylish rendering of Prokofiev's Second Sonata. The extraordinarily sensitive playing was aided by Apekisheva's Russian sensibility that allowed the soul of Prokofiev's writing to fill the auditorium.
In a performance of soul-searching depth Ysaye's Third Solo Sonata showed off Liebeck's technical aspirations, which proved to be of the first order, whilst the Romantic spirit continued with imaginary stanzas in Chausson's Poeme that were simply exquisite. Saint-Saens' Intrduction et Rondo Capriccioso was the icing on the cake, assuring me that Liebeck is a talent too good and rare to ignore."
The Telegraph | July 2002
reviewed by Geoffrey Norris"Although the Cheltenham Festival is now really too big and diffuse to engender a concentrated festive atmosphere, its heart still beats in the elegant 18th-century Pittville Pump Room. Designed in its spa days for conviviality and well-being, this exquisite building cries out to have people milling about in it, and during the opening weekend a duo recital by the young British violinist Jack Liebeck and the Russian pianist Katya Apekisheva proved especially enlivening.
In a programme framed by Beethoven's A minor Sonata Op 23 and Prokofiev's Sonata in D major, Liebeck's flair, passion and mature timbre were combined in playing of the most vital and characterful kind, matched by Apekisheva's strong piano technique and astute colouring. Two pieces by James Francis Brown supplied Cheltenham's prescribed dose of contemporary music, and were exceptionally ear-catching in the way that they exploited the violin's natural capacity for virtuosity and lyricism."
The Strad | March 2002
reviewed by Ivan March"The capacity audience at this Wigmore debut responded enthusiastically to the talented, London-born violinist Jack Liebeck and his hardly less gifted pianist, Katya Apekisheva.
They opened with Beethoven's spirited A minor Sonata, not seeking profundity but vesting it with a light-textured, youthful freshness. The following Prokofiev Second Sonata in D major was the highlight of the programme. Liebeck's gently beguiling presentation of the bitter sweet opening melody was deceptive, for this was to be a performance of great dash and virtuosity, especially I the excitingly impulsive Scherzo. The contemplative Andante was followed by the exuberance of a quixotic dance finale, which carried all before it in a breathtaking surge of dynamic bravura.
Ysaye's solo Violin Sonata no.3 in D minor gave Liebeck an opportunity to demonstrate the richness and variety of timbre he could create on his 'ex-Wilhelmj' Gaudagnini. Perhaps a little more dynamic subtlety would have enhanced the full-throated account of the Chausson Poeme, and Liebeck seemed less personally involved in a similarly gleaming, fluently articulate rendition of Saint-Saens' Introduction et Rondo capriccioso, missing its gentler, heart-touching Romanticism. But after Achron's ravishingly sombre Hebrew Melody provided a warmly sultry encore, the final item, Paganini's Le Streghe, brought a dazzling pyrotechnical display which astonished the audience, almost suggesting the composer himself was present."
The Strad | May 2001
reviewed by Joanne Talbot"...Liebeck proved to be already an artist if international calibre. One was immediately aware not only of his stage charisma but of the quality of his tonal production…
Liebeck's rigorous apprenticeship on the circuit seems to have paid dividens, for his sophisticated phrasing - not to mention his technical command - were nothing other than impressive…
It is musical insight and imagination which sets apart inspired artists…"
The Herald | April 2001
reviewed by Michael TumeltyApril 20th 2001
"It's tempting to proclaim loudly the astonishing technical and musical capabilities of violinist Jack Liebeck. After all, he turns 21 only this year, is still a student at the Royal Academy of Music in London, plays with the insight and maturity you would expect from someone twice his age, and has just got to be one of the potentially great violinists of the up-and-coming generation of musicians.
The problem with such a temptation is that the young Londoner is already very well known. He's been playing in public for more than half his life, and has already clocked up concerto appearances with the RSNO in Scotland, as well as a host of other British and European orchestras.
But, based on his phenomenal performance yesterday in Glasgow, where he was accompanied by another talented young artist, the pianist Philip Fisher - a fraction older than Liebeck and a colleague at the academy - it is still worth underlining the violinist's fantastic potential. After all, though playing concertos with an orchestra can be a minefield of musical hazards, at the same time there is nothing like having the fat sound of a symphony orchestra sound behind you, providing a cushion of security.
Isolated in the recital hall, with just a pianist to back you up, is another ball game, where your every nuance, right or wrong, is ruthlessly exposed. And, in this environment, Jack Liebeck was every inch the superlative musician, his Motzart sonata a marvel of firmness and subtlety - with breathtaking understatement in the slow movement - his version of Prokofiev's Second Sonata an irresistible mix of bitter-sweet melancholy and abrasive power, and his dazzling Saint-Saens finale a torrential display of musical acrobatics. Stunning musician. Watch out for him."