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This evenings performance was an example of great classical music played brilliantly. The performance had the audience in it's hands and played with the strings of our hearts.
The selection of music, from Tchaikovsky's Romeo and Juliet, to the Sibelius Violin Concerto, was ingenious. The variety of moods portrayed by the entire concert kept things interesting. Though the Grieg and Tchaikovsky were predictable, the Ravel and Sibelius pieces allowed the listener to go on a musical adventure. Bell's virtuosity was amazing as his fingers climbed into thirteenth, maybe fifteenth position, playing double-stop fingered harmonics! The orchestra accompanied Joshua perfectly as his violin traveled to places few contemporary violinists have. I have to give a "shout-out" to the French horn section - they were the highlight of Romeo and Juliet, bringing tears to my eyes as the piece concluded...a broad, hall-filling, robust sound that made my insides shake.Musical nuances were incredibly evident in the Sibelius Concerto in D Minor by the horn section as well. The New Jersey Symphony Orchestra has a wonderful balance of sound and dynamic range, as exhibited by Ases Tod (Grieg). This deceptively simple piece (half notes/quarter notes) needs to move in ways that are not necessarily chromatic or rhythmic - dynamic range is the answer, but dynamics in an orchestra are only achieved by a group effort! It was obvious that NJSO is a team that strives to achieve that winning balance! One unfortunate event that occurred was the "Amber Alert" signal that touched upon 2000 vibrating cell phones right before Joshua Bell performed the Ravel. An unbelievable high-pitched din invaded NJPAC (vibrations at different frequencies in an almost perfect acoustic venue can be deadly). I understand that the show must go on, but the show should have stopped until the problem was resolved. I was so distracted at the beginning of the Ravel by the obnoxious din, that I couldn't tune into the piece. The whole concert hall was uncomfortable and confused. It would have been prudent to hold off the performance until the problem was resolved. I love what Joshua Bell can do with the violin. There is not one unturned skill stone when it comes to his playing. I suppose I was expecting his sound to fill the concert hall more than it did and that his dynamic range would have been more varied. Still, I would come to see Mr. Bell the next time he performs with NJSO.
The only reason I did not give this 5 stars was because I was disappointed that Joshua only played for 2 of the 4 selections. Perhaps I should have investigated the show more....though I'm not sure the performance details were available when I booked my tickets. He is extremely talented and as those around me murmured, he still looks so young being in his 40's now...at least that's what I overheard. Would you please specify how many characters are allowed in these reviews! Keep getting error message that seat review is too long. Then don't allow me to keep typing!
A chance to hear Joshua Bell play the violin has always been a privilege, in my experience. In a year of restricted NJPAC attendance (personal budget), this is one we made a point of not missing. (However, I love the story of a few years ago of his not being recognized when playing in the Metro System in Washington, DC. Google the story if you are curious.)
I anticipated the performance being wonderful, but it still exceeded my expectations. I sat at the edge of my seat the entire performance, captivated by the energy and the precision of Joshua Bell's playing. This was also my teenage daughter's first experience of the NJSO, and she enjoyed every minute of it. I was delighted by the amount of young people and students present in the audience. It's nice to know that NJPAC is such a welcome place for a new generation of music lovers!
Great performance ! Orchestra set the tone and Bell delivered.
The symphony was excellent. Joshua Bell's portion of the program was too short. They could have done without the slide show.
The 20 minutes that Joshua was on stage was fantastic! What happened after intermission was horrible. 45 minutes of dreadful music put to mediocre images was infuriating! Should have just bought a CD.
Joshua is a gentleman's gentleman. Superstar without peers. You can tell he puts his soul into his music just by watching him play. He is one of us at the head of the class. My granddaughter says that she will never forget the experience.
Josh is such a beautiful perfomer and person. His movements are amazing and he seriously has a gift, his facial expressions and the way he taps his foot to the music is such a sight-- I dont regret one bit splurging on front row seats. Watching him play the violin was in my bucket list and Im so stoked I finally got to see him. He autographed CD's and programs at the end of the show and took pictures with fans. Such a beautiful person.
Needless to mention that it was a sheer and immense pleasure to watch the two master musicians at play with their soul pouring out into a flawlessly coordinated presentation of some of the true gems of composition. But ... Maybe there should have been a bit more variety in terms of the playfulness in the compositions chosen for the presentation. In particuar, even though this is not a philharmonic presentation, there are opportunities to present a selection of compositions that are rhythmic and those that are more subtle, instead of remaining within the confines of intra-composition alternations. All in all, an excellent performance nevertheless.
The entire performance was enchanting. Every note was perfect and the song selections were very enjoyable and not what I expected. I really enjoyed the stories and background information that Joshua told the audience about the pieces he was playing and the personal meaning that they held for him. I particularly enjoyed the second half of the recital. He alternated between music by Ravel and Gershwin. It was overall a remarkable experience and I look forward to seeing him again. The Disney concert hall was a fabulous venue. The hall is gorgeous, all the seats are good and parking is easy, inexpensive and convenient. It was easy to find as well.
Simply put, Joshua Bell and his pianist were unbelievable. Definitely a must see for violin fans, old and new.
Fabulous start to finish. Very interesting and diverse music performed flawlessly
This was an amazing performance. Worth every penny.
What a treat! Although we couldn't really hear him talk in between the numbers.
Problems: the loud & inappropriate commercials before the performance, & worse even, during the intermission, took away from the performance, & throws out the window the concert decorum. Patrons came in the concert hall with food after the intermission, what do you think?...
His performance was unforgettable . He is unbelievable virtuoso . You could hardly see his fingers touching the strings , but sound that were coming out of his violin were penetrating through . He was not just playing , he was caressing his violin ... Making love to it ..,,
It was such a privilege to see a world class performer like Joshua Bell, in our small venue in Englewood, NJ. He even stayed afterwards to sign autographs for the audience. He is a great artist and a real gentlemen.
His talent is beyond belief. I wasn't crazy about his choice of music this time around, though. And it would be great if he talked to the audience a bit more when he's playing in such an informal setting. But to watch him and listen to him play overshadows any shortcomings!
