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Andrew Shulman - Press Reviews - Cello Click Here For Press Reviews - Conducting
"Andrew Shulman has a beautifully full and even tone with an intensity tempered by a refinement which gives his playing a strongly individual musicality. His performance of Strauss' sonata was enthralling. Boccherini's sonata in A major was played immaculately and with admirable fidelity" "The Don Quixote was the finest I have heard" [Philharmonia Orchestra, Sir Simon Rattle] "An extraordinary account of Elgar’s melancholy late-Romantic Cello Concerto…Avoiding what Elgar scholar Byron Adams called “the seductions of nostalgia,” their performance was powerfully direct and unsentimental. Shulman, whose solo part demands nearly 32 minutes of nonstop playing, gave a richly detailed reading. He made judicious use of vibrato, his burnished tone creating a confiding expressiveness. He managed Elgar's etude-like repeated-note passages and short solo sections with virtuosity. The nobility and restraint he brought to the score’s many slow sections (there are three adagios) were gracefully supported by the finely balanced, lean-textured orchestra" [Elgar Cello Concerto, Pasadena Symphony] "Andrew Shulman was the soloist, beautifully smooth and even toned" [Don Quixote, Philharmonia Orchestra, Sir Simon Rattle] "The Smithsonian's Museum of Natural History... hosting such a glowing talent as British cellist Andrew Shulman. His Friday recital at Baird auditorium, cosponsored by 'The New England Conservatory of Music' was full of light and musical eloquence" "He is obviously a performer with technique to burn. The Beethoven A major sonata was richly and perceptively interpreted, and his advocacy of Martinu's cello sonata from 1939 brought the thrill of discovery" "In the gorgeous Andante, Bronfman's piano played obbligato to a soulful solo from the principal cello, here presented without excess sentiment by Andrew Shulman" [Brahms 2nd Piano Concerto, Aspen Festival Orchestra] "By this time we had already heard the warm, burnished tones of Shulman's cello playing in the three "Fantasiestücke", Op. 73. He made this modest, familiar journey seem like a rich emotional excursion undertaken by an entire song cycle. Shulman's ability to float a phrase with just the right amount of shimmer makes him an ideal interpreter of the Romantic idiom" [Mainly Mozart Festival, San Diego Spotlight Series] "[Gloria] Cheng, the pianist, and cellist Andrew Shulman gave a strong performance of the work [Pintscher's Uriel], which also featured extended techniques including bowing the cello beneath the bridge of the instrument. The work received the evening’s strongest applause. Shulman navigated the intricate cello lines of Pintscher’s work, providing a highlight of the evening" [Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra, Pintscher] "The cellist Andrew Shulman gave a joyous recital, full of spirit, verve and sensitivity. His flawless technique gives rise to a sound which gleams with an unusual brightness. It is unique among the cellists I have heard" "His bright accuracy and acrobatic verve in the cadenza and rapid figurations was complemented by touching delicacy in the slow variations. Shulman's relaxed pacing of the initial variation was refreshing, each note of the triplet buoyant and light, and an even tone was sustained in the second variation. The pianissimo start to the third was carefully focused, and a restrained use of vibrato infused the D minor variation with tasteful simplicity, which reinforced the cut and dash of the final variation where the rapid exchanges with the orchestra were ever alert" [Tchaikovsky Rococo Variations, Philharmonia Orchestra] "[James Newton] An elegiac tone, along with thematic material from the beginning and closing titles of “Red Sparrow,” thus begin and end the concerto. In between, the work is structured as a kind of sequence of scenes, each with a different color or mood - one sweet and led by the orchestra’s winds, another disturbing, with stamping lower strings, something else more dancelike - that refashions earlier material. The cello plays continually, as the dramatic character, and the [sic] Shulman plays commandingly" "The inwardly reflective, emotionally somber atmosphere of [James Newton] Howard’s work, which received a resonant performance by Andrew Shulman, LACO’s principal cellist...The cello's deep sonorities and expressive, though brief, melodic lines tend to turn inward like the Shostakovich string quartets. Within its single movement, the work ebbs and flows between a pair of Adagio sections that surround a lengthy central Allegro. The harmonic framework of each section is emphasized by cadenzas of varying lengths. The interplay between the cello and orchestra is skillful and varied, with the cello providing cogent statements against the orchestral backdrop. There are also passages where the exchanges become more confrontational and competitive, including a military march accentuated by thumping, percussive foot falls reminiscent of the approaching armies in the Shostakovich Seventh Symphony, less the rampant patriotism. The Flute, clarinet, bassoon, and trumpet offer glimmers of hope but cannot dispel the overall sense of brooding meditation, superbly elicited by Shulman. As Howard explained, we live in troubled times and the work reflects it in the coda’s fade to gray." [James Newton Howard Cello Concerto, Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra, Kahane] "Andrew Shulman provided a sensitive performance of Newton Howard’s cello concerto...his deep, rich tone and expressiveness commanded attention throughout, right through the breathtaking, dying murmurs of the work’s ending" [James Newton Howard Cello Concerto, Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra, Kahane] "One of the high points of the disc for me is Andrew Shulman's cello playing in the elegiac Concerto in C minor (Vivaldi RV401); and he is sensitively supported by the Orchestra" "Cellist Andrew Shulman was conspicuous with his deep, rich tone, supported by his incredible technique and depth of affect. The entire room resonated with his instrument. His pizzicato was undamped, beautifully full, and his lyrical melodic touch was such a pleasure to hear" "One musician who captured Heggie’s dramatic gestures was cellist Andrew Shulman, who dug into his part with elan and lyricism...Their performance was technically flawless...giddily conveying Beethoven’s playfulness and wit" "Domingo always ensures that any solo contributions from the principals really 'sing' – listen to Andrew Shulman’s cello, for example" [Rodrigo Guitar Concerto, Philharmonia Orchestra] "Andrew Shulman's superb performance of Elgar's Cello Concerto - The program’s centerpiece in placement, as well as in performance. Shulman captured the work’s aching melancholy (the first three movements begin Adagio, Lento and Adagio) superbly with his silky tone and expressive musicality, while Lockington and the orchestra accompanied sensitively" [Elgar Cello Concerto, Pasadena Symphony] "In the Haydn...The slow movement was perfectly poised...the cello seemed a gleeful sailing ship" [Haydn D major Cello Concerto, Franz Welser-Möst, Los Angeles Philharmonic] "Though Shulman’s intense focus, musicality and passion for each work on the program was a delight to witness, his force of personality and musical phrasing was particularly showcased in the Camillo Schumann's Cello Sonata. Shulman's gorgeous legato and singing line, contrasting with fiery displays of rhythmic power made for a captivating performance of this re-discovered Sonata." [Dorothy Chandler Pavilion - Los Angeles] "And the Philharmonic has new players, including the new principal cellist, Andrew Shulman, whose influence on the string section is beginning to make itself heard... the strings are now a Philharmonic glory... the cellos, brilliantly powerful... The orchestra collaborated brilliantly, in particular principal cellist Andrew Shulman, who shared in the bows at the end" "On the afternoon I attended, the featured artists were cellist Andrew Shulman and pianist Steven Vanhauwaert. Suffice it to say this is not the first day at the fair for these guys. They are both extremely accomplished musicians who play with an impressive clarity and expertise that is truly amazing. To witness the art of such renowned maestros up close and personal is a reward unto itself." [Dorothy Chandler Pavilion, Los Angeles] "Andrew Shulman, the orchestra’s principal cellist, shaped the piece’s gorgeous opening cello melody with grace and tenderness." "Last night, LACO - with two-dozen string players on the Alex Theater stage - began with a single cello line (played elegantly by Andrew Shulman), the opening notes of Dvorak's Nocture in B Major. We knew immediately that we weren't in Russia anymore" [Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra, Kahane] "Main interest centered on Bloch's Schelomo...a commanding account, Shulman suiting the atmosphere with tone of near cloying richness. It was worth coming far to share this rare treat" "Eschenbach made an occasion of it, often with tempos that could have seemed controversially slow if it were not for the sheer intensity of sound he produced. The Philharmonic cello section, starting to find a new voice under the new principal, Andrew Shulman, was particularly impressive in this regard, especially in its rapt yet lucent playing at the opening of the Adagio that practically seemed to stop time" [Brahms, Los Angeles Philharmonic, Eschenbach] "The cello section under Shulman has been robust" [Los Angeles Philharmonic] "Cellist Andrew Shulman played masterfully... The slow movement melody is one of the most beautiful in all chamber music; it was heart-melting, especially in Mr. Shulman's last, hushed recapitulation" [Schumann Piano Quartet, Santa Barbara Chamber Music Series] "LACO principal cello Andrew Shulman and Kahane masterfully executed Beethoven’s 12 Variations for Piano and Cello in F major Op. 66 on "Ein Madchen oder Weibchen" "Cellist Andrew Shulman joined the CRSO and Tiemeyer for an intense, spirited performance of Ernest Bloch's "Schelomo", Hebraic rhapsody for cello and orchestra...His flawless performance was eloquent and passionate" "And making his Utah Symphony debut, is Andrew Shulman, who gave a fabulously nuanced and impassioned performance of the [Barber] concerto. The performance was all the more noteworthy, since Shulman learned the work on fairly short notice, and he's playing it for the first time at these concerts. Shulman's interpretation was of the highest caliber in terms of articulation and delivery. His technical mastery was such that he made short work of the demands Barber placed on the soloist" [Utah Symphony Orchestra, Salt Lake City] "No chinks could be found in Shulman's musical armor as he cleanly executed the treacherous work [Barber's Cello Concerto]. Delicate musical lines retained subtle beauty aided by Lockhart's sensitive accompaniment. Shulman's lyrical playing and tempered passion built intensity through a satisfying finish" [Utah Symphony Orchestra, Salt Lake City] "With the exception of some beautiful soft playing of the Andante (also made memorable by Andrew Shulman's cello playing)" [Brahms 2nd Piano Concerto, Philharmonia Orchestra, Royal Festival Hall] "The best solo work actually came during the first half of the evening. Cellist Andrew Shulman delivered velvet tone and graceful lines while playing his arrangement of "The Swan"" [Pasadena Pops Orchestra] "Especially, cellist Andrew Shulman delivered some of the most beautiful music heard in any concert this year" "In the gorgeous Andante, Bronfman's piano played obbligato to a soulful solo from the principal cello, here presented without excess sentiment by Andrew Shulman" [Brahms 2nd Piano Concerto, Aspen Festival Orchestra] "Last night, LACO - with two-dozen string players on the Alex Theater stage - began with a single cello line (played elegantly by Andrew Shulman), the opening notes of Dvorak's Nocturne in B Major" "The one bright spot prior to the fourth movement [Haydn Symphony No. 95] was principal cellist Andrew Shulman's affecting solo in the third" [Los Angeles Philharmonic] "The Evangelist and Jesus were given compellingly sonorous accompaniment by [an] also uncredited continuo of cellist Andrew Shulman..." [Los Angeles Philharmonic] "Shulman drew a great deal of daring elegance and varied tonal beauty out of the piece" "Andrew Shulman's sweetly sensitive cello solo" "Shulman made good use of the space he was allowed, drawing long, clear, elegant lines with a sappy, penetrating sound" "Haydn became not just a contrast, but also refreshing and brilliant...cellist Andrew Shulman flew around with grace"
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