...Humphreys's utter absorption and delight in all three shines forth at every turn. A particular joy is her realisation of the contrapuntal part-writing that is such a feature of these three and the other works on the disc, carving it with a strong-toned, easy fluidity and immaculate technique. Both volumes will be making frequent returns to my stereo. More than that, though, the new works themselves deserve long wider performance lives beyond this beautiful beginning. Peter Quantril, Strad Magazine November 2015 Five Star Review of Bach to the Future premieres at St. Magnus International Festival ....Violinist Fenella Humphreys responds to its elegiac reflection and technical display at top flight level, offering emotional depth and weight of tone.... Orchestral Choice CD, Five Star Review (both for performance and recording quality) Malcolm Hayes, BBC Music Magazine Recording of the Wright Concerto with Martin Yates and RSNO for Dutton Epoch Fenella Humphreys captures the music's wistful cantabile to perfection, producing a golden tone in all registers with the utmost sensitivity to where every phrase is moving. Her violin entwines with the glowing textures of the Royal Scottish National Orchestra under the expert guidance of Martin Yates to alluring effect...... An outstanding release. Julian Haylock, The Strad Magazine Recording of the Wright Concerto with Martin Yates and RSNO for Dutton Epoch ....There is no empty display: the soloist is a constant singing presence, though there are some technical challenges......Fenella Humphreys's performance is a wonder.....I warmly recommend this beautifully recorded disc. William Hedley, International Record Review Recording of the Wright Concerto with Martin Yates and RSNO for Dutton Epoch ....Fenella Humphreys is a top-notch violin soloist, producing a pure, sweet tone of piercing beauty... James A. Altena, Fanfare Magazine Recording of the Wright Concerto with Martin Yates and RSNO for Dutton Epoch ....persuasively captured the essence of each of the pieces, in a thoughtful performance of great charm...impressive...performed with consummate skill...A fiery performance of Sibelius’ Four Pieces Op. 115 brought the programme to a jubilant conclusion... Leon Bosch, Seen and Heard International Recital to Celebrate the 150th Anniversary of the birth of Sibelius and Nielsen, Purcell Room, Southbank Centre Full Review ....Fenella Humphreys is one of the few violinists with the guts and temerity (and the technique demanded by the music) to play Sibelius’s chamber music...Sibelius’s Opus 81 (1917-18) allowed Humphreys to demonstrate her complete absorption into this magical melodic world... Edward Clark, Classical Source Recital to Celebrate the 150th Anniversary of the birth of Sibelius and Nielsen, Purcell Room, Southbank Centre Full Review With Bach’s Partita No. 3 in E Major, BWV 1006 we have some very fine playing, a beautifully phrased and nuanced Preludio with terrific fluency and textures, Fenella Humphreys finding just the right carefully controlling the tempi. There is a finely shaped Loure and a beautifully pointed up Gavotte en Rondeauwhere this violinist brings many distinctive touches. Menuett I & II bring some fine sonorities. Though taken at a rather slower pace than is usually the case, this artist shapes the music beautifully. The Bourée brings a real contrast, fast forward moving with this violinist bringing an immediacy and spontaneity, something that carries over into the very fine Gigue... Fenella Humphreys brings a totally committed, infectious performance.... Humphreys brings a fine control and shaping of all the music’s varying tempi and dynamics with some fine double stopping and a lovely flourish to end. Malinconia - Poco lento draws some fine sonorities, this fine violinist finding Ysaÿe’s melancholy tug with fine precision allied to a fine emotional response.... A pizzicato rendition of the plainchant Dies Irae opens Danse des ombres - Sarabande (Lento) before the music moves forward with some fine variations. This soloist brings a variety of fine textures and sonorities as the variations on the Dies Irae continue, leading to some rich textures in the coda. There is some especially fine playing in the Les Furies - Allegro furioso that takes off with terrific passion and command working through passages of different textures and timbres, all the while the plainchant theme appearing through.... Fenella Humphreys brings this music alive with her fine technique and musicianship... Here Humphreys slowly allows Biber’s lovely invention to develop, setting a fine, flexible tempo developing some lovely textures and sonorities with minimal vibrato, bringing fine musicianship and depth to this fine piece.... A scintillating Bumblebees by Cyril Scott (1879-1970) concludes this disc with Fenella Humphreys developing some terrific double stopped lines as this little piece moves quickly to its conclusion.... Whether taken as a straightforward, yet varied recital or a demonstration of this artist’s formidable talent, one will gain immense pleasure from this disc. Bruce Reader, The Classical Reviewer Bach to the Future Volume One Full Review
….Bach's Concerto for Oboe and Violin, with the wonderfully expressive Steven Hudson, principal oboe of the Royal Northern Sinfonia, partnered with the lyrical Fenella Humphreys. Bringing the second half alive, ensemble and soloists gelled with newfound energy… The combination of violin and oboe accompanied by harpsichord and pizzicato strings was magical… Carol Main, The Scotsman Mozart and Bach with London Concertante, Queen's Hall, Edinburgh EXPECTATIONS of an excellent concert and fine programme were fulfilled in every way in this performance organised as part of the Wensleydale Concert Series. The programme was demanding for players and audience, including three major works of great complexity technically and musically, magnificently achieved by the two musicians. The first half consisted of two works by Sergei Prokofiev. Five Melodies Op. 35 was played simply and with perfect balance of sound. Then the great Violin Sonata Op. 80, a long and very complex work, drew us in with a performance that surpassed all my expectations. The atmosphere created by Humphreys and Grimwood was very special and certainly will not be forgotten for a long time. The second half was no less demanding. Schubert’s Rondo has a reputation among violinists as a piece to steer well clear of because of its formidable demands, but here they were met and we heard a performance that was totally compelling. Faure’s 1st Violin Sonata ended the programme after a beautiful extract from Sir Peter Maxwell Davies’s unaccompanied written especially for Humphreys and played in his memory. The Northern Echo Recital for Wensleydale Concert Series with Daniel Grimwood
Before the interval, Fenella Humphreys gave a strong and well-delineated account of Max Bruch's most famous work. Nothing here was routine; she had worked out what to say and how to say it. Parikian understood what Ms Humphreys wanted to do and gave solid support, but he never let the orchestra get in the way of her flights of fancy. The slow movement was graceful and very beautiful and the finale was full of fireworks. How I wish to hear her playing the Brahms; she would seem to be the right fiddler for that great work, for with her attitude and thoughtful playing it might have been tailor made for her. Bob Briggs - Musicweb international Fenella Humphreys gave a virtuosic and uplifting performance of Max Bruch's Scottish Fantasy for violin and orchestra ranging from its funereal introduction to the break-neck speed and double stopping of the final movement Roger Jones - Gloucestershire Echo The pieces for violin and piano enjoyed preoccupation with a dreamlike state in the hands of Fenella Humphreys and Helen Reid... [the] emotional centre was found by Humphreys, her legato line easy to follow and her tone singing to the back of the room. David Matthews's Aria (1986), meanwhile, deceived in its opening virtuoso cadenza, which promised much but delivered a much softer theme, again lyrically persuasive in this performance. Ben Hogwood - Classical Source These were followed by the most sublime performance of Vaughan Williams’ “The Lark Ascending” given by Fenella Humphreys, an outstandingly sensitive player. Most unfortunately the breathtakingly beautiful ending was compromised by the loud ticking of the church clock. It must have been very distracting for her but it certainly did not detract from her wonderful playing.
It is very rare for a musically knowledgeable audience to burst into spontaneous applause during a concerto, but such was the appreciation at the end of the first movement of Tchaikovsky's Violin Concerto.....Even Tchaikovsky acknowledged the difficulties of playing it, but this was quite frankly a stunning performance in which the soloist held her audience mesmerised for its duration.
This is a simply gorgeous piece of music and Fenella played it beautifully, equally at ease with the languorous melody of the adagio and the magnificent sweep of the finale. Although this was inevitably the highlight of the concert, the whole evening was most enjoyable and brought the current season to a fine conclusion.
Young violinist Fenella Humphreys next gave an impassioned reading of the Concerto in D minor by Sibelius.... Humphreys is undoubtedly a player of extraordinary talent and her performance was mesmerising. ...But the most memorable thing on the programme was Crosse's trio, originally written in the 1990s (now revised), haunted by ghosts of Britten, Shostakovich, and Stravinskyan dance music (distantly recalled in sepulchral slow-motion) but ultimately of itself. And irresistibly beautiful as played here by the young, all-female Lawson Trio.... ....I love these girls - I just warm to them, especially in the Brahms. There's great spirit here - they're a great group, beautiful players... ....I really enjoyed their performance very much. I thought the Rawsthorne was really convincing. They did a terrific job of it - totally convincing and very committed. I thought they brought it off really well. I just love this violinist - she is one of my favourite violinists of the competition. I just love the way she sustains a line and listens all the way through a phrase. It's beautiful beautiful playing. Exquisite bow control.... |