Rachlin, in his BSO debut, rendered this beloved warhorse score with a powerful and streamlined technique that had the crowd instantly cheering on its feet after the final chord.
The Boston Globe, January 2013
Violinist, violist and conductor Julian Rachlin is one of the most exciting and respected musicians of our time. Throughout the first thirty years of his career, he performed as soloist with the world’s leading conductors and orchestras. More recently, he has established himself as a widely acclaimed conductor, recognized for his dynamic style and vibrant interpretations, and today enjoys an ever-growing presence on the international stage. He is Principal Guest Conductor of the Royal Northern Sinfonia, Turku Philharmonic Orchestra and Kristiansand Symphony Orchestra.
Mr. Rachlin’s upcoming highlights include the opening of the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra season with Krzysztof Urbański, performances...
Rachlin took the orchestra and the audience into the realms of music and inspiration, and the controversy over the Heichal and all the confusion of the opening day became marginal. This was also the case with the Mendelssohn Concerto and particularly with Mendelssohn’s fourth symphony, known as the “Italian.” Here, Rachlin and the orchestra were at their best and produced an excellent performance of this work: robust, deep, dramatic but, at the same time, limpid and balanced. To hear good music on such a chaotic day was something of a miracle.
The Yediot Aharonot (Tel Aviv, Israel), May 2013
Mr. Rachlin has a brilliant high-octane technique that he deployed to great ovation-producing effect.
One rarely expects a bel canto reading of a 20th-century lion like Prokofiev, but that's exactly what Thursday's audience got. The effect was transformative, a totally new way of looking at a long-established work.
