Press & Media
Acclaim for the Sylvan Winds
…an appealing performance of Samuel Barber’s languidly lyrical “Summer Music”… the Sylvan musicians aptly conveyed the sultry prairie humidity it evokes and the vitality of its jaunty outbursts.
…their finessed playing is brimful of zest and sparkle… There are no harsh, overblown sonorities to endure. The many expertly played, virtuosically embroidered solo passages are a joy to hear, and the ensemble blend is particularly felicitous.
…throughout the evening the musicians showed themselves able to think, breathe and enter as one.
… the Sylvan Winds have become deft programmers, with an ear for interesting juxtapositions of standard and unusual repertory.
The players …gave.. a vibrant reading in which textures were consistently transparent and lines perfectly balanced.
Those who fidget at the thought of chamber music for winds should have nothing to fear from the Sylvan Winds, who play their repertory with a songful energy comparable to the better string ensembles.
It is a superb group of musicians, who clearly have mastered the distinctive French style…The musicians not only demonstrate extraordinary technical skill, they clearly understand the traditions from which this music comes.
But it was the Sylvan Winds… that provided the evening’s most elegant performances.
For its celebratory program, the ensemble offered both sobriety and mirth… there was a special transparency and spiritedness to these performances… precise intonation and tight ensemble playing marked the evening’s performances.
Woodwind quintets have proliferated in this age of conservatory overachievement… But in the midst of this teeming competition, the Sylvan Winds Quintet has distinguished itself for its venturesomeness of programming and stylishness of performance. The Sylvan players played all this music with interpretive styles and technical polish…
Five excellent musicians with a keen sense of ensemble played an outstanding recital last night… Both qualities- individual technique and group cohesiveness- are necessary for good chamber music. The Sylvan Wind Quintet has them in abundance. At every turn, the musicians showed the right musical instincts, superb balance and masterful control over the individual instruments and the group sound. Even the program was a delightful blend of color, emotion, sonority and style.
The Sylvan Winds Quintet is billed as ‘dedicated to perfection of ensemble’ and the group’s impressive concert… proved the point. Each is a performing artist in his or her own right and together they make music which literally sparkles. Technically and musically, there’s nothing out of their reach, and their precision is breathtaking.
Like a party that has joyfully exceeded its bounds, the Mostly Mozart Festival spilled outdoors onto the plaza of Lincoln Center this year… the Sylvan Winds presented the last in a series of weekly programs around the plaza’s fountain. As for the playing, it was up to the Sylvan’s usual high standards: focused, disciplined and executed with an organlike consistency.
Seasoned players all… They perform with energy and discipline, at times achieving a rich organlike euphony… Throughout the night, there was much to admire in the playing of the various soloists…
…an eloquent interpretation…
…a marvelously played program…
All five of the musicians are of virtuoso caliber… One was hardly prepared for the sensitivity and dynamic range provided by this ensemble… a gossamer light performance…the Sylvan Winds Ensemble could never sound anything but secure and relaxed… beauty, grace, charm, and wit abounded…
One of the season’s most appealing concerts… the Sylvan Winds… demonstrated their virtuosity and musicality… one of the supreme treasures of the chamber repertory… was handsomely performed by the ensemble their programs are always adventurous. Do discover them for yourselves!
…a delightful…concert…exuberant…
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