Falter, 6 February 2004 (Carsten Fastner)

Classic

Anika Vavic, born in Belgrade, resident in Vienna and sponsored by the Konzerthaus and Musikverein as their representative in the “Rising-Star” concert series, is presently on tour of the renowned international concert halls, the culminating performance of which was her appearance in New York’s Carnegie Hall. The reason for this can be heard on the new CD recorded by the 28-year-old: On it Vavic presents herself as a multi-faceted musician, who can endow a Haydn sonata (Hob. XIV/19) if not with glittering wittiness at least with strong expression, a sonata by Prokofjew (No. 6) with the necessary kinetic energy and the Four Pieces by Scriaban with the sentimentality needed. That Ravel’s Valses nobles et sentimantales lack that final pinch of charm can well be the fault of a harsh sounding instrument rather than that of Vavic herself.

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