Reviews

 

 

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DE GELDERLANDER

*****

"This proves that the Marine Band and Tien form a golden combination to be cherished"

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TROUW 

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"Arjan Tien guided the philharmonie zuidnederland confidently through the genius scores.

He ensured that the young singers stayed alert and supported them in an exemplary fashion."

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Netwerk 24 (Paul Boekkooi)

KRAGTIGE 'LA TRAVIATA' 'N TRIOMF

Wat Gauteng Opera (GO) ons Saterdagaand laat beleef het, was uiters kragtig.

Dié opera is oorbekend, sy melodieë so ingegrif in elke sanger of musikus se verwysingsveld dat dit moeilik is om terug te staan en dit opnuut te takseer. Maar om die een of ander rede rondom sinergie het alles by dié konsertweergawe saamgewerk: Verdi se tegniese meesterskap, skerpte, menslikheid, sy psigologiese insae, asook sy onfeilbare smaak.

Spanwerk was die grondslag van GO se sukses. Die kern daarvan het voortgevloei uit die musikaal wydlopende aandeel van die dirigent Arjan Tien. 

Hy was gepas uiters ekstrovert in die feestelike tonele, maar het die leisels sterk ingehou waar dit die werklike drama betref. In die twee voorspele, skitterend ingetoë maar tog ook kragtig, openbaar hy dat die emosionele gravitas van die verhaal sy aandag nooit ontglip nie.

Tien het duidelik sy raap en skraap-orkes baie gou omskep in iets wat geheg en resonant geklink het.

 

Die Beeld - Johannesburg (Thijs Odendaal)
"Tien ... enchants in classical Beethoven"

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Cape Times (Deon Irish)

“Visiting Dutch conductor Arjan Tien showed an assured feel for Wagner and the Meistersinger overture received a fluent and engaging reading…”

 

Pretoria News (Riek van Rensburg)
”Conductor's affection for Beethoven shows”
“Tien has the knack to reveal the enigmatic beauty of the composer's concept-an imaginative unity expressed in an idiom of disarming simplicity. He rightly eschews rhetoric. The music is allowed to weave its own spell.”

 

Daily News (William Charlton Perkins)

“Tien's far-flung account of Bruckner's Romantic Symphony no.4 swept aside lingering preconceptions of possible tedium. This was a finely tuned, passionate reading of a great work which had the orchestra constantly on their toes…”

 

Dispatch - Online (Jilly Gooud)

“The highlight of the concert was César Franck's D minor Symphony…, and the unity achieved in its composition was made even more evident in Arjan Tien's superb interpretation here.”

 

De Gelderlander (Ton Gijsbers)

“The performance of Brahms' opus 98 became artistically a very memorable event under his hands. Feeling for the architecture of the work and rhetorical persuasiveness were practically one in this passionate and remarkably light and very chamber-musical performance:"…"Quirine Viersen was the soloist in Elgars' celloconcerto. The co-operation fitted like a tight glove.”

 

De Volkskrant (Patrick van den Hanenberg)
“The Metropole Orchestra conducted by Arjan Tien can indulge themselves completely in the complicated yet graceful music by Bernstein. The Opening Dance from this ballet (Fancy Free) …is performed exemplary.”

 

Sunday Tribune (Anthea Johnston)

“Once again, Tien demonstrated a fine sense of style and attention to detail, which resulted in a performance of integrity and depth.”

 

Daily News (Henry Presney)

“It has become something of a custom that when guest conductor Arjan Tien takes to the KwaZulu Natal Philharmonic podium, local concertgoers are treated to an evening of high art.”