The great Maxim Vengerov, one of the world's most renowned violinists of the moment, is not someone you get to see perform live every day. You could during the concert hall of the Musica Mundi School during the Musica Mundi Festival 2025, Vengerov is 'Goodwill Ambassador' of this talent school,
That it became a success, you understand immediately from the fact that no fewer than four (4) encores were performed, although that generosity was also due to the enormous enthusiasm of the young students present who cheered the musicians as if it were a pop festival. It's contagious and that also translates into the performance, is my personal impression. It makes the musicians somewhat more relaxed, but beware because then there can be a mistake or a slight intonation slip… Even the 'Greats of the Earth' are not free from mistakes, but we won't judge a concert on that. The professionalism, the ease with which it is played, the harmony between the violin and the piano and especially the musical narrative, the content you get to hear: that is what counts and it counts this evening.
From the very first entry of Schubert's sonatina no. 3 D408 you are drawn into those so typical Schubert melodies, the violin and piano sing and goosebumps and even a lump in your throat take hold of you. Oh yes, that's how it should be. Somehow the pianist moves you even more than the violinist. That is also the case in Brahms' sonata no. 3 opus 108. It becomes a magnificent, powerful interpretation, very subtly executed. At times the decibels overwhelm the listener and that will resonate throughout the intermission of a full half hour. Yes, Brahms apparently found it emotionally difficult when he entrusted this sonata to paper.
Even more melancholy and piercing conflict you get with the violin sonata opus 134 by Shostakovich. Where the first part, the andante, comes across as somewhat searching, you get in the second part, the allegretto, hunted wildness and in the third part, variations on a theme, you hear hopelessness, bewilderment. Where are we going? What awaits us? Can it continue like this? A typical story for the composer who composed during the difficult years of the Soviet Union and tried to satisfy all spirits with his work that is full of accusations. He did it anyway and so did the duo of this evening who rightfully received standing ovations, prolonged applause and thanked with four encores. It got late, but who says or writes that it wasn't worth it? Exactly, no one.