| Press echos 2004/05 |
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Dr. Franc Križnar, Glasbeni Utrip (Musical Pulse), programme ARS, Radio Slovenia, December 7th 2004 ...an excellent recital. The pianist Marina Horak enraptured us right from the start with her Chromatic Fantasy and Fugue in d minor by Johann Sebastian Bach. We heard a performance full of energy in the fantasy and finely conducted voices in the chromatic fugue. This incredible energy became even denser in Mozart's Sonata in C major K 330. The first movement, Allegro, came rushing in a wild tempo, yet the pianist skilfully coloured each phrase thus preserving the music's graceful beauty. The virtuoso singing quality of her playing charmed us particularly in her interpretations of Debussy's Preludes. The energetic vigour of Marina Horak could be heard in Franck's cyclical work Prelude, choral and fugue. This extremely demanding piano piece was performed with an exceptional drive and was at the same time imbued with a sensitive breath of romantic poetry. Unrelenting applause of the enthusiastic audience ... Mihael Paš, Glasbeni Utrip (Musical Pulse), programme ARS, Radio Slovenia, March 16th 2005 Pedagogues and pupils greatly enjoyed the concert of the renowned Slovene pianist and professor Marina Horak in the concert hall of the Črnomelj Music School. Everything starts with the upbringing ... each pupil is a 'work of art', unique in temperament, character traits, habits, aspirations ... It is of importance that pupils feel joy when being in touch with music and this is what they could experience in abundance at Marina Horak's concert. Music by J:S.Bach, W.A.Mozart and C. Debussy was interpreted with great sensitivity and awareness - as was stated by Yehudi Menuhin in London about the playing of our renowned artist. The pupils listened attentively and enjoyed the beauty of the performances. Very interesting and original commentary on the pieces and the composers, establishing connections among the periods of baroque, classicism and impressionism, developed into a creative and lively communication between the pupils and the pianist. This was a special event for pupils and teachers alike. Masterly performing, interpretation, presentation, a loving attitude to the audience, energy, inspiration ... They listened with their heart. I myself listened and watched and enjoyed at the same time. I thought how proud Prof. Hilda Horak would be of her daughter. As I said in the beginning - everything starts with the upbringing ...! Tatjana Krpan, head of piano department, Music School in Črnomelj,Slovenia, for Šolski Razgledi, April 4th 2005 ...top artistic quality. In Škerjanc Sonata... discreet interweaving of technical demands and stylistic profile of the composition. Practically floating above the keyboard, by means of thorough and perfected technique she shaped the Mozart sonata in C major K 330. Under the fingers of this virtuoso musician we came to experience a new dimension of Chopin's romantic expression. The complete spectrum of colours, articulation and dynamic nuances was shown particularly in Debussy's Preludes... exposing all subtlety and sensitivity of the most intimate composer's thoughts contained in the new harmonic language, which was absolutely within reach of the inspired interpretative creation. Extraordinary technical skill and exceptional interpretative charge carried Franck's Prelude, choral and fugue, in which the pianistic artistry of Marina Horak reached affirmation of an artistic personality who penetrates deeply into each interpretation. Ljerka Žic, Novi List, Rijeka, Croatia, recital on April 22nd 2005 An excellent artist, full of sunshine, the internationally renowned Slovene pianist Marina Horak charmed the audience at the Monday Meeting of the association of Slovene Intellectuals with a masterly concert and an interesting interview. M. Rustja, Primorski dnevnik, Trieste, Italy, recital on May 2nd 2005 Last Tuesday Ljubljana-based pianist Marina Horak gave a recital in Maribor, to commemorate the 90th birthday anniversary of Hilda Horak, Professor Emeritus of Ljubljana University, concert pianist and teacher at the Ljubljana Academy of Music. In the first and particularly in the third movement of Mozart Sonata K 330 in C major, Ms. Horak displayed a well-founded and polished tone and an adequate stylistic approach together with a brilliant technique, whereas in the second movement she highlighted the expressiveness of the cantilena in the right hand. Both in the freely structured initial Prelude and in the choir-like concept of the Choral, full of rich harmonies and chord successions, as also in the Fugue, magnificent in sound, extremely rich in the harmonic-polyphonic sense and vertiginous in thematic and contrapuntal developments, the pianist at all times demonstrated excellent technique, talent and a lively temperament. Her rendering of Franck's work had the voluminous sound of an organ and the spiritual quality, at the same time being fully amalgamated in the impressive opulently sounding harmonies and chordal build-ups. In Debussy's Preludes Marina Horak enhanced the diversity of impressionist timbres, sometimes (not accidentally!) "blurring" or "darkening" them with pedal; she stressed the Spanish melodic-rhythmic element and the wealthy imagination of the composer, the eccentricity and the march-like character, and then there was moonlight on the one hand and equally convincing, on the other the masterly developed use of thirds, culminating in the sound eruptions and glissandos of the last prelude. To the satisfaction of the audience gathered in the beautiful (renovated) concert hall of the Music School, and composed largely from professional musicians, the elegant pianist gave us the gift of two most beautiful encores. Zeqirja Ballata, Večer, Maribor,concert on May 24th 2005 At last night's concert in Ulcinj performed the renowned Slovene pianist Marina Horak, professor at the Academy of Music in Ljbuljana. She interpreted wroks by Beethoven, Chopin and Debussy enrapturing audience who filled the concert hall of the School of Music. Vijesti, Montenegro, concert June 12th 2005 |