Lisa Batiashvili.

Violinist Lisa Batiashvili

Early this morning I listened to violinist Lisa Batiashvili play the music of Schubert and Cesar Frank. While I have played these same compositions myself, I inevitably compared her playing to other great fiddlers.

I also recall hearing Ms. Batiashvili about 10 years ago in Toronto, and I found her playing then somewhat tentative. I enjoyed her playing that I heard today; yet something was lacking: I call it “the FIRE”, the passion, the great emotion.

These qualities are a ‘must’ for me, when it comes to performers. A violinist – and for that matter any performer – has to have the ability to communicate strong emotions. And while Lisa Batiashvili has strong technical capabilities as a violinist, somehow the passion and the fire did not make it into my body.

Here are some examples for you to ponder:

There was a record-breaking audience of 38 thousand packed into Berlin’s central Bebelplatz to hear a free program of classical music headlined by violinist Lisa Batiashvili and conductor Daniel Barenboim:

 

 

 

And next, here is Lisa Batiashvili playing Brahms’ Hungarian Dance, No. 2 , in D minor:

 

 

Finally, here is a New York Philharmonic rehearsal that took place in Basel, Switzerland. Conductor Alan Gilbert and the Orchestra were joined by Lisa Batiashvili, who performed the Sibelius’s Violin Concerto:

 

 

Tags: Lisa Batiashvili, Schubert, Frank, Sibelius, Brahms