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A review by Rosemary Phillips, April 2001
Erica Raum brings passion and brilliant technique
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| Erica Raum |
From the rivetting opening of “Scherzo” by Brahms to
the fiery closing with “Carmen Fantasy” by Sarasate,
violinist Erika Raum, one of Canada’s most talented young
string players, filled the GFSS auditorium with her passion, brilliant
technique and dramatic interpretation, all the while keeping in
close contact with the audience as she described the pieces and
gave a little history and humour about each. It was an evening to
soothe the soul, with a program that captivated attention, and diverted
minds from everyday worries to the beauty and magic of masterfully
performed music.
One with the music
Raum, who has played with orchestras in Hungary, Portugal, Austria,
France, the U.S. and Canada, is not only an excellent musician,
deftly working her instrument as though it were an extension of
her own self, she is an entertainer and commands a presence as she
walks onto the stage, and the audience responds. Her body moves
with each phrase, head jolting to the side as she dramatically sweeps
her bow across the strings, her blonde hair bouncing in response,
and she becomes one with the music. It’s at such moments that
we not only need to thank and admire the composers for their creations,
but also the performers for their interpretation and expression.
As Raum moved through “Sonata No. 7, Opus 30: no 2 in C minor”
by Beethoven the audience was able to experience the passion of
the allegro, the gentleness of the adagio, the fun and playfulness
of the scherzo and the grand build up to the finale.
The tone of her 300-year-old Italian violin was rich and beautiful.
One young audience member was later heard to say as he looked at
the instrument, “Wow, I’ve never seen anything that
old before.”
Diversity with "Solo Sonata"
by Ysaÿe
Raum showed her diversity in music with the challenging “Solo
Sonata” by Belgian composer Eugène Ysaÿe, a more
modern piece which, as Raum explained, “does make you sweat.”
This was followed by the “Suite of Spanish Folksongs”
by Manuel de Falla, taking Spanish folk music and capturing the
sounds of that country. The closing piece, “Carmen Fantasy,”
based upon the opera “Carmen” by Bizet, gave an exciting
ending to a most enjoyable program.
The accompaniment on piano by Roslyn Frantz, an accomplished pianist
from Oregon, who now lives in Kelowna, was a perfect balance with
both tempo and sensitivity to the expressions given by Raum throughout
the evening.
At the end of the performance Raum returned to the stage and jovially
chatted with members of the audience, and signed programs for up-and-coming
young musicians who plied her with many questions.
It was an evening that could definitely be considered a gift for
Grand Forks. For those who were not fortunate enough to experience
this excellence in music, hopefully Raum will return in the future.
It’s not often that we get the opportunity to see and hear
such great talent of international calibre without going to a big
city.
This article was originally written for the Grand Forks Gazette.
Erica Raum is represented by Andrew
Kwan Artists Management Inc.
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