OFRA YITZHAKI
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"OFRA YITZHAKI DEVOTES HERSELF ENTHUSIASTICALLY TO THE MUSIC OF JOHANN SEBASTIAN BACH. HER PLAYING REMINDS OF THE GREAT ROSALYN TURECK - IT IS PHYSICAL, SENSUAL, ECSTATIC."
BERLIN TAGESSPIEGEL, GERMANY A pupil of legendary Bach-interpreter Paul Badura-Skoda, Ofra Yitzhaki's Bach performances were compared by the press to those of the Grandes Dames of the piano: Clara Haskil and Rosalyn Tureck. Her Bach (and "Bach & More") recitals have taken her to venues such as Germany's Klavierfestival Ruhr and the Chamber Music Hall of the Berlin Philharmonie, Chicago Performing Arts Center, New York's Trinity Church, San Francisco's Temple Emanu-El Synagogue, The Jerusalem Theater and the Tel Aviv Museum.
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Prelude and Fugue in E Major from the Well-Tempered Clavier, Book II. Recital at the Clairmont Hall, Tel Aviv University, May 2019.
PROGRAM I :
THE WELL-TEMPERED CLAVIER, BOOK II:
TWENTY FOUR PRELUDES AND FUGUES
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J. S. BACH
Preludes and Fugues BWV 870-883 - Intermission - Preludes and Fugues BWV 884-893 For a complete recording (playlist) of this program please click here. |
PROGRAM II:
BACH & SCARLATTI:
MASTERS OF THE GERMAN AND ITALIAN BAROQUE
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JOHANN SEBASTIAN BACH (1685-1750)
Six Little Preludes, BWV 933-938 DOMENICO SCARLATTI (1685-1757) Four Piano Sonatas - Intermission - DOMENICO SCARLATTI Two Piano Sonatas JOHANN SEBASTIAN BACH French Overture in B minor, BWV 831 PROGRAM III
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RUHR NACHRICHTEN, GERMANY, ABOUT BACH'S FRENCH OVERTURE IN KLAVIERFESTIVAL RUHR “Transfigured Bach - Ofra Yitzhaki’s Style: A Pianist Celebrates Charm This Bach is not for purists. Ofra Yitzhaki lets charm and grace flow into the music and presents the Baroque-Master as a revolutionary of harmony and a lyricist drawing with soft lines. Here sits at the piano a strong personality with an own profile, whose uncompromising interpretation is impressive even to those who might not agree with it... Yitzhaki’s playing is characterized by profound sensitivity and great concentration. This pianist is always on top of all sound-events, never missing a nuance.” THE NEW YORK SUN, ABOUT A BACH-RECITAL AT NEW YORK'S TRINITY CHURCH “A Moving Afternoon of Devotional Music The fine Israeli soloist Ofra Yitzhaki offered an hour of what Olivier Messiaen called 'Illuminations of the Beyond'... This pianist exudes confidence and an infectious sense of pure enjoyment: She seems naturally delighted to play Bach. While staying within the strictures of the Baroque, she demonstrated her profound phrasing abilities. Technically, she is exemplary. ” ECHO ONLINE, GERMANY, ABOUT BACH'S ITALIAN CONCERTO & ENGLISH SUITE No. 5 “Everything is crystal-clear in Ofra Yitzhaki's performance. In the hands of this pupil of Paul Badura-Skoda, Bach's English Suite No.5 becomes a vivid, picturesque work of art... Also his Italian Concerto comes across as a clear, beautiful picture: The melodies resemble a drawing, the textures - a painting.” HA'ARETZ DAILY NEWS, ISRAEL, ABOUT A RECITAL OF BACH AND NEW MUSIC AT THE JERUSALEM THEATER "A profound, virtuoso artist... It's always captivating to hear this pianist, whose world of repertoire spans from baroque to Avant-Garde.” BERGSTRAESSER ANZEIGER, GERMANY, ABOUT THE WELL-TEMPERED CLAVIER AT THE BENSHEIM THEATER "A Young Pianist and a Real Artistic Discovery “Whoever listens to Ofra Yitzhaki's perfectly polished still wonderfully personal performance must place her in one line with the best Bach pianists of our time. Her playing is amazingly secure in all matters of style and fascinating inits richness of nuances. Had there been Bach recordings of Clara Haskil, perhaps they would have sounded like the Bach-playing of this pianist: Filled with brilliance and cheerful spirituality, yet lacking any vanity. Pure happiness for the listener." THE JERUSALEM POST, ABOUT BACH'S FRENCH OVERTURE AT THE JERUSALEM MUSIC CENTER “Yitzhaki finished her program with Bach's French Overture, showing clarity of touch and texture and a significant shaping of melodic phrases. Her refreshing lack of academic dryness and mature approach raised this rendition to the level of a real artistic achievement." KOENIGSTEINER WOCHE, GERMANY, ABOUT A BACH-RECITAL AT THE ARS VIVENDI SERIES, KOENIGSTEIN “Yitzhaki played with such sensitive intensity, that the listeners were drawn completely into the music already with the first stroke of key. The playing was at the same time virtuoso and full of joy... One can only guess that, had the great Master Bach been able to hear this concert, it would have given him great pleasure.” HOFHEIMER ZEITUNG, GERMANY, ABOUT PRELUDES AND FUGUES AT THE EVANGELICAL CHURCH, HOFHEIM “Ofra Yitzhaki presented an outstanding performance, playing with a dignity one rarely finds even with the best 'Bach-Interpreters'.” MA'ARIV DAILY NEWS, ISRAEL, ABOUT BACH'S CONCERTO FOR THREE PIANOS WITH THE TEL AVIV SOLOISTS “Yitzhaki's highly musical and brilliant playing stood out uniquely in the performance of Bach's Concerto for Three Pianos.” ALLGEMEINE ZEITUNG, GERMANY, ABOUT A CONCERT AT THE INGELHEIM OPEN UNIVERSITY “As an encore Yitzhaki performed Bach's 'Zion Hears the Watchman Singing' with dreamlike beauty" |
Prelude and Fugue in F sharp minor from the Well-Tempered Clavier, Book II. Recital at the Clairmont Hall, Tel Aviv University, May 2019.
