Reviews
On "Goldberg Variations"
Diastixo.gr, Grèce (Maria Kotopouli)
“…A challenge for any great artist the "Variations" found in Lilia Boyadjieva their ideal interpreter. … through an inner, spiritual process and beyond the ego, she detected the contemplative depth of the composition and highlighted, with unequalled sensitivity and extreme austerity, the monumental work of Bach, moulding a sound of rare transparency and clarity, ...” (Concert - “Goldberg Variations”)Kathimerini, Athènes, Grèce (Nikos Dontas)
“…Boyadjieva seems to master her material completely, to have a precise idea of the variations as a unified work and not a simple juxtaposition of gems. Each variation had its own character but within the framework of a work with a beginning a middle and an end as JS Bach conceived it and as she highlighted it. ... her technical competence, her virtuoso integrity on one of the most demanding texts of the piano literature, calls for admiration. …" (Concert - “Goldberg Variations”)Le Journal de Papageno, Paris, France (Patrick Loiseleur)
"…The Bulgarian virtuoso flies without flinching over the bursts of triple eighth notes of certain variations, but it is in the slow variations, in G minor, all in delicacy, that her play seduces me the most. What slips between notes cannot be explained in words…" (Concert - “Goldberg Variations”)Fanfare, USA (Colin Clarke)
“ … Boyadjieva traces a huge line over the 30 variations, bringing us home, transformed, to the opening Aria … "… the lightness of touch of Boyadjieva’s is a delight, … "… her articulation excellent …".As a calm postscriptum, Boyadjieva offers a serene, deep-bass resonant and intelligently shaped account of the Hess arrangement of “Jesu, joy of man’s desiring ” … Boyadjieva allows herself more of a sense of expansion, of exploration; the result is supremely satisfying. (CD - “Goldberg Variations”)
American Record Guide, USA (Harrington)
"…the approach is clean, crisp, with good tempo choices …" … "I was most impressed by the variations Bach labeled as for two key- boards…""…Hess's arrangement of 'Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring' is a wonderful performance and a great way to end the program…". (CD - “Goldberg Variations”)
Autres
Sinfonica, Montevideo, Uruguay
"…with the excellent Bulgarian pianist Lilia Boyadjieva who held a time-consuming but warm and extraordinarily fluid dialogue with the orchestra. Lilia Boyadjieva focused on the most passionate passages in the 'Allegro Affetuoso', sang with subtlety and sobriety the 'Andantino Grazioso' and, finally imprinted a touch of vigour and temperament in the 'Allegro Vivace '. …" (Concert – Schumann)Eleftherotypia , Athens, Greece (G. Svolos)
“…(sound) vigorous, agile, enriched with brilliant explosions of virtuosity…” - “…imp-ressive breadth in expressive spectrum … from contemplative pianissimo indiscretions … to demonically charged marches and melodic parodies on dancing rhythms...” - “… ama-zingly convincing, clear and coherent representation of the composer’s … writing style, offering rare quality and distinctive weight to this really unique listening experience!” (Concert – Shostakovitch)> Read full review
Fanfare, USA (Walter Simmons)
“…a disc featuring pianist Lilia Boyadjieva, offers a number of pieces never before recorded, and is probably the most valuable CD solely devoted to Barber’s keyboard music...” - “... Three Sketches and .... Fresh from West Chester ... Discovering these early pieces, played without a scintilla of condescension by Boyadjieva, provides a point of departure from which to view the pieces that soon followed, ...” - “... Even the highly-touted Piano Sonata of 1949, played with an extraordinary combination of both power and delicacy by Lilia Boyadjieva, in one of the finest readings on record…” (CD "Barber piano Works")> Read full review
Fanfare, USA (Walter Simmons)
“…the distinction (of the best recording of Barber's piano music) belongs to … a CD … featuring the Bulgarian pianist Lilia Boyadjieva… this recording (… amounts to) the most fully realized performance of the Piano Sonata on disc …” - “… if one is looking for the best recording of the Barber Sonata, I would recommend Boyadjieva. …” (CD "Barber piano Works")> Read full review
Imerisia, Athens, Greece (Giorgos Leotsakos)
“…Barber – piano concerto – … the marvellous Lilia Boyadjieva in a glorious display of technical mastery (splendidly strung runs, absolutely clear resonances through extremely wise pedal use) and brilliantly beautiful sound: the colours and their shadings, tracking the changing density of the pianistic composition, clarified the whole thematic structure of the work…” (Concert Barber)> Read full review
Fanfare, USA (Peter Burwasser)
“…This is, for once, a concept album that really works. It is fascinating to listen to a durable and rather stodgy format quite effortlessly withstanding the ravages of time …” - “… Her Liszt is impressive, very self-assured and bursting with colour. In all of her playing, there is an intensity of purpose and bold dynamic control…” (CD “Around the fugue”)> Read full review
Le Monde de la Musique, Paris, France (M. le Naour)
“…The soloist perfectly masters a very complex form that uses dodecaphonic processes and an extremely difficult finale, in fugue form and syncopated. … Lilia Boyadjieva's appeal lies in her delicacy, the clarity of the sound planes, her understanding of varied moods and a touch that is always subtly measured…” (CD “Barber piano works”)> Read full review
Diapason, Paris, France (Alain Cochard)
“…besides the originality of her choice of repertoire, she offers a very convincing interpretation. A "test work," the monumental Sonata is approached in both a mastered and sensitive way that respects the variety of moods of the work as well as its formidable rhythmic and polyphonic complexity.” - “… Lilia Boyadjieva always hits her target thanks to her engaged, lively and poetic approach…” (CD “Barber piano works”)> Read full review
Répertoire, Paris, France (Gérard Honoré)
“…the young pianist is quite convincing thanks to the frankness of her openings and the power of her engagement, as well as the opposites she develops between lyric episodes and successions of very sharp chords…” (CD “Barber piano works”)> Read full review
Tempo, UK (Calum McDonald)
"…Lilia Boyadjieva too has all the necessary muscular power for the big moments of this assertive, sometimes truculent piece; but she brings more delicacy and fluidity to the perhaps more characteristically Barberian soulful and expressive passages. It's a lyrical, mercurial reading, as well as strong one…” (CD “Barber piano works”)> Read full review
EPTA, UK (Malcolm Miller)
"…The interpretations by Lilia Boyadjieva are compelling; full of exciting colour showing an affinity with Barber's style…” (CD “Barber piano works”)> Read full review
Eleftherotypia, Athens, Greece (Yiannis Svolos)
“…a pianist with an especially broad expressive spectrum, well known to Athenian audiences for a long time, interpreted it. The firm hand, athletic precision, stylistically appropriate handling of the weight of the pianistic sound, lightning fast reflexes as well as light …” - “…With huge understanding and culture, the Bulgarian pianist interpreted the concerto’s ambivalent moods and jazzy references comfortably and successfully.” (Concert - Ravel)> Read full review
Kathimerini, Athens, Greece (Nikos Dontas)
“…always welcome is the very good pianist Lilia Boyadjieva …" – "…the clear, precise playing of the Bulgarian artist perfectly fit Ravel's ethereal, playful, clever composition, reflecting the carefree, luxurious, modern lifestyle of the Art-Deco era…” (Concert - Ravel)> Read full review
Le courrier – Celles sur Belle, France
“…Entirely at the service of the work, the artist brings each composition to its conclusion, highlighting its meaning through especially contrasted playing. Crystal clear arpeggios, powerful chords…” (Concert – Schubert, Liszt)> Read full review
Centre Presse – Poitiers, France (Colette Meunier-Sicard)
“…playing that is fluid, expressive and sensitive, a strong personality, transparent sonorities and beautiful technique resume the gifts of the Bulgarian pianist Lilia Boyadjieva …” - “… she gives deep, thoughtful meaning to her interpretations. A great deal of flexibility, lightness but beware of still water. At times her volcanic temperament imbues her with deep power…” (Concert – Schubert, Liszt)> Read full review
Heidenheimer Neue Presse, Germany (Hans-Peter Leitenberger)
“…(Chromatic Fantasy and Fugue) … (she) gave meaning to the piece's direct expressive force…” - “…A rare pleasure to find a performance that delivers the magical suggestive power and particular style of this work.” (Concert – Bach, Chopin, Moussorgski)> Read full review
Schwäbische Post, Germany (Moskaliuk)
“…of Chopin's creation. … after every pause, every break, the pianist sprung up to new heights and down to new depths, exuberant, melancholic, lively…” - “… Lilia Boyadjieva played clearly, masterfully and without sentimentality, with each note seeming to herald its own immutable truth…” (Concert – Bach, Chopin, Moussorgski)> Read full review