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The
group’s opening concert…featured the Mendelssohn’s Concerto for
Violin and Orchestra in E Minor, Opus 64. One of the more difficult
pieces for violin, the concerto proved to be a perfect vehicle for Beluska’s technical prowess and ability
for interpretation. The work is at once happy and energetic, and
nervelessly vibrant, and Beluska was well-deserving of the standing
ovation he received.
Mendelssohn Violin Concerto
Waterloo Courier, Waterloo, Iowa
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Making their London debut before embarking on a European tour the
International Trio – aptly named since American, Rumanian and German
players are involved – immediately impressed by the quality and
polish of their music-making. The technical foundations are
unquestioned: perfect intonation, precise ensemble and exact rhythm
informs all that they did, but more than that, there was complete
accord in their interpretive ideas and a confident approach in their
expression.
From the well-made piece to a work of genius; Beethoven’s Trio in D,
Op.70 No.1 (“The Ghost”). Quickly adapting their style to the music
the trio launched themselves into the challenging opening bars with
splendid attack. Bigger tone was forthcoming when required, and the
identity of views of the players was nowhere more apparent than in
the mysterious slow movement. The concluding Presto was a model of
clear and nimble ensemble - playing.
Piano Trio
Review of London Recitals, London, England
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But the premier performance was that of Concertmaster Vasile
Beluska. The solo violin part, which likely represents the Princess
herself, is hauntingly beautiful and recurs in all four movements.
Beluska played it with flawless grace. His sweet and delicate tone
and accuracy of pitch, particularly on the difficult pianissimo high
notes, deserve the highest praise.
Waterloo Courier, Waterloo, Iowa
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Beethoven’s Trio op.70 No. 1, the “Ghost”, was marvelously performed
by the International Trio composed of violinist Vasile Beluska,
cellist Stefan Reuss and pianist Howard Aibel. The “Ghost” gets its
name from the brooding slow movement, which is, of the three
movements, the most characteristic of the middle period of the
composer’s output. In it one finds the harmonic and textural
imagination which would later manifest itself in the late sonatas
and string quartets. Technically, the performance was very sound and
the balance and ensemble were flawless. The difficult unison
passages in the final movement were handled deftly and with perfect
intonation.
Piano Trio
The Peninsula Times Tribune, San Francisco, Californina
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It was splendidly played all the same, as was Beethoven’s Ghost
Trio, in a performance combining precision with great
musicality….International in spirit as well as name, the group
followed English and German music with Russian: Arensky’s First
Piano Trio, a highly attractive late-Romantic piece, rich in melody
and well-written for the combination, which we should hear more
often. Once again their performance was one fine detail, spirit and
cogency. Altogether an impressive debut.
Piano Trio
Music and Musicians Magazine, London, England
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The International Trio enterprisingly arrived with a long-forgotten
piano trio in D by Capriani Potter, now echoing early Beethoven, now
pre-echoing Mendelssohn. Though the resonance of St. James’s
Piccadilly inevitably resulted in keyboard domination and some loss
of detail, the players themselves were always alert to balance as
well as nimble in repartee.
Piano Trio
The London Times
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Haydn’s Quartet in F Major Opus 77, No. 2, was the last of his many
quartets and showed many characteristics of Schubert and the
Romantic Period. The opening movement was joyful and was played with
excitement and confidence. There were excellent dynamic contrasts
and the precision and sensitivity of the quartet for musical nuances
was outstanding. The third movement with its Schubertain-like
melodies and rich harmonies was beautiful. The final movement ended
with vigorous full sounding chords bringing the number to an
exciting close. The quartet played with precise articulation and the
beautiful nuances and superb technique were truly professional.
Bowling Green String Quartet
Toledo Blade, Toledo, Ohio
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The International Trio continues to demonstrate a striking musical
resonance among its members. The music breathes as a single
organism, and yet, where appropriate, each performer can exert a
strong individual personality. Vasile Beluska exhibits a lovely
mellow violin sound, a pleasure to hear in conjunction with his
flawless intonation and smooth attack.
Piano Trio
Peter Hamlin, KHKE Radio
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Machiko Koblalka was more evenly matched with three strings
(Beluska, Carter and Goldblatt) in the Mozart quartet. The Rondo
benefited from her lively energy and Beluska was distinguished in
the lovely Andante.
Piano Quartet
The Peninsula Times Tribune, San Francisco, California
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In this concert at The Sala Chopin and enthusiastic audience enjoyed
a concert of authentic quality.
Their program began with the Quartet Op. 77 in F Majoy by Haydn, the
last work written by the Viennese composer since the following opus
103 is only a fragment. An extraordinary work to which the Bowling
Green Quartet gave an interpretation that was correct in its
classicism and plasticity and diversified in each one of the
entrances of the instruments.
Bowling Green String Quartet
The Excelsior – Mexico City
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The Haydn Quartet opened the concert on a cheerful note. This mature
work has more body and soul than his earlier quartets which fall
more into the “pleasantly entertaining” category. The performers
explored its various harmonic and melodic avenues and embued it with
an ebullience which added a feeling of youthful vivacity.
String Quartet
The Peninsula Times Tribune, San Francisco, Californina
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The Beethoven Concerto is, in several ways, an ideal vehicle to show
off the talents of the three performers. For each is a virtuoso
artist in his own right. (Two of them - Aibel and Beluska – have
already performed as soloists with the orchestra). The Concerto
gives each player a turn at solo passages and each of the trio
played splendidly.
Beethoven Triple Concerto
Waterloo Courier, Waterloo, Iowa
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What Tchaikovsky could do to bring out the full gamut of expressive
content inherent in a string instrument is unique. Beluska’s violin
and Reuss’s cello, sometimes singly and often in unison, sang out
with rich, full sound, communicating beautifully with each other and
endowing the whole with deep sentiment that never degenerated into
sentimentality.
Piano Trio
The Des Moines Register, Des Moines, Iowa
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