Mihael Paar » poulenc

Accolades for debut recital at the 5th Epidaurus Festival in Cavtat

MihaelPaar.com — Sat, 01 Oct 2011 13:29:53 +0000

In a number of diverse music festivals along the Croatian Adriatic, a special place belongs to the Festival at the very south of the country, in the historical region of Konavle and their central and starting point – the ancient town of Cavtat. The authenticity of this picturesque place lies behind its name as it reveals the Latin syntagma ‘Civitas Vetus’ (meaning the old town), that modern Croatian name Cavtat derives from, while its ancient Greek description ‘Epidaurus’ leads to even further and richer history. It is this very name of the archaic Greece period that stands today as the headline of the Festival itself.

In such rich environment and the wealth of heritage, Mihael was particularly honoured by taking part at its 5th edition bringing into it a concept that was carefully designed to reflect the pallet of clarinet standards and oeuvre of the Mediteranian flare, both in the range of classical and contemporary repertoire. This intention, recognized and highly praised by the critics, resulted in the rounded program with performance described as colorful and inspiring, particularly due to Paar’s ability to interpretate wide variety of characters and colors, with the ever-present note of virtuosity of a technically skilled performer. Mihael’s debut recital at the closure tryptich of the Epidaurus Festival was accompanied by the pianist Ivan Pernicki, following the invitation of the artistic director, pianist and poet Ivana Marija Vidović. Photo: Miho Skvrce

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Recital at the Epidaurus Festival

MihaelPaar.com — Fri, 30 Sep 2011 14:46:33 +0000

“Fantasy on aria Là ci darem la mano from Mozart’s famous opera Don Giovanni showed us outright that, in front of audience, there were two skillful musicians, especially the clarinetist with already notable international reputation. Playing music was irreproachable, with the interpretation and virtuosity that Mr. Paar immediately imposed himself with. The three-movement Poulenc’s Sonata introduced to us all the qualities of Paar’s interpretation of melancholic, romantic and dynamic sections… Hommage á Manuel de Falla for clarinet solo by Béla Kovács brought out the artist in the special light confirming again his high performing technique and virtuosity. Mangani’s Pagina d’album was a real delicacy… Rosenblatt’s Fantasy on themes from Bizet’s opera Carmen could not leave us indifferent…

In the entire repertoire, Mihael Paar distinguished himself as a great performer. Though his great affection for the classics is obvious, he promotes contemporary music as well… Duo Paar – Pernicki not only made us acquainted with skillfully selected and excellenly performed program but they have also proved themelves to be young Croatian musicians who are welcome to the musical podium. The Festival connected the two young artists, while their inspiring playing music confirmed the slogan of the Epidaurus Festival, ‘Living with arts’.”

September 30st, 2011

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Recital for the Zagreb Concert Management

MihaelPaar.com — Fri, 11 May 2007 14:51:57 +0000

“The chamber music cycle Piano pianissimo (Concert Management Zagreb) placed in the Zagreb historic Illyrian Hall, hosted a young Croatian virtuoso Mihael Paar and a Japanese pianist Hiroyo Imagawa. The clarinet which made a break as a solo-instrument only in the 19th century, on the concert podiums stays less present even today. This made a good occasion for the audience to witness its unique sound in, what seemed to be quite a comprehensive program composed in two rather simetrical parts. Thus each part had an opening piece of somewhat easier material, followed by the central piece firmly connected to the tradition, through which a much deeper and complex sonata form was reached. Likewise, the selection of composers (Gershwin, Benjamin, Brahms, Lovreglio, Klobučar, Poulenc) witnessed a wide range of performers’ affinities and capacities. Mihael Paar, a multiple winner of several international competitions and a frequent figure of numerous concert projects in his homecountry and abroad, equally copes, as seen in his resume, with all music genres, amongst them both, stylized jazz and contemporary music.

Effective cohesion of classic and jazz, which at the start of the 20th century came as an exceptionally grateful genre for the clarinet, was noticeable at the very beginning in the Gershwin’s Three Preludes, originally composed for piano alone. Hiroyo Imagawa, a young artist with a distinguished career of a concert pianist, who lives today in Salzburg, established herself in Gershwin’s showpiece as an equal piano partner. An Interesting sound, skilful mesh of both instruments and a display of clarinet technique set out the composition Le Tombeau de Ravel by which the Australian Arthur Benjamin gave his tribute to Maurice Ravel and to the French impressionism. Afterwards, the Brahms’s four-movement Sonata for clarinet and piano in f-minor op.120 sounded rather serious and inhibited, but the interpretation of Mihael Paar and Hiroyo Imagawa pointed to the range and the power of Brahms’s experience of clarinet and piano combination. Concert Fantasie on the motives from Verdi’s La Traviata by Donato Lovreglio put the tehnical facilities of the clarinet in the spot, and Paar provided an appropriate respond followed by Klobučar’s Suite in its rather short, but distinct movements which brought more introvert, but still clear and stable sound of both instruments. The concluding Sonata by Poulenc, one of the key works of modern clarinet literature with a demanding part of the leading instrument – quick leaps, tempo alterations and a complex treatment of the clarinet in general – but with a solid piano support, rounded the impression of performing maturity of Mihael Paar and Hiroyo Imagawa.”

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