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Press Quotes One of the finest conductors of her generation. The New York Times One of the brightest stars of symphonic music in America. Los Angeles Times Falletta conducted with a controlled frenzy worthy of Bernstein. Falletta has won conducting awards named for Toscanini, Walter and Stokowski. That seems appropriate as her podium work draws on the legacy of all three—Toscanini’s tight control over ensemble, Walter’s affectionate balancing of inner voices, and Stokowski’s gutsy showmanship. The Washington Post JoAnn Falletta’s commitment to modern orchestral repertoire is exemplary. It is beyond rare for a major symphony to tackle a new work of this magnitude and with the resulting level of excellence and interpretation one gets with the London Symphony Orchestra. This is another great release in Naxos’s continuing support of modern American music and an accessible new symphony worth one’s time. A wonderful introduction to a great symphonic American voice. Cinemusical, February 2015, Review of Gallagher, Symphony No. 2 “Ascendant” (Naxos American Classics, London Symphony) The orchestral writing is brilliant. The playing in all three works is magnificent, and the orchestral accompaniment to Falling Man under JoAnn Falletta, in particular, will have thrilled the composer. International Record Review, Feb. 2015, Review of Falling Man. Movie House. Songs of Innocence and Experience (Naxos American Classic, London Symphony, Roderick Williams, Baritone) The music of Jack Gallagher has previously been welcomed in these pages (making the Want List in 2011). It is not difficult to hear why: this is expertly scored, exuberant music. Gallagher is fortunate indeed to have the London Symphony at his disposal under JoAnn Falletta. The recording, too (Tim Handley and Phil Rowlands) is top rank, meaning that detail comes through perfectly. All credit to Falletta for presenting Gallagher’s scoring so effectively. Fanfare January 2015, Review of Gallagher Symphony No 2 (Naxos, London Symphony Orchestra) One of the most beautiful concerts of winter in Milan. A performance of the highest level! CORRIERE DELLA SERA, December 2014, Review of Stuttgart Philharmonic Concert in Milan This is a welcome addition by the Ulster Orchestra and JoAnn Falletta to the recording of Moeran’s orchestral rhapsodies … this new recording has a vibrancy and precision which is thoroughly beguiling. …Falletta brings a vivacity and enthusiasm to these works which is infectious. Gramophone 2014 Review of Moeran in the Mountain Country (Naxos) GLIÈRE, R.: Symphony No. 3, “Il'ya Muromets”, Buffalo Philharmonic (Naxos) International Classical Music Awards Nominee, American Record Guide Critic's Choice, MusicWeb Recording of the Year, Fanfare Want List, BBC Music Magazine Orchestral Choice, Resmusica Clef Du Mois …this interpretation is the real thing; the energy, enthusiasm, and grandeur of Falletta’s reading are graphic evidence of her love of this music. It sounds exactly like long pent-up admiration finally released. Her interpretation is a few minutes faster than most, but her control over the work’s proportions is so sure that nothing sounds rushed or skimped. From the bravado of I, through the exotic lushness of the forest music in II to the ghostly tread introducing IV, she doesn’t miss a detail or nuance. The Buffalo orchestra valiantly responds to her leadership all the way. American Record Guide, 2014 Pride of place this year goes to JoAnn Falletta’s magisterial new recording of Glière’s Il’ya Muromets. This is not quite unknown territory, but the work—especially in its uncut form—is rarely performed and rarely recorded, not only because of the large forces involved, but even more because, in lesser hands, it can so easily sound over-extended. No one has a better sense of its overall dramatic structure than Falletta—and no one has a cannier r sense of the flavor of its special sound world. A classic. Fanfare, 2014 JoAnn Falletta is a keen admirer and has an excellent ear not merely for clarifying and controlling the orchestral sumptuousness but for articulating the events dramatically. Her forces cast themselves into the fray with enthusiasm and virtuosity, and the recording engineers rise to some quite demanding occasions. Gramophone, 2014 The performances are without exception marvelous. Falletta and the London Symphony need no Introduction; neither do soloists like violist Paul Silverthorne and cellist Tim Hugh, while the Recording of the orchestra is one of Naxos’s best. Performances and recordings couldn’t be better. Recommended, recommended, and recommended. Fanfare Magazine, Review of FUCHS Atlantic Riband (Naxos, London Symphony Orchestra) This recording is not just a testimony to the professionalism of the orchestra; it is a vital interpretive document confirming Falletta’s position among the foremost conductors of our time. Fanfare Magazine, Review of MAHLER Symphony No. 8, “Symphony of a Thousand”, (Hampton Road Classics, Virginia Symphony Orchestra) TYBERG, M.: Symphony No. 2 / Piano Sonata No. 2 (Bidini, Buffalo Philharmonic, Falletta, Naxos) Falletta and the Buffalo Philharmonic deliver a performance that is so committed and radiant that it ought to attract the attention of other music directors here and abroad. American Record Guide, 2014 Discovered by JoAnn Falletta and recorded by the Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra, of which she is the conductor, the second Symphony of Marcel Tyberg reveals the existence of the composer who was an Austrian victim of the Holocaust in 1944. The work recalls Bruckner in its eloquent power and Dvorak in its tenderness. To complete the CD: the second piano Sonata of the same Tyberg, majestically Brahmsian in the hands of Fabio Bidini. La Presse, 2013 The performance could hardly be bettered: JoAnn Falletta and the Buffalo Philharmonic are completely at home in this music and they are very well recorded. Gramophone, 2013 A vigorous, rollicking 2014-15 season opener, full of Russian melodrama and American enthusiasm. The much-admired JoAnn Falletta returned as guest conductor and took complete ownership of the occasion". Courier and Post Review of Charleston Symphony Season Opening Concert 2014. Rarely has an orchestra sounded so purely beautiful in sound, balance and clarity. Falletta, who has been at the helm of the band for nearly 15 years, had beyond a solid regional presence and, with recordings and tours, turned it into a truly international one... Palm Beach Daily News review of Buffalo Philharmonic Florida tour 2014 Falletta and her excellent orchestra give a visceral account of the score projecting its wide range of moods, from mystery and enchantment to violence and tragic intensity. Five Stars, BBC Music Magazine review of Buffalo Philharmonic Gliere Symphony No. 3 (Naxos) This fine new issue offers Paine’s Symphony No. 1 along with an overture and a suite of incidental music. Paine’s music is always pleasant, occasionally moderately exciting and always well-orchestrated. This music is well worth hearing, and surely these splendid performances by the Irish orchestra directed by JoAnn Falletta. These recordings were made October 2012, and the engineering is excellent. This is a major release in the discography of 19th Century American music. ClassicCDReview.com, April 2014 This new recording has a vibrancy and precision which is thoroughly beguiling. ...Falletta brings a vivacity and enthusiasm to these works which is infectious. Gramophone Magazine, April 2014 review of Moeran, In the Mountain Country, Ulster Orchestra, Naxos JoAnn Falletta has single-handedly expanded the 20th-century repertory substantially. AllMusic The performance of Moeran’s Cello Concerto is thoroughly engaging and the lyrical digressions along the way are done with fine feeling. Guy Johnston and JoAnn Falletta show it in the best possible light. The music speaks eloquently, courtesy of the audio-engineering choices of Tim Handley and John Benson. A very impressive disc. MusicWeb International, Review of Moeran Cello Concerto, Ulster Orchestra (Naxos) Ms. Falletta provided clear shape and trajectory. The Buffalo players performed alertly and eloquently, offering an account to savor. The New York Times review of Carnegie Hall performance, May 2013 The Carnegie Hall performance was a great moment for the BPO, performing the difficult and rarely heard Symphony No. 3 by Reinhold Gliere. And it was a moment of surpassing pride for Buffalo. Buffalo News Editorial, May 2013 JoAnn Falletta is a terrific, energetic leader. [Her Carnegie Hall performance with the BPO of Glière’s Symphony] was a triumph for this splendid group. ConcertoNet.com Ildebrando Pizzetti’s 1929 tone poem “Rondo veneziano” under Falletta’s baton was absolutely resplendent. We are indebted to her for introducing Pizzetti to the Buffalo audience. The Buffalo Philharmonic Chorus and Immaculata Academy Vox Caeciliae share the taxing choral parts in Boito’s “Prologue in Heaven” superbly, bringing the concert and the BPO season to a thrilling close. Buffalo News Read the full review in the June 1, 2013 edition of the Buffalo News I love Falletta’s approach to Gershwin, and the Buffalo orchestra’s long term relationship with the composer shows in the playing. Stunning sound, and most strongly recommended. David’s Review Corner Review of George Gershwin: Rhapsody in Blue with the Buffalo Philharmonic, Orion Weiss and John Fullam, soloists (Naxos) Simply watching JoAnn Falletta leaves one spellbound and that is before one even considers the sounds which she elicits. It was wonderful to listen as the American directed the Krakow orchestra with rare precision and attention to detail. Her every gesture demonstrated control and sensitivity. The orchestra sounded extraordinary. Gazeta Wyborcza review of Krakow Philharmonic Falletta has done a great service to concert-goers by offering some of the most interesting programming to be found anywhere in America. Gramophone Magazine, Letter to the Editor Falletta’s performance is wonderfully sensitive and perfectly scaled. Clearly there is some good chemistry going in Ulster between its fine orchestra and the new American principal conductor. One can only hope that there will be many more releases like this in the future, and in the superb sound provided by the Grammy-winning producer and engineer, Tim Handley and Phil Rowlands. Definitely a winner. Fanfare Magazine Review of Holst, Walt Whitman with the Ulster Orchestra (Naxos) An excellent reading of this much recorded work (Dvorak, Symphony No. 9) ... The phrasing is exceptional and the contrasts between the big themes in each movement both appropriate and logical. Falletta is a very musical and perspicacious conductor who is able to sell her concept to the orchestra and elicit the proper results. Audiophile Audition Review of Dvorak, From the New World with the BPO (Beau Fleuve) JoAnn Falletta, complete master of the musical material and of the orchestra itself, sculpted this sumptuous score (Marcel Tyberg, Symphony No. 2) with incisive timing, effectiveness and elegance, creating a vibrant musical fresco, compact, with wise coloration and engaged expressivity. This is a concert destined to be written in golden letters in the annals of musical life in Fiume, not only because of its high intrinsic excellence, but also because it signals the rediscovery of a composer of importance who was unjustly forgotten. La Voce Del Popolo Fiume (Rijeka) Croatia Austrian composer Marcel Tyberg died in Auschwitz in 1944, shortly after creating his Third Symphony in D Minor (1943). Before his death, he entrusted his manuscripts to Milan Mihich, a physician who studied with Tyberg, who later took them to the United States for safekeeping. But the symphony lay dormant, only receiving its world premiere in 2008, after Mihich’s son, Enrico, showed the score to JoAnn Falletta. She recognized its worth and programmed it with the Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra. Now the fruits of her work are audible on this valuable new recording, shedding light on a composer who—like others who perished similarly—is only being recognized decades after his death. The excellent recording was made in Buffalo’s Kleinhaus Music Hall. Juilliard Journal Review of Tyberg Symphony No. 3 and Piano Trio with the BPO (Naxos) JoAnn Falletta, Principal Guest Conductor, pianist Norman Krieger, and the Brevard Music Center Orchestra worked their collective magic to create a most memorable opening concert in Brevard Music Center’s Whittington-Pfohl Auditorium. Falletta’s motions on the podium are of such economy they effectively direct without attracting undue attention to her. Her emotional investment in the music and personal warmth were obvious to the observer and she is a master of stylistic differentials on many levels. She is eager to bring unfamiliar music to audiences ... Falletta led the orchestra in an electrifying performance. Read the full review. Laura McDowell, Classical Voice North Carolina, June, 2012, Brevard Music Center Orchestra Here the trio of soloists and orchestra under JoAnn Falletta takes a more intimate, chamber-music approach [compared to the Hall of Fame Järvi recording], one that pays special dividends in the Largo, which falls on the ear with the blissful serenity of an all-forgiving benediction. No cellist has ever played the opening strains more rapturously than László Fenyő. This is a performance of the “Triple” Concerto to cherish, not to the exclusion of Järvi, but as a different and equally rewarding way of hearing the work .... The performance [of the Beethoven Choral Fantasy] by Rubackytė, the Lithuanian National Symphony Orchestra, and the Kaunas State Choir under Falletta’s direction, is as good as it gets. Fanfare Magazine Review of BEETHOVEN Concerto in C for Violin, Cello, and Piano “Triple” Concerto, Choral Fantasy, Doran January 2012 The disc’s centerpiece is Wieniawski’s Violin Concerto No. 2, with Concertmaster Michael Ludwig as soloist. Ludwig ... threw himself into this music, and BPO Music Director JoAnn Falletta and the orchestra followed suit, and the result is as good a performance of this beautiful and virtuosic masterpiece as I think you will find anywhere. Szymanowski’s “Concert Overture” jumps out at you in brilliant sound. ... The BPO, with its feel for late Romanticism, gives the music a full and passionate sound. Lutoslawski’s “Concerto for Orchestra” is thrilling, with its assertive, percussive opening theme and the exotic concluding toccata, which starts deep in the basses and builds from there. Karlowicz’s “A Sad Tale,” recorded this past November with the Wieniawski, brings us back into lush Richard Strauss Romanticism. Four stars. Mary Kunz Goldman, Buffalo News, January 2012) This may have been the best we have heard the CSO play, and much of the credit goes to Maestro Falletta for her understated precision, her inspired leadership, and her willingness to let the musicians shine ... how incredibly fortunate our entire arts community is to host such a highly acclaimed conductor who is also an extremely kind, generous, and loving person. CharlestonToday.net, January 2012 A gripping, lovingly detailed performance of Tchaikovsky’s Fourth Symphony. Falletta brought a wonderfully organic feeling for both structure and Dallas Morning News JoAnn Falletta made an impressive, dynamic, and well-paced debut with the [Royal Scottish National Orchestra]. Mendelssohn’s Scottish Symphony, though big-boned in the gigantic space, demonstrated Falletta’s fine control of tension and breadth. The Herald (Glasgow, Scotland) I spent a day with [the Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra] in mid-March, and was thrilled with what I both saw and Henry Fogel, On the Record, Exploring America’s Orchestras Falletta marshaled the Philharmonic to play at the very top of its game in this difficult score [the Corigliano Red Violin]. The orchestra sounded warm-toned and tightly disciplined in Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony as well. Falletta balanced fleet tempos and weighty utterance in the first two movements, eased the metronomic gallop evocatively to let melodies and expression breathe in the final two movements, drew uncommonly elegant and nuanced work from the Philharmonic Chorale, and finished off with a thrilling treatment of the coda. The Washington Post Falletta’s splendid outing with the [Utah Symphony] in Abravanel Hall Friday certainly merits serious The Salt Lake Tribune Falletta, with sweeping arm gestures and obvious connection on a personal level to the depth of the music, drew out the best of every section of the Orlando Philharmonic Orchestra, balancing all sections of the orchestra with absolute mastery. Examiner.com Falletta is a model of efficiency and technical prowess and was always fascinating to watch. The raw quality of the cheering was of a different character than usually heard at the symphony. It was more like at a rock concert or a football game, events where Americans aren’t afraid to express themselves loudly and often. TimesUnion.com (Albany, NY) JoAnn Falletta has a gift for programming. The Symphony Nova Scotia players ignite under a fiery conductor like Falletta (and) played brilliantly for her. Chronicle Herald (Nova Scotia) Falletta’s passion for the night’s music was evident throughout the performance, her enthusiasm spilling over into the orchestra and to the audience, which treated the performers to a number of well-deserved standing ovations. Deseret Morning News (Utah) Falletta really gets the big picture of the Bruckner Ninth. The huge blocks of sound were always traversed with a compensating smoothness of line and an unerring balance between the dominant string and brass incantations. Falletta’s sure control made the [third movement’s] many tenuous, wandering sections seem like one long, mystical musical thought process. Buffalo News Falletta displayed ample evidence of her precise command and engaging personality as she flawlessly sailed through a folk-infused program.... The Star Ledger Falletta conducted a thrilling reading, with all the big climaxes so expertly prepared that when they arrived, the terror associated with death was viscerally felt. The Virginian Pilot Guest conductor JoAnn Falletta led the performance, joined by two guest soloists: violinist Michael Ludwig and pianist Benjamin Loeb. The results were memorable and excellent in every way. Journalnow.com Petite, slender and attractive, Ms. Falletta is a musical giant, leading the Symphony with bold and fiery vigor. Classical Voice of North Carolina The Chamber Orchestra of Philadelphia gave one of its best concerts under JoAnn The Philadelphia Inquirer The five compositions received exactly what they needed from Falletta and the orchestra. Finesse and charm in the [Mendelssohn Overture], expressiveness in the [Zwilich Concerto Grosso] and power next to concentration in the [Chen Yi Duo]. Telegraaf (Rotterdam) What a triumphant return it was. Working without score, Falletta drove the [Denver Chamber] Orchestra through every grand sweep of Viennese opulence, handling those time-stretching rubatos with taste and immaculate timing, and drawing out some of the most sumptuous playing heard this season. Rocky Mountain News JoAnn Falletta is such a delight, both on cd and in performance. The energy levels and joy she exudes is infectious for all involved. ClassicallyHip.com JoAnn Falletta, the vivacious director of the Buffalo Philharmonic, was an inspired choice to conduct [the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic], maintaining the hypnotic momentum without letting [the Talbot Trumpet Concerto premiere] feel rhythmically unyielding. The Guardian (Liverpool, England) JoAnn Falletta led a striking performance of Berlioz’s Symphonie Fantastique. Liverpool Daily Post Brilliance from Buffalo in Respighi’s rich orchestration. The Buffalo Philharmonic under music director JoAnn Falletta is treated to warm and spectacular recording, apt for such exotica. Respighi, Church Windows CD, Gramophone Editor’s Choice, February, 2008 An absolute smoker of a performance. Conductor JoAnn Falletta captures the music’s volatile emotions and youthful energy in frill measure. In short, we’ve struck 64 minutes’ worth of Brahmsian gold from an unlikely and often provocative source. Gramophone, Brahms Piano Concertos, Norman Krieger, Pianist, Virginia Symphony Orchestra One of today’s most talked about conductors, JoAnn Falletta, obtains highly coloured backdrops from the Royal Scottish National Orchestra and the sound is superb. Yorkshire Post, Dohnanyi: Violin Concertos, Michael Ludwig, Violin, RSNO All I can say is I am glad I heard this disc, for in its intelligent planning, its superb recording, and its dedicated playing it puts forward one of the best cases for Respighi’s music I have heard in years. It is perhaps the sensitivity that Falletta garners from her Buffalo forces that impresses most of all. She can take her orchestra down to the merest whisper (perfectly captured in Producer Tom Shepard’s recording; try “The Matins of Saint Clare”), and sustain a restrained tension for uncannily long passages. Fanfare Magazine, Respighi, Church Windows, BPO [Violinist Michael Ludwig, pianist Muza Rubackyte and cellist Laszlo Fenyo] strike a fine balance with the Lithuanian orchestra under Falletta’s guiding hand to produce the kind of warm, bracing lyricism that makes Beethoven’s music Beethoven: Triple Concerto;Choral Fantasy CD, Naxos, American Record Guide Nov/Dec 2011 A recording I would readily choose over Fanfare Magazine: Bruch, Scottish Fantasy, Michael Ludwig, violin, VSO A sort of Gershwin Concerto in F for the new millennium [that] keeps an irrepressible spirit connected with both the Roaring 20s and today’s Generation X. Audiophile Audition, Schoenfield’s Four Parables (Black Box) Everything came together thrillingly in the final movement of Rachmaninoff’s 1940 “Symphonic Dances”, Op. 45, and the Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra under the baton of JoAnn Falletta ended Saturday’s concert in a blaze of Buffalo News Detroit News Falletta led off with a vivacious performance of Kodaly’s “Dances of Galanta” and closed with Zemlinsky’s “Die Seejungfrau” (“The Mermaid”), in which she and the orchestra transmuted an exceptional level of musical detail into vivid and touching storytelling. The response of the audience was rapturous. A list of the dozen best American conductors today would contain several names that would also have appeared 25 years ago. But it would also now include Falletta. Boston Globe I happened to attend the Buffalo Symphony’s concert at Carnegie Hall last Sunday, in which conductor JoAnn Falletta stirred a hard-boiled Big Apple crowd to many standing ovations and an encore. Falletta has inspired this orchestra to an impressive level, blurring the category of the Big Five. Falletta and Curtis-trained Atlanta Symphony conductor Robert Spano are shining lights on the American-born conducting scene. Philadelphia Daily News One of the world’s leading female conductors. Under Falletta the ensemble moved briskly along with a kind of athletic élan. The New York Times Falletta immediately won listener’s Mannheimer Morgen (Germany) The beautiful surprise of the afternoon came from with an absolutely coherent fourth Symphony of Brahms under the baton of JoAnn Falletta. The movements were perfectly sculpted with a very beautiful equilibrium and melodies that were filled with emotional but never artificial. Without a doubt influenced by the interpretations of Kleiber and Berglund in the same material, JoAnn Falletta clarified the sonority by opting for tempos that were quite brilliant. Le Devoir—Montreal, Canada A delightful performance [with] the unusual musicianship of Ms. Falletta who has both the calmness to create long melodic bows as well as the temperament to turn passion almost into an ecstasy of sound. Ruhr Nachrichten (Dortmund, Germany) Ms. Falletta is on most critics’ short lists of exciting young conductors, and it’s easy to see why. Her musicianship is flawless. St. Louis Post-Dispatch Griffes—Orchestral Works—Editor’s Choice CD. Conductor JoAnn Falletta is completely sympathetic throughout and there are neatly delivered solos from many of the Buffalo players. This is a revelatory Griffes Gramophone Magazine JoAnn Falletta showed such authority, such caring for detail, such tenderness, such intelligence that [Copland’s Appalachian spring] seemed to open itself to reveal all of its virtues. A “10” for Falletta. LaPresse Buffalo has preposterously harsh winters, but it is worth braving blizzards to hear its fine orchestra. Falletta and the Buffalonians pour an ample portion of polished gorgeousness over Griffes’s scores. International Record Review I don’t know how she does it, but any new CD by conductor JoAnn Falletta—like her latest of music by Charles Tomlinson Griffes on Naxos—is a revelation. Philadelphia Daily News With any justice, Falletta would be a household name by now—she has done splendid work for more than two decades and brings out the best in any ensemble she takes on. Washington Post Widely known for her concerts with the same orchestra at Lanaudiere, JoAnn Falletta returned to us in great form (for her official Montreal debut) for a Brahms Fourth Symphony that proved yet again that this American maestra is one of the phenomena of the music world. One should take advantage of the experience of seeing her in concert at any price to witness it: such force, such authority, such virility (notwithstanding what a delicate woman she is), a network of sound that is at the same time carefully sculpted and free, and a rare degree of organic communication with the orchestra that makes us hope that she might be on the list to succeed Charles Dutoit. Concertonet.com (Montreal) She was best when precipitating an ecstatic moment, inspiring an emotional candidness from the USA Today First, it proved that it could play such thick, intricate music lucidly. I wouldn’t be surprised if this were the thorniest and lushest score of its size and reach that Long Beach has ever attempted. It proved, secondly, that conductor JoAnn Falletta can command Schoenberg’s epic Los Angeles Times Ms. Falletta is a demonstrative, kinetic conductor, and her The New York Times The orchestra The New York Times The program presented here American Record Guide Although JoAnn Falletta undoubtedly had only a few hours to rehearse the London Symphony Orchestra before proceeding to the studio, the performances are impressive, with fine rhythmic precision and passionate sweep. The New York Times [Falletta’s CDs] represent only the tip of an iceberg that Maestro Falletta is revealing to us, both on record and in the concert halls across our land. For her dedication on behalf of contemporary American music, we express our sincere gratitude and encouragement, and we acknowledge her artistic excellence with deep appreciation. Fanfare Magazine Falletta leads her orchestras “with clarity and precision, often producing performances that are remarkable for their combination of raw power and rare sense of proportion”. The Washington Post Falletta was superb, bringing out the best and most clarified music from the orchestra, exuding passion for this romantic work with impeccable control. China Daily (Beijing) One of the most impressive, musically intelligent and professional conductors. San Francisco Examiner Falletta kept the orchestra beautifully in check. It was a stunning and satisfying performance, to please even the most hardened Mahlerite. Equally impressive was the Philharmonic’s rugged performance of Sibelius’ First Symphony—a reading full of verve and passion. Newsday Let your friends listen to these works [on the BPO’s Griffes CD]. They will be enchanted and surprised to learn of this American music. A success that testifies once again to the excellence of the Naxos American Classics series. ClassicsToday.com, France No more than five seconds into her traversal of the Symphonic San Antonio Express-News I am not going to beat around the bush: the revelation of the evening was the guest conductor, New Yorker, JoAnn Falletta, a young woman who did not cease to astonish me by her energy, her precision, her conducting which was both supple and convincing, and which made the orchestra play in a manner that was exceptionally transparent and detailed. Once again, JoAnn Falletta captivated the audience with her confidence, and intelligent range of her conducting. Le Soliel JoAnn Falletta revealed herself as a genuine orchestral conductor. Her gestures were always energetic, expressive and effective, impeccably combining a rigorous beat with ample and generous gestures. With Falletta, one could feel an obvious love of the music, and the style she employed communicated every moment with the orchestra and, at the same time, with the audience. La Presse It must be said that the direction by JoAnn Falletta and the playing of her Buffalo Philharmonic [on the new Griffes CD] are beyond praise. This orchestra has played an important part in recording much of what is good in American Amazon.com Balancing nuts-and-bolt conducting with inspired leadership is tricky. Falletta provided the right combination, giving the orchestra plenty of guidance while encouraging spirited, touching musicality. Houston Chronicle The concert marked the Philadelphia Orchestra debut of JoAnn Falletta, music director of the Buffalo Philharmonic and Virginia Symphony. Her baton technique is extremely clean and her elbow rhythmically eloquent. The Philadelphia Inquirer Falletta did a spectacular job bringing together all the different musical forces into one powerful performance. The Daily Press Falletta is surely destined for classical music superstardom. Rocky Mountain News Apparently born to conduct, she sends all the right messages from the podium. Most important, she seems to create superior playing and clarified performances from the orchestra. Los Angeles Times A large, attentive, enthusiastic crowd packed Alice Tully Hall, perhaps as much to see conductor JoAnn Falletta as to hear the music itself. Musical America JoAnn Falletta proved that she ranks as one of the top young conductors in the country today. Falletta’s every gesture and nuance seemed to perfectly express the symphony’s canvas of emotions. No detail was too much for Falletta to ask of the orchestra and the result was an object lesson in artistry. In the Turina Falletta proved she is a dramatist as well as a poet, with engagingly artful shifts of mood and a firm command of the work’s rhythmic complexities. If, as rumor has it, Falletta is auditioning for the Honolulu Symphony’s top job, she won scads of votes with Sunday’s performance. Honolulu Advertiser JoAnn Falletta may be diminutive in stature, but she’s a commanding presence on the podium. The most impressive part of Saturday’s program was her dramatic and expansive reading of the Symphony No.5 by Prokofiev. Her deliberate tempo in the first movement gave the music an extra-weighty flow, culminating spectacularly in a broad, muscular and percussive climax. This overall measured pace was ever-flexible on a local level, however pointing up details in the massive architectural design. The orchestra played brilliantly throughout, with responsive energy, clear textures and alert give-and-take. Los Angeles Times [The Verdi Requiem] was a powerfully dramatic and well-paced account, sharply detailed and with all the forces integrated. Falletta achieved a rare and paradoxical state of impassioned resignation—a telling performance of a major monument. Los Angeles Times “Maestra walks softly, carries powerful Sacramento Union Throughout the program, she [JoAnn Falletta] showed a fabulous baton technique. The absolutely clear and amazingly clean way she used that stick (to say nothing of her intensely expressive left hand) left no doubt as to what she wanted. New York Daily News If there is justice, JoAnn Falletta should become a household name in the near future. Byron Belt, Newhouse News Service Falletta’s floating, transparent textures were The Tampa Tribune Performances of such devotion and intensity are rare today, even in the musical capitols of the world. But when they occur, they are no accident. The gifted Falletta reminded me of the work of the late Italian conductor Guido Cantelli. She has the concentration, musical honesty, culture, clear beat, lyrical grace and force to inspire musicians to play better than they thought they could. Sarasota Herald-Tribune [Falleta’s debut] was an auspicious artistic event that placed Falletta among the most promising conductors of her generation. The maestro’s presentation of Bartok’s Concerto for Orchestra was impressive by any standard. Falletta, who conducted that technically intricate and emotionally embracing music without a score, knew the music cold, inside and out. Time and again, she demonstrated her thorough grasp of Bartok’s idiom, his point of view, his often-elusive purpose. Milwaukee Sentinel [JoAnn Falletta] is obviously a young conductor of unusual technical and communicative resources. If Schönberg performances could always reach such a high level of excellence, this music might yet sneak its way into the standard repertory. New York Magazine When JoAnn Falletta finished conducting the rousing Dances of Galanta, the Aspen audience gave her the full treatment—standing ovation, stamping, whistling, and whoops of joy. I myself was tempted to shout, “Holy cow!” Falletta virtually danced through the piece, inspiring the Aspen Symphony to a roaring performance that nearly tore the seams out of the music tent. Colorado Springs Gazette Telegraph Judging from the results she [JoAnn Falletta] achieved with the Tucson Symphony, it’s clear that she is poised on the edge of a major, major career as a leader of orchestras. Arizona Daily Star [JoAnn Falletta] is, quite simply, the kind of conductor who can inspire almost any group of musicians. Her baton technique is graceful and utterly communicative, her gestures sweeping and poetic but lacking the slightest sign of exaggeration. Watching her is like watching Leonard Bernstein. Newsday Falletta and the Denver Chamber Orchestra were incandescent. This was Mozart of grand power and brilliant ideas realized with dramatic flair. Denver Post As guest conductor of the Tucson Symphony Orchestra last night, Falletta made the orchestra sound as never before. There was a sense of passion and togetherness. Most of all, there was an articulation of nuance and overall scope that added up to thorough excitement. Tucson Citizen Falletta strikes the ideal balance between energy and expressivity. She is heartfelt without being sentimental, passionate without being overbearing. She has highly developed musical instincts, intelligence, and a clear beat. She exudes confidence and she is committed to her art. Orange County Register JoAnn Falletta’s leadership of the orchestra elevated the art of accompaniment to new heights. Especially in the slow movement, her grasp of the unfolding emotions, and the orchestra’s unerring response to her direction made the soloists sound that much better. Milwaukee Journal [JoAnn Falleta’s debut with the Denver Symphony] was a rare and extraordinary event—the emergence of a new superstar! Colorado Springs Gazette [JoAnn Falletta] presided over her charges like the most compassionate of generals, conducting with a crystalline beat, a canny eye for entrances and releases, and an overall sense of daring. San Francisco Examiner
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