August 4, 2010

The Daily Gazette

Geraldine Freedman

von Oeyen’s sense of ensemble coupled with his forceful playing propelled the group, which needed no encouragement to play with passion and fire. It was one of the most magical performances.

Von Oeyen began Ravel’s “Valse Nobles et Sentimentales” in a splashy and vibrant way. Endowed with an easy and effortless technique, he easily navigated the numerous virtuosic demands and paced himself through all the many shifting moods…[In Faure’s Piano Quartet No. 1] von Oeyen’s sense of ensemble coupled with his forceful playing propelled the group, which needed no encouragement to play with passion and fire. It was one of the most magical performances. The blend of the four instruments was exceptional. Everyone listened passing melodic motifs around, sharing nuances and strong inflections. Tempos were good; everything flowed…Von Oeyen matched [violinist Sarah Chang] note for note, nuance for nuance. He varied his tone and touch to suit the passage and was effortless in the virtuosic part. He was the perfect partner.

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