Reviews

• "From the shaping of his solo entrance in the Tchaikovsky alone there’s ”presence” about Johan Dalene’s playing that announces a musician of special sensibilities….. And when we come to the cadenza his super-subtle shadings illuminate phrases that have long been taken for granted. It’s playing that genuinely draws you in and keeps you on the edge of your seat….When Dalene finally gets his turn it is testament to a maturity way beyond his years that he comes close to breaking your heart with it. He’s future is bright indeed."

  Gramophone, Edward Seckerson

• "The world at his feet: Dalene’s disc debut has the wow factor….I’ve must have heard the Tchaikovsky Concerto hundreds of times, yet Dalene’s freshness, vitality and interpretative charisma swept me along….Dalene plays throughout with an engaging flair, command and emotional range remarkable from such a young player.…this is one of the finest violin debuts of the last decade." Performance: 5/5, Recording: 5/5

  BBC Music Magazine, Julian Haylock

• "Subtle nuances, vivid contrasts, explosive rhythm and exemplary co-ordination with the orchestra combine to make this version a very serious alternative to the excellent recent recordings of Alexander Gilman (Oehms), Joshua Bell (Decca), Vadim Gluzman (BIS) or James Ehnes (Onyx)."

  Diapason Magazine, Avril 2020, Jean-Michel Molkhou

• "Dalene’s sophistication is remarkable…. He communicates the time-honored Tchaikovsky Concerto with a subtlety and musical finesse that seems totally unexpected…. It is impossible to listen to Dalene from bar to bar without being alerted to the freshness and instinctiveness of his playing. We are invited into intimate contact in a special way that bodes well for his future; I can’t think of anyone on the current scene who sounds like this. It’s an event when a young musician appears and is immediately recognized as a mature artist. ...this is a remarkable debut disc."

  Fanfare, Huntley Dent

• "Die Kaufempfehlung konkretisiert sich ganz unbedingt bei Barber, zumindest für alle Musikhörenden, die gern auf höchstem Niveau wachträumen, denn Barbers Meisterwerk blüht hier im Lyrischen und Kontemplativen auf. Der von betörenden Wechseln getragene Raum der Klangfarbenfortschreitungen klingt einfach wunderbar und im Gleichgewicht: Beglückendes Äquilibrium im Miteinander und Ineinander von Dirigent, Solist und Orchester. Ob innig, ätherisch oder wie in dem – mal manischen, mal quecksilbrigen – Finalsatz auch draufgängerisch, die Musikerinnen und Musiker erweisen sich in jeder Lage und Stimmungslage als exzellent." Künstleriche Qualität: 9/10, Klangqualität: 10/10, Gesamteindrück: 10/10

  Klassik-heute, Dr. Matthias Thiemel

• "His playing, though full of individual character, is refressingly direct and simple, as if his primary aim is to fullfill the wishes of the composer."

  Music Web International, William Hedley

• "The rhapsodic theme of the central movement is performed with a fresh attitude, before the finale gives the soloist the opportunity to shine, showing even more virtuosity: every chord, every rapid passage is well-articulated, leaving every note to be heard precisely. Johan Dalene, a name to remember." 4/5

  Classica Juin-Juillet-Août 2020, Laure Dautriche

• "This is a gloriously beautiful, heartfelt performance... Dalene gets my vote for some of the most amazing fiddling in the Tchaikovsky I’ve ever heard or are ever likely to hear again."

  Fanfare, Jerry Dubins

• "Dalene’s interpretation is a must-listen, showing him as an artist who pocess a rare musicality…. Delicate, yet highly expressive, Dalene’s connection to the music is deep throughout….With an impressive debut recording such as this, we can certainly look forward to what Dalene has to offer in the future."

  The Classic Review, Azusa Ueno

• "An artist who is fully mature in spite of all his youth, for whom technically top-class playing is a matter of course, which serves to transport musical content convincingly and to tell it in a new way. ...the violinists extremely elegant playing makes one speechless."

  HighResAudio

• "...with the performance of Barber’s Concerto that for me goes right to the top.…it’s absolutely brilliant, a display of virtuosity by both the violinist and orchestra, yet without any vapid "showmanship". Believe me, this performance is no youthful outing."

  American Record Guide, May-June 2020, French

• "Barbers first theme is beautifully played and Dalene is quite skittish in contrasting passages."

  The Strad, Tully Potter

• "There is a captivating esprit and freshness in Dalene’s Tchaikovsky that overwhelmes me."

  OPUS, Camilla Lundberg

• "It is rich in nauance, passionate and exquisitely coherent. Everything about it is simply first class and this interpretation of Barber’s Concerto belongs to the very best of recordings."

  Capriccio.se, Staffan Sundkvist

• "One of the most breathtaking young talents that I have heard in years." 6/6

  Stavanger Aftenblad, Eirik Lodén