Brilliant in abundance

Brilliant in abundance

Event: Concert of top works from the Romantic period by the North Netherlands Orchestra under guidance by Michael Nesterowicz.
With: Harriet Krijgh (cello).
Program: Mendelssohn, “Fairytale of the beautiful Melusine” (ouverture); Saint-Saens, cello concerto no. 1; Tchaikovski, Symphony no. 5 (“Fate”). Heard: 27/10 in the Oosterpoort, Groningen.

The intensity of her tone, the magnificent glissando to which she for a last time returned to the first theme: all was of a pure beauty. Thus also the melancholy with Bach’s first cello suite which she played as an encore. For – even when this should of course not be said – with such a wealth of musical ideas which seems to spontaneously spring from a deep well, one is reminded of Jacqueline Dupre. And not only because of this – Harriet Krijgh radiates a similar, unlikely mingling of the mundane and ephemeral in her expression, plays with a similar graceful movement of the arms, yet also presents a look alike appearance with her listening face held up aslant.

After this wonderful event nothing could spoil our evening any more.

Minke Muilwijk

Dagblad van het Noorden (The Netherlands) October 29 th 2016

Erotic qualities described by tone

Innsbruck – there are works of music to which erotic qualities have been attributed. One of those is Cesar Franck’s sonata in A major for cello and piano, which Franck composed for his friend Eugene Ysaye as a wedding present. As if eroticism would not make sense for such a gift! Indeed, the performance which Harriet Krijgh (cello) and Magda Amara (piano) presented as the eighth concert of the chamber music series at the conservatory of Innsbruck was more or less like a musical wedding night.

With a tone that spoke to all senses Krijgh fully captured this illustrative combination of both poetic and sensual joy, of subtleness and passion. Such gripping abandonment was to no lesser degree heard in Mendelssohn Bartholdy’s symphonically laid out sonata for cello and piano no. 2 in D major, opus 58. The young, multiple prize winning cellist unfolded a sweet-spicy euphony and a pureness of intonation of a kind that is rarely heard.

2016 05 08 Tiroler Tageszeitung (Austria)

Magical string playing by a 24 year young cellist of world class. Long lasting applause for last concert of the series “Gutersloh Philharmonic”

With cellist Harriet Krijgh one feels slightly reminded of the legendary Jacqueline du Pre…. Since naturally she possesses similar large gestures, and knows how to impress with the full tone of her instrument, a cello by Giovanni Paolo Maggini from the year 1620. Yet it seems with her sensations more so take place in secret. Her ability to give shape in a sometimes almost inaudible range compels the listener to pay attention with great acuity. Thus she succeeds to lend tension to the music.

2016 04 26 Westfalen Blatt (Germany)

Cellist Harriet Krijgh and the Northwest German Philharmonic convince with slavic pieces. Symphonic concert inspires.

..soon enough the cello smoothly soared into a solo that fully captured the melancholy, or even almost lament, of the second phrase.  Through Harriet Krijgh’s interpretation the solo had the effect of a pause, as if to gather breath for the powerful,rich sounding explosion of the final part. The audience gave standing ovations and brought the cellist back to the stage twice.  Krijgh gave her thanks in return with a Bach serenade. Time seemed to have stopped for a moment as the audience harkened to the contemplative cello music…

2016 04 22 Westfalen Blatt (Germany)

Fabulous cello and piano concert with delightful contrasts

Stunning concert with Harriet Krijgh and Magda Amara in the Trau church during the Thuringen Bach weeks.

…This powerful work gave the perfectly well-rehearsed duo the prime opportunity to stretch their instrumental technical skill to its very limits. With a concert of such world class it was hardly surprising that the final applause, a long lasting Crescendo and Diminuendo, had its effect too and encouraged both stars to play a small encore…

2016 04 06 Thüringer Allgemeine (Germany)

Sensitive Interpreters of Rachmaninov

Dutch cellist Harriet Krijgh ( 1991 ), together with Russian pianist Magda Amara, play a very lively, yet at the same time very sensitive, profound and warmhearted interpretation of Sergei Rachmaninov’s cello sonata opus 19. Deep feelings, fine nuancing without emotionalism or too much sweetness; Nothing is compromised here, also not in the playing of the pianist, who gives shape to the frequently virtuoso piano part in an exceptionally transparent way, so that the cello very rarely, and if so only slightly, retreats to the background.

Besides the cello sonata smaller pieces were heard, including the famous “Vocalise”, an “Elegie”, and the Romance opus 4/3. Here once again both interpreters play with great verve and large imagination.

2016 01 28 www.pizzicato.lu (Luxembourg)

Harriet Krijgh: “Rachmaninov” – CDs of the Week

Classical Music. On Monday, November 16th, her playing is to be experienced live in the Musikverein Vienna; as a sampler to start with one can hear the fabulous Austrian-Dutch cellist Harriet Krijgh perform Rachmaninov. A virtuoso, who, together with pianist Magda Amara, perfects and instills life to the cello sonata in G flat as well as other pieces.

2015 11 15, Kurier (Austria)

Krijgh is a young cellist with an old soul

This past Wednesday Krijgh re-visited the small hall of the Concertgebouw. Together with her regular duo-partner Magda Amara at the piano she played Mendelssohn’s second cello sonata and Rachmaninov’s sonata in G minor. Striking was: her robust tone, a beautifully even stroke and sometimes a selfwilled fingering.But above all Krijgh differentiates with characterful playing: she has fully absorbed each note and developed a clear vision of her own.

She is not someone to obediently paint within the boxes, but a cellist with an old soul, an original musician of the type who does turn the pages of her scores, but subsequently plays on with closed eyes. From behind her serious facial expressions pleasure seeps through.That too makes it a beautiful experience to see her play.

2015 11 20, NRC Handelsblad (Netherlands)

Glorious escape from the world – Master concert with Neville Marriner/Academy of St. Martin in the Fields

…Not only did Elgar’s cello concert not dissolve with late blooming melancholy,  it also towered above all as an most impressive document of quiet, glorious escape from reality:  a critical contribution to this was made by the 24 year old Dutch cellist Harriet Krijgh, whose internalized, highly differentiated playing possessed an extraordinary charm – not less so in the encore of the Bach Sarabande.

2015 11 04, Cologne City Gazette (Germany)

Old Master impinges on new classical star
Sir Neville Marriner and Harriet Krijgh make a guest performance in the concert hall

Young Dutch cellist Harriet Krijgh is a shooting star on the classical music scene, and conductor Sir Neville Marriner (91 years of age) probably the longest standing leader in the world wide orchestra landscape. In the concert hall the two have just made a guest performance together with the late romantic cello concerto of the Britisch composer Edward Elgar. This constellation reminds of the epoch-making encounter between French cellist Jacqueline du Pre and British conductor Sir John Barbirolli in the 60’s. Here once again a young soloist and an old orchestra master gave new shape to the Elgar concert. Remarkable is too that Harriet Krijgh with her long, wavy blond hair also physically resembles Jacqueline du Pre somewhat.

The Academy of St Martin in the Fields makes music as fresh and blithesome under guidance of their founder as he conducts. Marriner still swings his conductor’s baton while standing and chooses dashing tempi like in his younger years. That is again and again astonishing. Even more impressive however is the technically perfect as well as highly sensitive playing of the cellist, who elicits from her instrument the smallest color nuances and a piano of transcendental melodiousness. We will hear about this musician many times to come.

2015 10 31, Westdeutsche Zeitung (Germany)