ACCLAIM | PORTRAITS
“Fearless expression, rock-solid technique and stylistic acumen.”
Grieg’s romantic cantabile rides on such a fluent variety of ideas that listening to all three sonatas in quick succession is pure pleasure, buoyed by Svarfvar’s fearless expression, rock-solid technique and stylistic acumen.
Financial Times
“His dreamy approach is mesmeric.”
His dreamy approach is mesmeric, in any case. His tone gleams, and the way he tugs yearningly on the leading tones draws one in. Svarfvar’s playing radiates tenderness.
Gramophone
“His sweat, quite literally, comes in contact with the tears of the audience.”
Svenska Dagbladet
“Warm, intimate, and tonally ravishing.”
Breathtaking performances of classics from the French repertoire. Christian Svarfvar and Roland Pöntinen. Svarfvar’s violin provides the perfect sound world – warm, intimate, and tonally ravishing. There are times, as in the Ravel Berceuse, when Svarfvar creates the magical impression of activating his instrument by breathing over the strings rather than bowing in the traditional manner.
The Strad
“Effortlessly elegant.”
In this popular violin concerto, Christian Svarfvar stands out above all for his effortlessly elegant yet focused and sensuous violin tone, at times even sweet. […] Unlike others, Svarfvar never lapses into bombast, nor does he come anywhere near cloying sentimentality or empty charm.
Süddeutsche Zeitung
“Noble restraint.”
Svarfvar and pianist Henrik Måwe deliver a performance that is notable for its impeccable unanimity of ensemble, and the duo project the more overtly emotional Two Sentimental Romances with noble restraint.
BBC Music Magazine
“Currently unparalleled among Swedish musicians.”
Christian Svarfvar and Roland Pöntinen create a dreamlike state whose sense of French chamber music is currently unparalleled among Swedish musicians.
(Gothenburg Concert Hall)
Dagens Nyheter
“Worth listening to for Svarfvar’s performance alone.”
Svarfvar’s high range is impressively used in several movements – and the album is certainly worth listening to for Svarfvar’s performance alone.
Gramophone
“Musical mastership, virtuosic control, and sensibility equally mastered.”
Luxembourg Wort
“Poetic intimacy.”
Such a poetic intimacy and tantalising quiescence as to have the listener hanging on his every phrase.
The Strad
“A totally spellbinding performance.”
Few violinists in my experience have captured the shimmering chiaroscuro of Fauré’s sonata quite like Arthur Grumiaux has, but a somewhat more recent recording by Krysia Osotowicz comes close, and so too, I must say, does this new reading by Christian Svarfvar and veteran pianist Roland Pöntinen. The two players work together in perfect accord to produce a totally spellbinding performance.
Fanfare
“Dazzling tonality.”
The golden edge of the whole thing is set by Christian Svarfvar’s dazzling tonality and multifaceted expressive and emotionally empathetic playing, which leaves nothing to be desired.
Hufvudstadsbladet
“Magnetic allure.”
Imagine Max Richter’s version of Vivaldi’s “The Four Seasons,” only darker and more urban. Or Víkingur Ólafsson’s “Bach Reworks,” but more danceable. Svarfvar himself plays with magnetic allure alongside the London Philharmonic Orchestra, virtuosic and intense.
Aftenposten
“Open-hearted lyricism.”
The most successful recordings (Grieg Violin Sonatas) – most notably those by Christian Svarfvar and Maya Levy – tend to compensate subtly by playing up the third sonata’s open-hearted lyricism rather than its explosive Sturm und Drang.
The Strad
“Never missing a note.”
Christian Svarfvar, with his beautiful tone and balanced vibrato, plays with clarity and technical brilliance, never missing a note and illuminating passages where other violinists tend to be careless. Christian Svarfvar allows his sensitively glowing tone to embody the classical ideal.
Svenska Dagbladet
“Strikingly organic, natural, and flowing.”
In the hands of Svarfvar and the London Philharmonic Orchestra, what seems to be impossible to combine actually sounds strikingly organic, natural, and flowing.
All driven by exquisite musicianship, with a temperament far from the somewhat conceptual character that imprinted the composer Max Richter’s similar recomposition of Vivaldi some years ago.
Dagens Nyheter
“A most attractive release.”
I can’t help but think that Svarfvar’s darker tone and quicker vibrato subconsciously channel Casals’ cello style. A most attractive release.
Classics Today
“Tempting the listener to a world right outside her reach.”
La Scena Musicale
“Second-to-none.”
Amazing arrangements for violin and orchestra by Anders Berglund.
The whole work is crowned with the second-to-none performance of Christian Svarfvar and the London Philharmonic Orchestra, who have played the entire set of twelve pieces for the new recording.
Jordan News
“Completely stunned and just filled by it.”
Young Mr. Christian Svarfvar’s tone is so lyrical and gentle that one is sometimes completely stunned and just filled by it.
Of top albums across all genres in 2023, the album secured the 5th place.
Nya Wermlands-Tidningen
PORTRAITS & INTERVIEWS
De är unga, svenska och uppträder på världens mest prestigefyllda konserthus. Ändå vet få vilka de är. De som är bäst på klassisk musik lever i konstant medieskugga.
Christian Svarfvar, en av Skandinaviens mest eftertraktade violinister. Du tillhör en ny generation internationellt framgångsrika musiker…
Redan som tolvåring hade han underbarnsstatus i den klassiska musikens värld. För ICON berättar stjärnviolinisten Christian Svarfvar om hur han ska öppna folkets ögon för hans livs passion. Och varför fiolen han spelar på är värd 30 miljoner kronor.
Christian Svarfvar is a professional musician with a winning mentality.
He debuted at the age of twelve, performing Felix Mendelssohn’s violin concerto.
Today, he is one of Scandinavia’s most prominent violinists, having graced stages worldwide.
Linger on the moments of magic. Swedish violinist Christian Svarfvar is one of Scandinavia’s most acclaimed violinists, performing with orchestras worldwide. He is now releasing the album “The Symphonic Touch of Benny Andersson.”
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