Max Levinson reviews

Max Levinson, pianist

Critical Acclaim

"The questioning, conviction and feeling in his playing invariably reminds us of the deep
reasons why music is important to us, why we listen to it, why we care so much about it."
- THE BOSTON GLOBE

"He is an American pianist on a threshold, a versatile force at the keyboard. Extravagantly
gifted and extraordinarily accomplished, Levinson can compete on the highest level of
international keyboard trials. He has fingers, power, brains and intuition."
- THE LOS ANGELES TIMES

"The pianist's quietly eloquent conceptions, formidable technique and lovely touch left little
else to be desired."
- THE NEW YORK TIMES

"This disc blew me out of my chair and it has taken me a long time to get back up.
Hearing performance as riveting as these produces a rare frisson; this is the most
brilliant and exciting Bartok piano disc I have heard. On the basis of only two recordings,
Levinson has created the myth of a pianist with everything."
- AMERICAN RECORD GUIDE

"This brilliant young American pianist, musically mature and fully formed technically uses
a wide spectrum of pianistic mechanics for altogether poetic ends, touching the listener
deeply and often."
- THE LOS ANGELES TIMES

"Max Levinson is a master in the making. This young American offers playing of supreme
sensitivity and intellingence, beauty of tone and fantasy."
- BBC MUSIC MAGAZINE

"A new voice in the piano world, Levinson demonstrates playing of assurance and
maturity, of discriminating and perceptive poetry."
- GRAMOPHONE MAGAZINE

"The fine young pianist Max Levinson made an eloquent case for this seldom-performed
concerto [Mendelssohn #1] Friday night with the Utah Symphony. Levinson's technically
secure, yet light touch made the music sparkle. Most memorable was the slow
movement, which Levinson turned into 7 minutes of pure magic with his impeccable
phrasing and perfectly controlled pianissimos."
- SALT LAKE TRIBUNE

"Levinson is a poet of the piano. He keeps the belligerent and tender tendencies in touch
with one another, never slathering subtle shades in gaudy primary colors and always
allowing the music to sound as complex and elusive as it was written to be."
- NEW YORK NEWSDAY

"Levinson, the American wunderkind, is a true virtuoso - he makes every phrase, every
note, say something"
- THE NEW YORK OBSERVER

"One of the brightest, most intellectually fearless pianists of his generation."
- SAN FRANCISCO EXAMINER

"Max Levinson is quite a discovery and his recordings have great bravura and
intelligence."
- SUNDAY TIMES (LONDON)

"You can hear gasps in the audience - Max Levinson displays technical wizardry. His
playing has solid, assured technique, clarity of vision and a sense of the permanent
values in music that underlie surface variations."
- THE WASHINGTON POST

"Levinson combines bothe the world class technical armory with a highly developed
poetic sensibility."
- THE BOSTON HERALD