The Arizona Republic, January 12, 2007

Breathtaking triumph at the symphony

By RICHARD NILSEN

Eternity, of course, is not simply a long time. It is rather the absence of time.

And as violinist Midori and the Phoenix Symphony played the slow movement of the Beethoven concerto this week, time stopped. They took the music to the outer spheres and left an attentive audience forgetting to breathe.

It was the best single movement of any music the orchestra has played, perhaps ever. Certainly in many years. And then, as Midori's violin slowly re-entered the atmosphere for the finale, it was as if eternity had opted to re-enter time and dance.

A standing ovation is not indication of anything in Phoenix, but this time, there were shouts of "bravo," and rhythmic clapping and many curtain calls. Everyone seemed to recognize that something exceptional had just happened...

The orchestra played as if they rediscovered why they entered the business in the first place. It was a reminder to the audience, too, that we come to a concert like this, not to be amused, but to be moved, to be reacquainted with something deep in ourselves we cannot take the time to acknowledge in our daily lives.