Reviews
357 records
And here, in the Sofia concert, there are two protagonists – violinist Julian Rachlin and conductor Nayden Todorov. [...] But the reading of the conductor and the soloist had somehow captivated the minds of all the musicians — with the magnificent unravelling of what the score, and thus the music, demands, with the combination of intuition, logic and experience in its interpretation…
[...] Here, together with conductor Nayden Todorov, with whom he says he loves to partner, he relied mainly on a constant, expansive dialogue with the orchestra, with the solos highlighted and prescribed by the composer within it, which counterpointed and further coloured the great musician's magnificent instrumental conduct. Here I cannot fail to mention Kristina Yumerska (horn), Kremena Acheva (flute), Ivanka Fordiani (bassoon), Dimitar Moskovski (clarinet), Yasen Enchev and Valchan Valchanov (oboes). Their solo contributions in the first movement of the work were flexible and controlled, focused into the impressive metamorphoses in Joshua Bell's sound, which was striking even in the fastest ascending and descending cascades of tone through his ability to differentiate the individual groups precisely through instantaneous, specific colouring, which added a distinct layer of meaning to a solo part intended to be merely virtuosic in texture. [...] What he achieved was matched by a conductor and orchestra who were active, attentive partners to this musician, so powerful a storyteller. [...] [...] The symphony pleases not only music lovers but musicians as well, which is true also of the orchestra performing it. And so, it seems to me, it was in the Philharmonic's performance. One always senses in the hall when the orchestra's attention to the music it is playing is something special. Of course, the encounter with a figure such as Joshua Bell surely also played its part, as did the prospect of the upcoming meeting with another, non-Bulgarian audience. But the conductor's reading of the work, together with the orchestra's execution of it, contributed to extending the "Bell atmosphere." The musical text was articulated with care; already in the first movement the "meeting" between the two textural layers — the melodic and the marcato-ostinato — was beautifully balanced. The climaxes of the typical dynamic build-ups were not overdone either, as sometimes happens; the beginnings of phrases were attacked very carefully — without accents, without a "special" downbeat. The symphony sounded with measured power, free of unnecessary excess, with well-formulated phrases and a strongly pronounced balance both within and between the groups. Its monothematic character was "played out" very skilfully across the dramaturgical development — through timbre, through phrasing and articulation, and through agogics. A successful presentation, entirely fit for export!
Under Nayden Todorov's inspired conducting, full of spontaneous emotion and infectious momentum…
Bulgarian culture minister Nayden Todorov led the choir and orchestra with fervour.
His music was presented by the Sofia Philharmonic Orchestra and the National Choir of the Sofia Philharmonic under the baton of a great admirer of the Star Wars saga, Nayden Todorov, who is renowned for his versatility and vivid interpretations. He ranks among the most talented contemporary Bulgarian musicians.
Beautiful and deeply poignant, like falling pink cherry-blossom petals in Japan — that was the feeling that swept over the audience at the premiere of "Madama Butterfly" at the Varna State Opera. The Summer Theatre was packed with spectators eager to see Sonya Yoncheva — a soprano on a rising artistic path across Europe and the world. Delicate, radiating Eastern currents, tender love and fatalism, director Nina Naydenova’s production, with conductor Nayden Todorov, scattered the pink magic of this unique work created by Giacomo Puccini. [...] The musical line is complex and skilfully led by maestro Nayden Todorov, who motivates the Varna State Opera orchestra in a new way.
Meanwhile, the Philharmonie Baden-Baden distinguished itself in numbers such as "Across the Stars" (from Star Wars: Episode II) and the overture to "Beauty and the Beast" with a rich orchestral sound and a fine weave of strings and woodwinds — or revelling in a waltz, staged with a knowing wink by Todorov.
The Sofia Philharmonic, with Nayden Todorov and the remarkable pianist Elena Bashkirova, toured with a Beethoven programme — the Fourth Piano Concerto and the Fourth Symphony (23 March). [...] And I have written before that conductor Nayden Todorov is becoming ever more effective at subordinating the partnering orchestra to a great soloist — this was not always so in the past. [...] The orchestra was also well prepared for Beethoven's Fourth Symphony. It suits Nayden Todorov's energetic temperament — it sounded lively, fresh, with optimal concentration in the execution of the score. I would not undervalue the ensemble's solid performance; its task was especially difficult in the final movement, taken at the faster tempo favoured, for instance, by Simon Rattle, and this was sustained throughout without faltering.
The orchestra alone also delighted with Mascagni’s “Intermezzo sinfonico” and Toselli’s “Serenata”.
A dazzling concert awaited those concertgoers… under the direction of the Bulgarian conductor Nayden Todorov… The Vladigerov works — the Bulgarian Suite, Op. 21, and the Third Piano Concerto, Op. 31 — were presented at such a high level and with such vivid musical quality that one was drawn entirely into the spell of this atmospheric music.
Under the commanding leadership of principal conductor Nayden Todorov, the first movement surged forward, bolstered by thunderous timpani. The second offered some pleasing dynamic contrast and gleaming string playing, but it was off to the races again for the third movement. It was an often thrilling, risk-taking performance of the symphony…
Todorov acted as the vigorous and expressive conductor who transmits his energy to both the orchestra and the audience.
For me, these encounters, organised by the institution's management in the person of Nayden Todorov, are events of several kinds of significance. [...] [The tendency reasserted itself in the concert with soloist Stephen Kovacevich (25 January).] [...] Already from the start this mood was set out, articulated in the orchestral introduction, in which both the dynamic contrast and the thematic character were delivered intensely, yet with a discipline that the conductor demanded of the orchestra this time — and not only in the Mozart concerto. [...] What I found especially appealing was the complete absence of sentimentality in the slow movement — this was a personal reflection synthesising what had come before — and here one heard not only the sonic ideas of a great musician but also the flexible, apt response of Todorov and the orchestra; it was a very beautiful, indeed substantive, conversation between the two sides of the piece, whose dramaturgy rose to a full and compelling height. [...] Nayden Todorov had logically chosen Beethoven's Fifth Symphony for the second half of the concert — and not only for its tonal kinship with the concerto, but for the progression, so to speak, of dramatic collisions, established here almost visibly. I had some misgivings about the reading and realisation of the "fateful symphony," which is rarely spared certain speculative excesses. But to my satisfaction, Todorov's customary energy and enthusiasm were this time subordinated to active aural monitoring and sonic control over the orchestra — an approach that proved highly effective, aimed at building the authentic Beethovenian reality of this symphony. The conductor drew back from the temptations the composition offers (of contrast, of thematic collision, of unstoppable headlong motion, of the effect of extreme crescendos) and placed everything at the service of logic — of the unfolding of musical time, of style, of the orchestra's ordering and the balance among its groups. Special attention, I think, was also paid to intensity of sound. The symphony sounded, in its full dramatic scope, dense, purposeful, steadily maintaining balance and measure in its development. This was a successfully realised approach to the reading of the work. Three days after this concert, baritone Bryn Terfel stepped onto the podium of Hall "Bulgaria" (28 January). Even his very entrance before the orchestra was already theatre. This man, this artist, captivates, quite simply devours the stage and draws the audience to him — and extends a fellow musician's hand to win over both conductor Nayden Todorov and the Philharmonic. [...] Despite my fears that in so short a time the orchestra could not possibly "enter into" so different a repertoire — in genre and in style — the orchestra, under Nayden Todorov's baton, made every effort to be a genuine musical partner to the singers. And that gives me grounds to hope that Terfel will come again — at least in concert, since we cannot experience him live in a full opera production in Sofia.
The Sofia Philharmonic and Nayden Todorov — dedication, passion, impeccable professionalism.
That evening the renowned Bulgarian conductor Nayden Todorov stood at the podium… As Gramophone, the authoritative world magazine for classical music, commented: 'The Bulgarian National Symphony Orchestra, a renowned historic ensemble in its prime… has reached unprecedented artistic heights under the leadership of artistic director Nayden Todorov.'
The story of this triumph is that a leader has a clear vision.
The wonderful musical evening at the Philharmonic of North Macedonia happened thanks to the incredible energy of maestro Todorov.
Nayden Todorov and the orchestra convinced me once again — not for the first time — that they are exceptionally responsive to every rare musician they partner. It is as if they change their own aural reflexes, their aesthetic preferences, and their flexibility is remarkable. … Nayden Todorov's reading, too, went in this direction — with well-judged tempi, balance among the groups, fully rounded cantabile lines… Smooth transitions with changes of agogics, disciplined energy in the fast episodes… this was a successful presentation of Dvořák's well-known work.
As a conductor, Nayden Todorov deserves sincere recognition for his exceptional performance.
Under the expert direction of Nayden Todorov, the Sofia Philharmonic presented this work with impressive precision and passion. … The Sofia Philharmonic Orchestra under Todorov's baton gave a remarkable musical performance that enriched the entire concert experience. The ensemble performance was characterised by highest precision, expressiveness and unity. … Todorov's intelligent conducting ensured that the rhythmic and dynamic shadings of the piece were realised, leading to a thrilling experience.
As conductor, Nayden Todorov deserves sincere recognition for an outstanding achievement. His conducting was powerful and sensitive at once.
Alongside him, enthusiastically and with great concentration, came the orchestra, led by Nayden Todorov — they had evidently made a serious effort to create the most fitting sonic equivalent to the musical text. … A good choice by Nayden Todorov and the Philharmonic, of a work performed well, with interest and understanding, with vividly drawn images.
Unlike the widespread musical amnesia when it comes to one's predecessors, violinist Mincho Minchev and conductor Nayden Todorov dedicated the latest Sofia Philharmonic subscription concert, on 11 June, to the memory of conductor Dobrin Petkov.
'La traviata' in Pleven with maestro Nayden Todorov became a celebration for opera connoisseurs.
The Baden-Baden Philharmonic breathes with the singer, creates atmosphere and shines with fine woodwind solos. The orchestra shows homogeneity. This is due in part to Nayden Todorov, a native of Yoncheva's home town of Plovdiv, who conducted the evening in place of her husband, Domingo Hindoyan. … In the purely orchestral pieces too, the orchestra under Todorov's judicious direction convinces with homogeneity and precision.