CD of violin sonatas from Switzerland and Brazil (released in January 2024)
... Renato Wiedemann has put together some fascinating material. I find the concept truly eye-opening. Wiedemann shows that the world of classical music becomes even more interesting when you venture beyond the familiar, perhaps even looking beyond Western Europe. But above all, I also love his incredibly moving style of playing, the variety of moods and emotions he evokes – so this is a truly highly recommended album. (Dr Lea Hagmann, musicologist, Radio DRS 2 Kultur, Live 23.03.24)
... This multi-layered programme encourages repeated listening, as Wiedemann and Bokor have approached the music with great affection without becoming overwhelmed by emotion ... The performers bring this music to life with a keen ear for nuances and moods. Wiedemann and Bokor demonstrate that they are capable of performing expressive music with particular elegance. (CD Award: Supersonic picciato Award, Uwe Krusch piccicato.lu, 2 February 2024) ... This CD is worth it for that reason alone: the density of repertoire gems is nothing short of sensational; even the most discerning classical music aficionado can make many a discovery here. What’s more, the musical side of this CD is also well worth a listen. Wiedemann and Bokor devote themselves wholeheartedly to this music, most of which was composed in the first half of the 20th century, illuminating the music of classical modernism with passion and clarity. Situated at the intersection of late Romanticism and modernism, this is music that is at times somewhat austere in character, yet can still be deeply sensual. Wiedemann and Bokor are exceptionally adept at illuminating this tension. They harmonise musically to perfection and know how to capture the spirit of this truly exciting music. That this music remained more or less unnoticed for so many years is actually completely incomprehensible, all the more so when one listens to this truly excellent recording. (Guido Krawinkel, Klassik-heute-de, 25 February 2024)
“… The five pieces on the CD are likely to be hardly familiar even to music connoisseurs, and one is grateful to the performers for this expansion of the repertoire, which meets high standards and combines fiery temperament with subtle sound culture. … (Siegfried Schibli, Swiss music publicist and author, NQV Quartierkurier, Basel, June 2026)
Soloists’ concert at the KKL with the Lucerne Symphony Orchestra, conducted by James Gaffigan (16 June 2021)
.... Dmitri Shostakovich’s Violin Concerto, Op. 129, possesses a magnetic quality that clearly suits the violinist Renato Wiedemann particularly well. His opening notes in the Adagio, accompanied by the low strings, were immensely expressive and blended intimately with the solo flute. His interplay with the orchestra became a sensitive unity, building to great intensity in alternation with the clarinet, cello and solo horn. Wiedemann’s varied tone, ranging from crystalline gloom through luminous highs to powerful double stops, was always of an intensity that pushed the limits of what is playable. Both the violinist and the orchestra captured Shostakovich’s sound world with irresistible power and poignancy. (Luzerner Zeitung, 18 June 2021, Gerda Neunhoeffer)
Violin Recital in the Hall of Mirrors at the Museum für Kunst und Gewerbe in Hamburg (28 February 2019)
... a musical highlight, carried by the performer’s personal charisma and a playing style that was both playful and of the highest interpretative standard ... that impressive dramatic intensity, which almost seemed to tear one from one’s seat ... then those soulful, beautiful pianos and, as the crowning glory, those captivating passages full of dramatic expressiveness ... One of the finest performances on this instrument that the writer has had the pleasure of experiencing in a long time. Many thanks for this delightful evening. (Your Opera Guide, Editor: Sven Godenrath)