PRESS
Classics Today reviews Debut Album Epilogues by Shtrykov-Tanaka Duo
Jed Distler I Classics Today I December 24, 2023
The title “Epilogues” refers to the fact that Brahms, Saint-Saëns, and Poulenc wrote clarinet sonatas at the end of their composing careers. More importantly, clarinetist Maksim Shtrykov and pianist Misuzu Tanaka serve up world-class performances of these works that yield nothing to competing catalog versions.
Read MoreMusicWeb International reviews album Epilogues
David McDade I MusicWeb International I July 6, 2023
It is a strange thing that three composers as different as Brahms, Saint-Saëns and Poulenc should each have turned to the clarinet late in their respective careers. It goes without saying almost that the sound of the clarinet provokes the idea of the autumnal shading into the wintry – or perhaps autumnal masterpieces such as the clarinet quintets of Mozart and Brahms have imprinted these associations in our minds? Either way, these ‘last thoughts’ are the theme of this lovely album. The title ‘Epilogues’ seems appropriate since all three works sit outside the main body of each composer’s work, reflecting on a life in a largely low key, somewhat nostalgic manner.
Read MoreSeamlessness and Contrast at Trinity Church
Lucid Culture (New York, NY) I March 13, 2011
Thursday at Trinity Church clarinetist Maksim Shtrykov and pianist Alina Kiryayeva delivered a terrifically enjoyable show of some lesser-known pieces for the two instruments. Shtrykov has a clarity that’s viscerally breathtaking. His quicksilver legato made the streams and frequent torrents of notes seem absolutely effortless even though much of the program was considerably demanding. The only giveaway that he was working hard was how he swayed along with the music at the edge of the stage. Kiryayeva, by contrast, didn’t hold back. As comfortably fluid as her approach was, it wouldn’t be an overstatement to call it an attack, which brought a welcome energy to the bill. Their seamlessness together undoubtedly stems from having worked together since the middle of the previous decade.
Read MoreShelter Island Friends of Music season kicks off with Tanaka and Shtrykov
John G. Miller I Shelter Island Reporter (Shelter Island, NY) I February, 22, 2019
The young duo of Maksim Shtrykov, a clarinetist from Belarus, and Misuzu Tanaka, a pianist from London, are yet another example of a new generation of exquisitely talented performers who elevate our understanding of the world’s music.
Read MoreColston Newton I Northumberland Echo (Heathsville, VA) I April, 24, 2019
Belarussian clarinetists and London-born Japanese pianists are not the sorts of musicians usually expected in Northumberland County, but such a pair charmed the audience at the Rappahannock Concert Association’s show in the Northumberland High School auditorium Saturday night. Pianist Misuzu Tanaka and clarinetist Maksim Shtrykov demonstrated how entertaining piano and clarinet duos can be.
Read More
