News
April2010
Scherzo Magazine
Festival Musika-Música 2010, by Asier Vallejo
The recital given by the young Judith Jáuregui from San Sebastian, recently returned from the Ciclo de Jóvenes Intérpretes of this foundation, was truly revelatory: the warm and sensitive musicality she drew from her piano expanded the subtle and velvety beauty of its sound to an effusive and passionate intensity, especially in the case of Chopin’s Impromptus, which was transformed into an increasingly rich and exuberant lyricism.
April2010
Diario El Correo
Young and brimming with talent, by César Coca
It is only 10 years ago - around the time the world breathed a sigh of relief to find that the millennium curse was but a rumour - since Judith Jáuregui was an adolescent walking around San Sebastián with her portfolio full of musical scores. Javier Perianes, who shortly before that was still dreaming about music in his native Huelva, was completing his studies and starting to believe that one day he could make a living from his performances. Likewise with Luis Fernando Pérez from Madrid and Iván Martín of the Canary Islands. The four of them, now between the ages of 25 (Judith recently celebrated her 25th birthday) and 32 (Pérez), form part of the most brilliant generation of young pianists that Spain has ever seen. Although young, they have plenty of experience behind them. All four have embarked upon an international career, recorded records or are about to do so and have won various awards. Their schedules are packed with performance dates for all over the world. This is talent in its purest state.
September2009
Catalunya Música - XIII Temporada de Música de Cámara de Santa Cristina d'Aro
Cotrapunt Radio Programme, by Xavier Chavarría
[…] Seasons like Santa Cristina d’Aro are a haven for true music lovers. And, truly, the star of the concert was worth it; Judith Jáuregui is one of the best pianist of her generation. Only 24 years of age, she already shows not only an amazing technique but also an unusual maturity. She has character, understands the music and plays it with passion. Today, her potential has no limits […]
She offered us a round trip that began and ended with Chopin, taking in Mompou, and an almost orchestral Debussy at the pinnacle of the recital. And with every author she could show different virtues. Indeed, with L’Isle Joyeuse, by Debussy, she made the piano sound almost like an orchestra, with energy and conviction, with a rich timbre and generous, ample sonority. Chopin is one of her specialities, and the dizzying scales of the three Impromptus began the concert, showing her virtuous and quintessential technique. Clear, brilliant and with absolute precision, weaving each line and voice into a transparent and elegant tapestry.
Mompou doesn´t allow for much fussing around and it’s necessary to go straight to the essence. It’s goldsmithing in sound, musical symbolism that requires great delicacy, simplicity and exquisite taste. Every chord, every note must have the proper weight, whether in the Scènes d'enfants or in the Variations of a Chopin theme. Judith Jáuregui achieved a prodigious balance of sensual and magical sonorities […] The Grand Polonaise in E flat and the Mazurca, opus 17, as an encore, was a brilliant close to an exciting recital.
August2009
Diario La Vanguardia - XXIII Festival Castell de Peralada
Top, by Jorge de Persia
[...] This excellent concert culminated in the meteoric Quintet in E flat major by Schumann, with the participation of the remarkable pianist Judith Jáuregui [...] The rendition, as should be the case, was brilliant in expression, with transparency in the thematic structure, a convincing fugue, accents and rhythms in the Trio, strong individual voices and, above all, musicality [...] The best session so far without a doubt.
August2009
El Diario Vasco - 70th Quincena Musical de San Sebastián
A beautiful union, by Aitor Álvarez
As part of the 1900-1936: Tiempos de Vanguardia season, which aims to reflect the cultural ferment that took place during the earlier decades of the twentieth century between San Sebastian and Biarritz, Quincena staged an original concert that offered up music and recited poetry in equal measure.
While many thought the two elements would come together during the performance of the pieces, which would indeed have been an interesting exercise, the audience were made to wait until the end, as though it were a tip, for music and poetry to finally embrace in a common space of time and which, incidentally, never detracted from each other.
Jáuregui opened up with three delicious Basque Preludes by Aita Donostia, which gave us a glimpse of the abilities she would show throughout the concert, combined in a passionate style and rich expressive strength. Following this, Uribe recited poems of the most important Basque writers of the time. Two beautiful piano works by Albéniz were followed by a Bartok, played by Jáuregui with the self-assurance and character required of such a piece. To conclude this delightful event we were treated to three poems in Euskera by foreign authors and two Goyesque piano pieces from Granados, the former laden with sorrow and melancholy and the latter brimming with bravura
August2009
Argia Magazine - 70th Quincena Musical de San Sebastián
Heat, music and words, by Montserrat Auzmendi
[…] To begin with, Judith Jaúregui performed three Aita Donostia preludes: namely, Bat-batian, Oñazez and Artzai gaztearen oiuak. These were pure and classic interpretations, as the works of Aita Donostia require. The young pianist also offered us various lesser-known pieces by Albéniz. Both Plegaria and Polonesa were performed in just the way they should be.
However, this pianist, only 24 years old, certainly demonstrated her musical maturity when performing works by Bartok and Granados. She gave an excellent rendition of Bartok’s 6 Romanian Dances. Everything was just right and well-prepared: A balanced “rubato”, nothing excessive, a marked rhythm and a somewhat naive style… […]
El pelele (Granados) was magnificent and resplendent. Technically perfect and musically charming and appealing. […]
August2009
Easyclassic - 29th Festival International de Piano de La Roque d'Anthéron
Nuit de Chopin, by Gérard Abrial
[…] A curriculum vitae that mentions the “Festival International de Piano de La Roque d'Anthéron” and, moreover, the playground of the greatest, Parque de Florans, is surely an open door to the future, a major step to exploring the world of Steinways and Bechsteins.
Enthusiasm for a Martha Argerich or Aldo Ciccolini recital is understandable. The risk of disappointment is minimal. But to come to hear musicians in the early stages of their career is a “melomaniacal” act that is more exciting in a way. From this perspective, the audience at this Night of Chopin will have been compensated a million times over for their curiosity.
[…] Judith Jáuregui, with a clear, light touch, and equipped with a sober musical thought, delivered an elegant Chopin[…] Later, she played the Variations of Mompou, inspired by the lover of Nohant. The style was always pleasant, sometimes anecdotal. Relieved by having achieved a very fine concert, the young Spanish pianist with arms like the wings of an albatross, gave the audience the most beautiful smile of this 2009 edition […]
July2009
Diario Ideal - 58th International Festival of Music and Dance in Granada
Coffee with Albéniz and Chopin, by José Antonio Lacárcel
The Café Concierto was a total success. Really, excellent. We were offered exceptional quality by a very young pianist from San Sebastian, with a programme graced with moments of extraordinary brilliance. The pianist, -remember the name, because it’s sure to be talked about-, Judith Jáuregui, brought together two piano greats. The first, Chopin, a world-famous Pole, the other, Albéniz, a world-famous Spaniard. Judith Jáuregui offered us the Albéniz who is less known, but also very interesting, combining salon pieces, such as “Amalia”, the waltz known as “L’automne”, and especially the beautiful “Mallorca”, a work that showed us the characteristic features of a musician intensely committed to Spanish music. Amidst all of this, we had a beautiful, robust and brilliant “Bolero in C Major”, by Chopin. And again, the less familiar Albéniz, namely of the “Doce piezas características”, of which four were rendered. And, to round off a fascinating Chopin, the “Andante Spianato and Grand Brilliant Polonaise op.22”.
How well, and with such good taste, with such delicacy Jáuregui played. She shone at every moment, but especially with Chopin. There she seemed to be in her element, she reached deep into the music of the piano genius and succeeded in transmitting a world of emotions, thanks to a superbly polished technique and a capacity to recreate the eternal Chopin.
It was a short but beautiful concert. Albéniz and Chopin, two different perspectives at the piano, different yet very close, and a young and exquisite artist.
May2009
Diario El Correo
Six artists explain to 'Territorios' Albéniz's works, which they know well
A step in a pianist’s career. This is the way pianists approach Albéniz’s scores, in particular the Suite Iberia, full of incredible technical difficulties, which have to be solved as the same time as one creates a special atmosphere because at times, Albeniz’s piano should not sound like a piano but like a guitar or as castanets. Six Spanish pianists from various generations explain what it has meant for them to bury themselves in these scores and how they understand the music of one of the essential composers of the Spanish culture.
April2009
Revista Variaciones
The Proust Questionnaire
At the end of the nineteenth century, when Proust was still in his teens, he answered a questionnaire in an English-language Confession album belonging to his friend Antoinette, daughter of the future President Félix Faure, entitled “An Album to Record Thoughts, Feelings, etc.” At that time, it was a fad among English families to answer such a list of questions that revealed the tastes and aspirations of the taker. Subject to a few changes, we ask our protagonists to answer this questionnaire to present a brief and precise portrait to our readers…
February2009
Diario El Correo
The young Basque pianist, one of the promising figures of classical music returns to the Bilbao festival where she started in 2008
Aged 23, this young artist has an impressive curriculum: she has won prizes such as the Frechilla-Zuloaga in Valladolid and the Young Pianist of Albacete. She has performed during the Quincena Musical de San Sebastián, at La Roque d'Anthéron, at the festival Castell de Peralada and at Musika-Música in Bilbao. She has given recitals and performed with orchestras in and outside Spain. Her name is Judith Jáuregui and the critics all agree that she is one of the rising stars of the Spanish piano scene.
January2009
La Tribuna de Albacete
Extraordinary performance, full of nuances and so evocative, by Ramón Martínez
[...] The second half of the concert started with Liszt’s Concerto in E flat. It is divided in three movements. In the first movement, Allegro molto moderato, the amazing mastery of the young pianist left the public astounded. The Adagio showed us the ability of both her hands and the excellent training she has received. In the Allegro moderato molto marcato, Judith excelled herself receiving a standing ovation and, with the director, had to aknowledge many times the warm welcome.
September2008
Diario Vasco
The future is young, by María José Cano
^[...] Everything taken into account, it is strange that the best concerts of the 69th edition of the Quincena have been performed by the young artists. Without any doubt, the best orchestra has been the Gustav Mahler Jugendorchester, the most acclaimed director has been Tugan Sokhiev and the Orchestre du Capitole of Toulouse and the young Basque pianist Judith Jáuregui has been the great surprise amongst the soloists. All this shows that the future is young, but only on the stage…
August2008
Diario Vasco
Brilliant personality, by María José Cano
It seems unbelievable that the child who presented herself years back in all her innocence at the San Sebastian piano competition is the same young woman who performed yesterday at the Palacio Miramar. Judith Jáuregui was on a par with the best artists not as a young promise for the future – which would correspond to her 23 years- but a mature artist. She presented herself at the Quincena with a demanding programme both at the technical and expressive level. Her technique – her playing is both powerful and brillant- enabled her to tackle the repertory with great ease. But if Judith’s control over sound, her understanding of music and the intensity of her playing were exceptional, what astonished us most were her personality and her character. This is what made the difference and what only great pianists are able to bring out on stage. With all these qualities, one can guess how she presented her well-chosen programme. From the first piece she played by Grieg, it was easy to imagine what her recital would be like: passionate, alive. Judith Jáuregui does not leave anything to chance but her music never feels constrained. If Grieg was expressive, Mompou was all sweetness and gave way to a controlled Debussy. Nothing better than Rachmaninov to crown a magnificent concert! Do not forget her name, she is going to be news!
August2008
Diario Vasco
The Basque pianist, who performs for the first time at the Quincena, will today give a recital at the Palacio Miramar
She is only 23 but has just been playing at the International Piano Festival of La Roque d’Anthéron. She will perform at the Ciclo de Jóvenes Interpretes the same programme, which was such a roaring success in France.
May2008
Scherzo Magazine
Excellent recital by Judith Jáuregui, from beginning to end. By Joaquín Arnau Amo
She is audacious with the left pedal. She is not afraid of silences. In other words, she enjoys herself and pleases us in some dark corners full of meaning and tensions. She is wise although so young. She is not a precocious pianist: she is not on the border line between miracle and catastrophy. She is young and one would usually say that she promises but she gives already so much of what she promises that saying that would be redundant. Her recital was not only excellent but as well amazing [...]Mompou does not hold any secrets for Judith Jáuregui, but she has some for Mompou. It is the magic of the performer who discovers the composer, not only for the audience but for the composer himself [...] Liszt was brillant because Liszt is all brillance, ideal to show technique, talent and character. Remember because one will talk about her…or remain silent listening.
March2008
La Tribuna de Albacete
The winner of the XVIIth Concurso de Jóvenes Pianistas Ciudad de Albacete is in the news again
[...]Augustín Peiró believes that without any exageration Judith Jáuregui is a real discovery, an authentic figure in Music (with the capital letter!). Although she is young, she has all the qualities of exceptional artists who with each performance touch the deepest emotions of the listener. This is why I encourage the public to fill the concert hall with all its warmth and exercise that healthy selfishness of listening to great music, which talented fingers are able to transmit and create a necessary and unforgettable moment.
