Iulia Marin

PASSION FOR lISZT

by Klaus Roß

Already in 2018, the Romanian pianist Iulia Maria Marin was invited by the German-American Institute to perform at the Heidelberger Klavierwoche, where she left some strong impressions behind, especially in Liszt works. It was therefore only natural that she would return this year at the DAI with more works by her favourite composer - now incidentally as a newly graduated master student from the class of Roland Krüger at the Musikhochschule Hannover.

Once again, we could experience an outstandingly intelligent Liszt virtuoso, who always remained committed to the great poetic idea of the piece, midst all the keyboard bravoura. This is how, in the pre-impressionistic jewel "Les jeux d'eaux à la Villa d'Este", as well as in the ballad-like Schubert paraphrase "Der Wanderer”, Melos and colours merged wonderfully eloquently.

First-class format display was certain in Marin's electrifying performance of the B-minor Sonata, in which dramatic fury and lyrical ecstasy found the most harmonious balance. This famous organic-sounding half-an-hour long work alone, would have made the concert visit worth it.

The young pianist mastered the big stylistic leap perplexingly sovereign after the intermission, from Liszt to Brahms and his four Ballads op. 10, whose lied-intimate features came out particularly well. One would have wished for more of Marin's witty Debussy play than just the two Preludes "Les fees sont d 'exquises danseuses" and "La Puerta del Vino”.

As a program-crowning farewell, Aaron Copland's dance potpourri "El Salon Mexico" (1936) in the catchy piano version of his friend Leonard Bernstein was provided. Marin's fiery temperament made one almost forget of the naturally missing orchestral colours. The particularly original encore which was enthusiastically received by the DAI public: George Enescu's finely embellished Pavane from the four-movement D-Major Suite op. 10 of 1903. The splendid music of her compatriot should become Marin's heart mission. This pianist is a born Enescu interpreter.

Brilliant storyteller

Iulia Maria Marin set highlights

by Felix Werthschulte

Sandershausen. The piano recital by Iulia Maria Marin on Saturday in Sandershausen began lyrically, almost thoughtfully. At the beginning of her recital, the Romanian pianist played a sonorous sonata by Baroque composer Domenico Scarlatti, which was juxtaposed with a sparkling sister piece. A mixture of singing-like narration and dexterity ran like a red thread through the stylistically diversified evening of the young pianist, who is currently studying at the Musikhochschule in Hanover. In Joseph Haydn's Es-Dur Sonata, composed for Marianne von Genzinger, Marin created a deep background in the slow middle movement, while the bright final Rondo sounded maybe a tad too silly.
An introverted, rhapsodic sound world emerged in Johannes Brahms' Intermezzo op. 117 no. 2, dreamy and yet crystal clear. Three Preludes by  Claude Debussy revealed another world of blurred, mysterious sounds, sparkling highlights and blocky chords which culminated in the formidable keyboard-wide spell of the well-known "Feux d'artifice".
For others, the stamina might have been over, but the dainty 25-year-old added something else: after the intermission she offered a selection of the Etudes d'execution Transcendante by Franz Liszt, which is one of the most technically difficult of all that romantic piano literature has to offer. Despite all the grandeur and effervescence of the works, Marin often emphasised the narrative moment here too, creating large, spun lines.
For the applause of the approximately 120 impressed listeners she thanked with another Brahms Intermezzo.

"Shook the auditorium with tremendous dynamism"

Ten years of Eternalarts

by Wolfgang Kemper

[...] As a special musical experience was the pianist Iulia Maria Marin. The young musician has attracted attention in competitions through top rankings in recent years and now plays concerts with many renowned orchestras worldwide. What Julia Maria Marin offered the guests exceeded expectations. Her soulful playing on the EternalArts grand piano made one  feel delicacy and sometimes it shook the auditorium with tremendous dynamism. Overwhelming was the sonority that the artist enthralled in the new premises of EternalArts, wonderful, with bravura and with incredible energy. Franz Liszt's difficult-to-play works, such as his Mazeppa as the last piece, Ms. Marin interpreted with power and flow, so that it held the breath of the guests and moved them to thank the artist with long applause. Dr. Schwäbe promised that this would not be the only appearance of Iulia Maria Marin in his showroom.