Press - Nils Mönkemeyer

Interviews

Reviews

“Fischer, Mönkemeyer and Müller-Schott played to perfection. The individual voices, consistently independent in their treatment by Beethoven, stood out magnificently. In the Adagio, the composer truly makes the music speak, ending the melodic lines with an imaginary question mark. The three star soloists communicated the tension and release within the music at the very highest level. Once the sounds of the Beethoven trio had faded away, the close friends embraced one another.”
Die Welt | November 2018 | Concert with Julia Fischer and Daniel Müller-Schott

“Heroic departures. […] Mönkemeyer makes the high positions sparkle, as though it were the playing of some exotically-hued violin. He savoured the lower register, reminiscent of the cello’s dark warmth. The potential for sentimentality plumbed by Paganini in his showpiece [Ed. Sonata per la Grand] was counteracted by Mönkemeyer with his clever and precise baroque-schooled playing. By emphasising certain difficulties to an almost exaggerated degree, he kindled a spark of ironic distance. […] Nils Mönkemeyer showed himself with both aplomb and naturalness to be first among equals, savouring the sanctioned extravagance of tone and rhythm [Ed. in Berlioz’ Harold in Italy] that make him maverick and symbol of the Romantic hero within the orchestra.”
Nürnberger Zeitung | October 2018 | Staatsphilharmonie Nürnberg dir. Joana Mallwitz

“…wonderful lightness of being.”
Kieler Nachrichten | August 2018 | Concert with Sabine Meyer and William Youn, Schleswig Holstein Musikfestival

“Mönkemeyer makes his mark on these works by Bach, Robert de Visée and Michael Lambert with his cogent and immensely compelling viola playing. Add soprano Dorothee Mields and it makes baroque heaven.”
Der Tagesspiegel Berlin | June 2018 | Album Baroque

„A Jewel.“
Hörzu | June 2018 | Album Baroque

„Meditative, expressive: Nils Mönkemeyer shows on his new CD that he is also one of the best viola virtuosos in terms of baroque tonal speech. It is fantastic, how perfectly clean Nils Mönkemeyer intones.“
hr2 Kultur | May 2018 | Album Baroque

„This great violist builds up an amazing excitement, the variations of colors of his performances seems to be unlimited.“
Neue Zürcher Zeitung am Sonntag | April 2018 | Album Baroque

„Nils Mönkemeyer now made his debut with the Gürzenich Orchestra, with a program idea: as an entrance to the concert,a rarely performed concert has given Esa-Pekka Salonen a „Pentatonic étude“ for solo viola. The
quoted phrase sounds a bit like blues and western music, but bends and weighs virtuoso and artful for minutes, the bow races over the strings, with emotion to rage. A German premiere on Sunday. Mönkemeyer’s explosive rudeness at the really hearty interpreted concert surprised.“
Kölnische Rundschau | February 2018 | Bartók Viola Concerto with Gürzenich Orchestra under Nicholas Collon, Philharmonic Cologne