"Izotov treated the score
accordingly, relishing its airy grace and playful spirit. His oboe did
not emit a note that wasn't elegantly turned. As always, his liquid
legato, sweet tone and ability to sustain long phrases on a seemingly
endless column of breath were remarkable. "
-
John
von Rhein, The Chicago Tribune, December 22, 2007
regarding the Mozart Oboe Concerto performance with Chicago Symphony Orchestra |
"The oboe playing of Eugene
Izotov unites the elegant tonal expression
of the Tabuteau French school with his own fiery Russian temperament
and the experience of playing with some of today's greatest singers - a
potent, compelling, and utterly personal musical chemistry."
- Richard Dyer, The Boston Globe, August 2005 regarding "Sound in Motion" solo recording |
"Principal oboe Eugene Izotov played like a dream." - Andrew Patner, The Chicago Sun-Times, January 9, 2010 regarding Le Tombeau de Couperin performance with Chicago Symphony Orchestra with Pierre Boulez conducting |
"Airy, blithe and affectionate,
the music showed off the orchestra’s silken string sound and excellent
winds, in particular the principal oboist, Eugene Izotov."
- Steve Smith, The New York Times, February 1, 2010 regarding Le Tombeau de Couperin performance with Chicago Symphony at Carnegie Hall |
"Woodwind blend and intonation
were impeccable, oboist Eugene Izotov's solo in the ‘Menuet’ was
exquisite, and the brass displayed an easy virtuosity in the brisk,
concluding Rigaudon."
- Elizabeth Barnette, The Classical Source, January 30, 2010 |
"Eugene Izotov’s poetic oboe solos were magnificent, bringing out the gentle whimsy and half-tones of the music with equally responsive and atmospheric playing by the entire Chicago Symphony Orchestra" - Lawrence A. Johnson, The Chicago Classical Review, January 8, 2010 regarding Le Tombeau de Couperin performance with Chicago Symphony Orchestra with Pierre Boulez conducting |
"There is exquisite playing from
the orchestra, the very poignant oboe of Eugene Izotov being the
standout."
- Christopher Abbot, The Fanfare Magazine, October 14, 2008 regarding Mahler Symphony No. 6 recording |
"[Izotov's]
playing is technically immaculate,
musically sensitive and warmly expressive. The elegant beauty and
variety of his tone and the supple warmth with which he fills out the
long-breathed phrases of Ravel's "Piece en forme de habanera" and
Rachmaninov's "Vocalise" suggest he has learned much from
the great opera singers he has accompanied from the pit.." |
"... a perfect
orchestral sound,
superb technique, yet enough personality to make those many operatic
solos shine. I would say that the Met is darned lucky to have him."
- Steve Ritter, The American Record Guide, November 2005 issue regarding "Sound in Motion" solo recording |
"Principal
oboist Eugene Izotov proved to be a
brilliant musician."
- Mark Kanny, The Pittsburgh Tribune, May 13, 2007 regarding Mahler Symphony No. 3 recording |
"[The Schumann Romances] can be extremely expressive in the right hands and were thus superb with oboist Eugene Izotov and pianist James Levine. Mr. Izotov's singing tone was especially appreciated in the middle, rather rhapsodic piece." - Fred Krishnit, The New York Sun, February 28, 2005 |
"Schumann's
Romances for Oboe
and Piano showed off the elegance
of the oboist Eugene Izotov,
accompanied sensitively by Mr. Levine".
- Anthony Tommasini, The New York Times, March 1, 2005 |
|
"[Mr. Levine] provided sensitive keyboard support for the bel-canto oboist Eugene Izotov in Schumann's Romances, Op. 94. - Martin Bernheimer, The Financial Times, March 1, 2005 |
|
"Eugene is a passionate and sophisticated musician. In coming to the United States, he has held on to all of his expressive Russian soul and learned to play with an elegance that represents the best of the American tradition." -
Michael Tilson Thomas 2003
|
|
"Izotov's skills are simply superb, marked by dazzling technique and a gift for finding the continuous line in Mozart's bright, occasionally angular writing.... it was a thrilling display of artistic mastery and youthful bravado." . -
Joshua Kosman, The San Francisco
Chronicle, March 17, 2000
regarding the Mozart Oboe Concerto performance . |
|
"Izotov was superb.... [he] shone in the eloquent solo that opens the slow movement of the Barber Violin Concerto" -
Richard Dyer, The Boston Globe,
April 21, 2000
|
"I was immensely impressed by the playing of Eugene Izotov. He has incredible instrumental control, the ability to float a ravishing pianissimo, and a tremendous adaptability to project the varying characters of the works on the program" - Dan Stolper, The Double Reed Magazine, Volume 22, No. 4, 1999 |
"Oboist Eugene
Izotov was
magnificent"
-
Allan Ulrich, The San Francisco
Examiner, September 16, 1999
regarding "Stravinsky Firebird" solo |
"The
real heartbreaker was oboist Eugene Izotov. Rare is the oboist with
such richness and depth of tone, and Izotov's almost extravagant
expression - not to mention real virtuosity - made Hummel's Op. 102
Adagio and Variations sound like far greater music than it is."
-
Scott Cantrell, The Kansas City Star, August 19, 1996
|
"Music is pouring
out of his
body,
Izotov has total control and yet complete freedom: no humble woodwind
player has the right to be such an exciting, undeniable s-t-a-r."
- Janos Gereben, Post Newspaper Group, March 18, 2000 regarding the Mozart Oboe Concerto performance |
|
"He quickly
established his
credentials with dark-toned, highly expressive playing and the brash
rhythmic energy of youth. Izotov's playing is so strong, in fact, that
the rest of the musical world took note."
- Joshua Kosman, DATEBOOK, The San Francisco Chronicle, August 25, 2003 |