“Roman Simovic had a delightful sweet-toned lyricism, and an easy, smiling virtuosity. It was just what was needed to reveal the charm in this somewhat earnest, solidly-crafted piece”
Ivan Hewett, The Telegraph, February, 2015
Glazunov concerto, Barbican, Gergiev-LSO
“…In his encore, Simovic carried off a feat that on the face of it seems impossible; recreating the heroic piano pyrotechnics of Liszt’s Mephisto Waltz no 1, on the four strings of a violin. He made it seem entirely natural, and in the process reminded us that Liszt’s original actually evokes the harsh open strings of the devil’s fiddle”
Ivan Hewett, The Telegraph, February, 2015
Glazunov concerto, Barbican, Gergiev-LSO
“He is a fine and gutsy player, rich of tone and poetic of phrasing, and he had these qualities from the off in Prokofiev’s tart Violin Concerto No. 2. With lithe and pungent accompaniment, true to LSO family values, Simovic told of tales and painted pictures, his response ranging from intense to ghostly”
Colin Anderson, classical source May 14, 2014
Pablo Heras Casado, Barbican, LSO
“ The Andante passed with beguiling gentleness, mellow, on soft clouds with a light breeze caressing the shapes. The abundance of material that is presented in the finale-not least the gutsy themes that Brahms so love- was dispatched with bucolic charm. The avenues within the music were reached without recourse to handbrake turns; line and architecture to the fore”
Kevin Rogers, May 01, 2014
Classical Sourse
Simovic-Hugh, Znaider, Brahms Double
“He is a stylish player with a sweet, lyrical sound and his performance of the Glazunov was neatly self-contained. The slow section (Glazunov composed the concerto in a single movement) flowed beautifully and Simovic dispatched the double-stopping and left-hand pizzicato of the finale efficiently, without quite letting rip. Milstein’s transcription of themes from Liszt’s Mephisto Waltz no. 1, allowed Simovic to display demonic virtuosity at greater length in an encore”
Mark Pullinger, 20 February 2015
Backtrack
Simovic, Gergiev, LSO, Barbican