Critiques

Violin superstar Koh returns to Richardson, plays masterfully with Princeton Symphony.

"The violin solo was often paired winds, particularly well played by oboist Caroline Park and clarinetist Pascal Archer."

"Mr. Archer played a chipper clarinet solo as part of this musical parody (Bartok concerto for orchestra)"

Retour de la violoniste superstar Koh à Richardson (auditorium) avec le Princeton Symphony.

"Le violon solo était souvent en duo avec les instruments à vent, la oboiste Caroline Park et le clarinettiste Pascal Archer ont particulièrement bien joué"

"Monsieur Archer a joué un solo plein d'entrain et charactéristique de cette parodie musicale (Bartok: Concerto pour orchestre)"

Nancy Plum, Town Topics (Princeton, NJ), March 23, 2011

NEPA Philharmonic kicks off its Chamber Music Series on a high note.

"Archer is an artist of exceptional talent and his warm tones and clarity of instrument were beautifully on display during Mozart's piece. The quintet's melodies and famous second movement (Larghetto) were magnificently interpreted by all five of the musicians. Archer carefully crafted every note to take the listener on a magnificent journey of solemnitude and solace."

Le NEPA Philharmonic inaugure ses concerts de musique de chambre en grandeur.

"Archer est un artiste d'un talent exceptionnel dont la sonorité chaude et claire fut brillamment représentée durant cette oeuvre de Mozart. Les mélodies du quintette et le fameux deuxième mouvement (Larghetto) furent magnifiquement interprétées par tous les membres du groupe. Archer a su créer méticuleusement chacune des notes pour emporter l'auditeur dans un monde merveilleux, solennel et réconfortant."

Alexander Choman, Citizens' Voice (Wilkes-Barre, PA), 6 octobre, 2010

LI Philharmonic celebrates with 30th birthday concert

"...the musicians presented the so-called “Unfinished” Symphony in B Minor by Franz Schubert.  The performance demonstrated beautiful phrasing, dramatic and compelling silences, and wide dynamic contrasts.  Particularly notable were principal oboe Diane Lesser’s oboe solos and Pascal Archer’s clarinet playing." 

Le Long Island Philharmonic celèbre son 30ème anniversaire

"...les musiciens ont joué la fameuse "Symphonie Inachevée" en si mineur de Franz Schubert. La prestation a su mettre en valeur le magnifique phrasé, les silences irrésistibles et dramatiques, et toute une gamme de nuances contrastantes. Particulièrement à noter, le jeu de la oboiste Diane Lesser et du clarinettiste Pascal Archer."

Bruce Von Bryan, The LI Press, 14 novembre, 2009

Clarinetist shines in Philharmonic's Masterworks performance

"The program's highlight was truly splendid, as principal clarinetist Pascal Archer gave a talented, exceptional interpretation of Mozart's "Clarinet Concerto." Archer's performance on a clarinet was particularly luminous and nearly error-free, an accomplishment not easily reached in Mozart's piece.

In addition to his work with the Northeastern Pennsylvania Philharmonic, Archer is also acting principal clarinetist with the Long Island Philharmonic in New York. The Canadian-born artist will also join the faculty at New York University's prestigious music department in fall 2010.

It was easy to see Archer was well-rehearsed and rarely tentative as he aptly worked through the three-part concerto. In the opportunities in which the piece allows, Archer displayed chromatic figurations and dramatic creativity that showcased an uninhibited artistic expressionism on his part. His artistry was bold yet well-defined.

After a standing ovation and multiple curtain calls, Archer treated the audience to a rarely seen encore at a Masterworks performance. It's probably good this was the only performance of the weekend because it is hard to believe Archer could have topped his artistic showpiece.

Archer is truly one of (Lawrence) Loh's anchors in the woodwind section. Archer's supple tones and inspirational artistry were breathtaking. On Friday evening he proved why he is worthy of such accolades."

Alexander Choman, Citizen's Voice (Scranton, PA), 7 novembre, 2009

Musicians from Marlboro Perform Music from Three Centuries
at the Gardner Museum (Boston)

"Clarinetist Pascal Archer exhibited a great range of musical skill in the expressive cantabile melodies, agile ornamental figures and runs, in addition to a great tone and breath control, resulting in smooth melodies and subtle dynamic changes throughout the piece. (Serenata in Vano by Nielsen) Also impressive was the synchrony between the bassoon (played by Jennifer Collins Monroe) and clarinet, their ability to weave in and out of the ensemble’s sound." [...] "The highlight of this concert was certainly the performance of Schubert’s Octet in F Major for winds and strings. [...] Once again, clarinetist Pascal Archer performed magnificently. As (Ferdinand) Troyer was a talented musician, Schubert’s clarinet part in this piece encompasses the entire range of the instrument; throughout the six movements, the clarinet leads the ensemble through its use of its highest tonal register, sweeping lyrical melodies, as musical substitute for both the flute (lengthy melodies in the high register) and trumpet (repetitive leaping fanfares), as well as through its solo virtuosic runs, trills and other embellishments. Archer mastered each of these challenges in turn: his upper register sang poetically without any strain, his cantabile melodies were full of longing and passion, and his ornaments were always played with ease, though quick in tempo."

Elizabeth Perten, Classicalscene.com, 12 mai, 2009

"The opening Šárka was marked by well-handled tempo changes, clear trombones, and a smooth clarinet solo played by Pascal Archer"

Nancy Plum, Town Topics (Princeton, NJ), 18 mars, 2009

"A rousing performance of Dmitri Shostakovich's Symphony No. 9 closed the afternoon's program. [...] A haunting clarinet solo by Pascal Archer, later joined by fellow clarinetist Sherry Hartman Apgar and flutist Jayn Rosenfeld, made the second movement especially effective."

Nancy Plum, Town Topics (Princeton, NJ), 11 novembre, 2007

Schoenberg's Surreal Masterpiece (Pierrot Lunaire)

"This performance was notable for its precision and passion. The five instrumentalists (Alex Sopp, flute and piccolo, Pascal Archer, clarinet and bass clarinet, Colin Jocobsen, violin and viola, Eric Jacobsen, cello, and Steven Beck, piano) were totally invested in this high-powered music making, digging in strongly during exciting ensemble passages - such as the stirring conclusion of "Die Kreuze" - and individually bringging out the vivid colors that make this music both appealing and disturbing at the same time."

Fred Kirshnit, The New York Sun, 22 octobre, 2007

“…the second half was given over to music of direct timelessness: the Clarinet Quintet of Johannes Brahms. One of that composer's last pieces, it's usually assumed to be elegiac and autumnal, but the performers -- clarinetist Pascal Archer, violinists Adela Peña and Jesse Mills, violist Tawnya Popoff, and cellist Rafael Popper-Keizer -- weren't going gentle into that good night: It was a fiery, operatic performance, exciting sections ringing with emphatic vibrancy and gentler passages harboring the preternatural stillness of a break in the storm. Archer found the bel canto line in an intense, magical slow movement; the final variations climaxed with unaffected breadth. It was, to put it mildly, memorable.”

“…la deuxième partie du concert fut dédiée à une musique purement éternelle: le Quintette pour Clarinette de Johannes Brahms.  Malgré le caractère habituellement élégiaque et automnal de cette pièce -l'une des dernières du compositeur- , les musiciens (Pascal Archer, clarinettiste;  Adela Peña et Jesse Mills, violonistes; Tawnya Popoff, altiste; Rafael Popper-Keizer,violoncelliste ) n’y sont pas allé de main morte.  C’était une performance enflammée et lyrique avec des moments parfois vibrants, parfois empreints d’une douceur rapellant le calme avant la tempête. Pascal Archer a su trouver le phrasé bel canto dans l’intense et magique mouvement lent, puis les variations du dernier mouvement ont terminé la performance sans pour autant affecter son souffle.  C’était tout simplement mémorable.”

Matthew Guerrieri, Boston Globe-16 Juillet, 2007

“The performance had everything that this Mozart masterpiece required — a master of the instrument in Archer. […] Archer's clarinet playing, from the treble top to the bass, always had impeccable tone. Here was a clarinetist who wanted the beauty of Mozart's notes to be what you remembered, not the virtuosity of the player. In the second movement — one of Mozart's most beautiful — there were passages of the most delicate pianissimos that made you simply hold your breath.” 

“Le concert avait tout ce que le chef d’oeuvre de Mozart requérait— une grande maîtrise de l’instrument de la part de Monsieur Archer (…) Le jeu de Monsieur Archer, dans tous les registres, était d’une justesse impeccable. Ce clarinettiste désirait partager la beauté de l’oeuvre de Mozart plutôt que de prouver sa virtuosité. Dans le deuxième mouvement — l’un des plus merveilleux que Mozart ait composé — , certains passages étaient si doux que l’auditoire devait retenir son souffle.”

Jim Pegolotti, News-Times Music (Danbury, CT) 20 Mars 2005

“Only the playing of pianist Stoytcheva and clarinetist Pascal Archer rose above the mundane. Archer, a first-class musician whose rich-toned, personality-plus clarinet playing has contributed much to the New World (symphony’s) performances during the past few seasons, will be greatly missed.”

“Seulement le jeu de la pianiste (Anna) Stoytcheva et du clarinettiste Pascal Archer se sont démarqués de l’ensemble. Monsieur Archer, un musicien de première classe avec sa sonorité riche et son jeu très personnel, a mis en valeur la plupart des prestations du New World (Symphony) des dernières années. Il nous manquera énormément.”

Lawrence A. Johnson, Sun-Sentinel – 6 Mai 2004 

“The score offers some of Bartok’s (Miraculous Mandarin) most visceral and electrifying music. Under de Leeuw’s incisive and pungent direction, the ballet sparked forcefully combustible playing, spotlighted by Pascal Archer’s wonderfully sleazoid clarinet solos, graphically painting the girl’s enticements.”

“Cette musique offre ce qu’il y a de plus électrifiant et viscéral chez Bartok (Mandarin Merveilleux). Sous la direction incisive et ascerbe de (Reinbert) de Leeuw, le ballet s’est vigoureusement enflammé, mettant en vedette les solos très sensuels du clarinettiste Pascal Archer, qui dépeignaient avec conviction le jeu de séduction de la jeune femme.” 

Lawrence A. Johnson, Sun-Sentinel – 5 Mars 2004

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