TIMELESS
BRAHMS
& BRUCH Violin Concertos
DAVID
GARRETT, Violin
Israel
Philharmonic / Zubin Mehta
Decca 4701071 / ****1/2
After several years of successfully
dabbling in crossover and pop music, the German-American former wunderkind
David Garrett has returned to the classical fold with this new recording of Max
Bruch's First Violin Concerto and Brahms' Violin Concerto. Some
might argue that he never actually left, as he shows utmost respect to these
timeless classics by playing as they were written. There are no histrionics,
ear-catching gimmicks or untoward gestures, just good solid playing with beauty
of tone and just the right quantum of passionate output.
Both concertos share the imprimatur of
the great Hungarian violinist Joseph Joachim, who advised the composers on the
intricacies of writing idiomatically for the violin. The only departure Garrett
takes is in eschewing Joachim's cadenza for the 1st movement of the
Brahms, opting for Fritz Kreisler's less opulent and more acrobatic and
contrapuntal version instead. The Israel Philharmonic under Zubin Mehta's
direction provides excellent support which makes this coupling a competitive
one. The Deluxe Edition of this album includes a bonus 24-minute long DVD
feature on “The Making Of Timeless” (in English and German), filmed in Tel
Aviv. Graced by Garrett's male-model-like presence, this will no doubt please
his legion of fans endlessly.
VISIONS
FUGITIVES
Camerata
Nordica / Terje Tonnesen
BIS
2126 / *****
One might baulk at the thought of
listening through 69 minutes of modern string music uninterrupted, but the
variety provided by the Swedish string ensemble Camerata Nordica on this disc
is rather special. The two main works are Russian violist-conductor Rudolf
Barshai's idiomatic arrangements of Prokofiev's Visions Fugitives and
Bartok's Divertimento. A full gamut of string effects colours
Prokofiev's 15 miniatures (selected from 20 pieces originally conceived for
piano), which are more like preludes but each imbued with a distinct quirky
character of its own. Its title comes from a line by Russian poet Konstantin
Balmont, which refers to worlds of “fleeting glimpses”.
Bartok's masterpiece is strongly based on
folk influences and the string ensemble comes to sound like one large gypsy
band, fuelled by the acerbic harmonies and driving rhythms of the Hungarian
nationalist composer. The fill-ups are no less interesting and impressive.
Hindemith's Five Pieces Op.44 No.4 is neo-Bachian in its play of
counterpoint, almost a concerto grosso brought up to date, while Webern's Five
Movements Op.5 is an established atonal classic that continues to provide
shock value in buckets. The performances, full of cohesion, coherence and
incisiveness, make for a revelatory and even enjoyable aural experience.
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