THE SODRE COLLECTION
LEONID
KOGAN, Violin
ANDREI
MYTNIK, Piano
The Alpha
Omega Sound / ****1/2
When Leonid Kogan (1924-1982) was still alive,
he was widely considered the greatest violinist of the Russian school
post-David Oistrakh. Remembered as the principal teacher of Viktoria Mullova,
he did not live long enough to enjoy sustained worldwide fame or commercial
success, dying on a train in between concerts. This rare recording is of a 20
May 1958
concert in Montevideo , Uruguay
The main piece was Prokofiev’s First Violin Sonata in F minor, a
greater and more serious work than its popular successor. Listen how skilfully
he negotiates between icy brusqueness and warm lyricism without diminishing the
impact of both. Also impressive is his sense of architecture and control in the
Bach Chaconne in D minor. The balance
of the programme is aural candy, including a Locatelli Sonata and Schubert’s Ave
Maria. Not to disappoint lovers of fireworks, Saint-Saëns’s Havanaise and Sarasate’s Basque Caprice pull out the stops, and
the audience erupts before the last note is sounded. His premature demise was
indeed a most grievous loss.
BRAHMS Violin Concerto
C.SCHUMANN Romances
LISA BATIASHVILI, Violin
Staatskapelle Dresden /
Christian Thielemann
Deutsche Grammophon 479
0086 / ****
The Hungarian-born violinist Joseph Joachim is
the common link between the works on this disc. The well-heeled Violin Concerto in D major by Johannes
Brahms was written for and in consultation with Joachim, and most violinists
play the virtuoso cadenza which he
supplied as if it were biblical truth. Georgian violinist Lisa Batiashvili
instead opts for the rarely-performed cadenza
by Max Reger, which unusually incorporates a prominent part for timpani and is
accompanied by orchestra towards its end. Like her playing which is refined and
musical in the utmost, it makes an elegant and almost anti-virtuoso contrast
from the norm.
After the rambunctious Hungarian-flavoured Rondo
that closes the concerto, the Three
Romances Op.22 by Clara Schumann (widow of Robert Schumann, and close
confidante of Brahms) with piano accompaniment by Alice Sara Ott, are light and
fluffy fillers, like a tagged-on encore. Very pleasant but not memorable, they
bring the playing time to just over a parsimonious 47 minutes. The recorded
sound is soft-focus but pleasant. The final uniting thread of this release:
Batiashvili plays on a 1715 Stradivarius that was once owned by Joachim
himself. Its tone is sweet and light, which adds to the album’s attraction.
3 comments:
Dear Sir, Thanks for your reviews. May I know where to get a copy of the Kogan CD where you are located? Thanks
The Leonid Kogan CD is the latest release from the Hong Kong-based Alpha Omega Sound label. I was sent a review copy CD by the producers, and the CD should be available to be purchased online at MDT Classical: www.mdt.co.uk
All the best!
Hello,
I was so excited to recently find out about this unique recording of Leonid Kogan performing at the SODRE theater. For over a decade I have collected every recording by Leonid Kogan that I have been able to find. He is my violin idol, and I would be thrilled to be able to listen to this concert, particularly Prokofiev's F minor sonata and Bach's Ciaconna. Especially since this is in his golden years ~late 1950s. Is there any way I can order a recording? I would be so excited to have the opportunity to listen.
Thank you,
Christian Perez
Post a Comment