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Review by beardawgs January 14, 2005 (20 of 20 found this review helpful)
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Performance:  Sonics: |
This disc arrived in the same batch of new violin concerto recordings with Mutter (Tchaikovsky/Korngold) and Hann (Elgar), and it has already spent more time the player then the two above mentioned ladies combined. While Hann is ok but unremarkable and Mutter outrageously self-absorbed, Julia Fischer strikes the cord perfectly. This all Russian programme is well executed and even better programmed – rarely available Khachaturian and Glazunov in such a glorious recording are the SACD treat of the season.
Ms Fischer is a new name for us, and she is definitely one to watch. Her tone has a plenty of personality, her touch might be light but it doesn’t lack expression and most importantly she doesn’t over perform the rest of the orchestra. She copes perfectly with the lyrical demands of Khachaturian’s slow movement and effortlessly moves on to dance-like bravura of the finale. Orchestra and the conductor play an equal role in the performance, and the musical reminders of the composer’s more popular works (notably Spartacus in the slow movement) are never too far away.
Glazunov’s lyricism is of a different sort – this is a single movement piece with opening Moderato serving as a long introduction with uninterrupted violin line leading straight into the central Adagio, a sort of late romantic symphonic picture with violin obligato. Violin floats among woodwinds and strings all the way through, and apart from the brief cadenza orchestra and the soloist are swapping and developing each other’s ideas. And not just musically, but in terms of phrasing and expression, until the whole thing just erupts in a glorious folk music inspired Allegro finale. Virtuosity a plenty on offer, all of it executed with great precision and subtlety.
A hard nut to crack, Prokofiev’s first is more about the mood and meaning than hitting the right notes. Fischer’s tone grows darker and darker, her confidence just teams from every line and her musical authority is undeniable. The closing pages of the first movement with high strings and harp have the solo violin incorporated in a complete sound picture so perfectly in a way that I’ve never heard before. Customary transparent recording from Pentatone helps a lot, while the utterly barbaric Scherzo has some impressive dynamic outbursts. Ferocious tempo here sounds just right, while the soloist explores some more unusual colours of her instrument to a great effect.
The recording, spacious, dynamic and natural, as ever from this source, has the solo violin placed naturally within the orchestra. Such a diverse program and hypnotic quality of Fischer’s performing personality keep us coming back to this disc more than we ever expected. How about Shostakovich, Prokofiev two and Stravinsky for the second volume?
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Review by nickc September 21, 2005 (10 of 10 found this review helpful)
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My first Julia Fischer disc but definitely not my last! A full-blooded collection of Russian violin concertos all different in their own ways - the Khachaturian sinuous and dolorous, the Prokofiev spiky and magical and the Glazunov with a sort of faded fin-de-siecle charm.
I'd never heard the Khachaturian and immediately in the first movement we have a galloping motif that just gets the beat racing and the toes tapping! A lovely, dolorous slow moevment with duets with the woodwind then another energetic movement for the finale - great, undemanding (to listen- not to play!)stuff!
With the Prokofiev we have one of the great 20th. century concerti and Fischer is fully up to the task - what a barbaric scherzo and, as Beardawgs has correctly said, what a lovely floating cantabile violin at the end of the 1st. movement!
The Glazunov is not on the same inspired level as the Prokofiev as a piece but is has some lovley melodies and can be regarded as a fantastic bonus - the disc runs for 79.24!
Fischer is balanced closely but her playing astounds. Don't forget Yakov Kriezberg who is really making a name for himself as a conductor and succesfully deliniates the differing characters of these 3 concerti.
The sound is magnificent, full-blooded, up-close, just how I like it.
Highly recommended.
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