Where's the Beef?

 

Who wouldn't want more Sweat and Flesch?

I jest of course, but this is essentially what I want more of in this recording. The metaphor of meat and potatoes comes immediately to mind.

First, this could go for Pablo de Sarasate's music. His is just a stone's throw away from Paganini's concertos. Brilliant violin soloing, with beautiful lyric interludes and bafflingly difficult violin pyrotechnics, are par for the course in his music.

Sarasate does one better than Paganini by leaning into his Spanish heritage in this music. He doesn't seem to overdo it though; there is no exotic percussion or rustic folksiness. My guess is the composer wouldn't want to upstage the violin!

Secondly, when I heard Salvatore Accardo in Max Bruch's concertante extras (paired with his symphonies) and his traversal of Paganini's concertos, I intimated his style was sweat inducing, drawing the listener in through sheer passionate exhaustion.

That is what is missing here. Tianwa Yang, an accomplished violinist by all means, coolly flies over this music with a silvery tone and oodles of technique. Yet she doesn't draw me in to this music as Accardo did with Bruch. If nothing else I want more bow, or more strength if I can't get more of that sweaty feeling.

As with the Leroy Anderson Collection on Naxos I recently surveyed, I am wondering with a runtime of around 50 minutes, if this 4CD set could have been whittled down to 3. We'll see...

But this is a hailed recording all around, and I would be lying if this wasn't an interesting first volume to explore.

A review from 2024

I wouldn’t be surprised if Pablo de Sarasate would have been referred to as the Spanish Paganini or Ole Bull. Apparently, Sarasate’s prowess on violin was akin to the more famous Italian and Nord.

So too, I expect Sarasate probably wrote his concertante works for himself to play. This makes for impressive violin fireworks, even if the orchestral support is a touch ordinary. Compared to Paganini, there are more exotic Spanish nods here, even if Sarasate doesn’t go overboard with the percussion.

I have no problem with the fine violin playing from Tianwa Yang. She plays this virtuosic music with skill, and her extra effects, such as pizzicato and harmonics, come off cleanly and securely. I do wish their was more meat behind her sound, for Yang tosses off this music with silvery elegance instead of sweaty, Mediterranean passion. She opens the famous Zigeunerweisen with some strength, but never returns; thus we get this lovely collection of rare Sarasate music, but not its heart or soul yet, I think.

But still, I look forward to the next volume of Sarasate’s concertante music from Naxos, Izquierdo, and Yang.

Listen on YouTube

 

Works
Zigeunerweisen (8.57)
Spanish Airs (9.46)
Miramar (3.55)
Peteneras (7.10)
Nocturne Serenade (6.23)
Viva Seville! (7.48)
Fantasie on La Dame Blanche (9.39)

Performers
Tianwa Yang, violin
Navarra Symphony Orchestra
Ernest Martínez Izquierdo , conductor

Label: Naxos
Year: 2009
Total Timing: 53.46

 

 

More meat! More Sweat!

Not everyone needs to be Accardo, but with little to choose from in some of these rare selections, one can wish, can't they?

 

 

 

 

 

 

Find more Sarasate recordings HERE!