Sibelius: Violin Concerto & Bruch: Violin Concerto 1

 

Suffice to say, if you want the Violin Concerto in D minor by Jean Sibelius to be all heart alongside throbbing Romanticisms, this recording will do nicely.

While many point to Leonard Bernstein as the impetus of this performance, I detect it is actually Zino Francescatti pushing forward more often than not. That said, both offer a thrilling reading of the work.

Of course, one will need to come to terms with an older style of violin tone. There is nothing silvery or lithe coming from the instrument of Francescatti; his is a solidly-built tone with plenty of vibrato, really laying it on thick at the most sentimental portions. This is buoyed by the New York Philharmonic under Bernstein, who is pliable with tempos and dynamic range.

The Columbia recording brings forward the winds of the orchestra in an engaging way, allowing the violin solo to really interact with the ensemble. The first movement is rather rough and tumble under these players, taking no prisoners as they make their circuit through Sibelius' minor key.

Francescatti's fuller tone makes the second movement less delicately coquettish, with more soppy heaving. The thick orchestrations allow the music to hold up to such a firm approach, although I could imagine some wanting the music more rhapsodic and gentle.

The galop to the end of Sibelius' Violin Concerto keeps things moody, where Bernstein is plenty colorful and punchy for the finale. Francescatti handles all of the virtuoso elements in stride, always maintaining his solid tone. The recorded balance has the violin and orchestra on an unusually equal level, and I like it. Often, the solo instrument is so far to the front, it sounds as if two performing entities never meet together, but here the scales are nicely even.

I mentioned the feeling of Bernstein and Francescatti moving forward in an exciting way, yet this is not to a Heifetz level, where this team comes in two minutes slower than that violinist's stereo recording. Really, a terrific choice for the Sibelius Violin Concerto!

Truth be told, I may like Max Bruch's Violin Concerto no. 1 in G minor a little more than the Sibelius concerto. This may be due to familiarity, as I don't visit the Sibelius all too often.

I do particularly like the heavy trudging of the opening movement here, the second movement coming off a little plain-Jane in comparison. Has anyone noticed the motive in the second half of the slow movement sounding an awfully lot like one from Richard Strauss' Alpine Symphony? It is one of those musical ideas I can't un-hear whenever it appears. I also really enjoy the main theme of the third movement, one which has a celebratory Italianate quality. It is contrasted by a slow downward octave leap, another reminder of Strauss to my mind, although less specific compared to what I mentioned before.

Overall, I don't think conductor Thomas Schippers creates the same magic Bernstein did with Francescatti. The New York Philharmonic, on the other hand, is on their top game nonetheless, delivering a strong performance.

Otherwise, I feel this is a middle-of-the-road reading of the Bruch. The recordings I have held onto of this work is that of Isaac Stern with Eugene Ormandy, Itzhak Perlman and André Previn, and Salvatore Accardo with Kurt Masur, all performances I enjoy revisiting for one reason or another.

 

 

 

 

Works
Jean Sibelius
    Violin Concerto in D minor, op. 47 (28.26)
Max Bruch
    Violin Concerto in G minor, op. 26 (22.29)

Soloists
Zino Francescatti, violin

Performers
New York Philharmonic Orchestra
Leonard Bernstein, conductor
Thomas Schippers, conductor

Label: Columbia / Sony
Year: 1962-63; 2015
Total Timing: 50.55