Shostakovich Concertos Kremer Mullova

Russian-born Viktoria Mullova is a violinist primarily known for her great virtuosity and a wide-ranging repertory that includes many crossover pieces.

Anticipating the ultimate judgements of posterity can be a risky business, and yet in the case of Shostakovich concertos I'll risk putting my neck on the line by proclaiming the First Violin Concerto greater than the Second, and the Second Cello Concerto greater than the First.

Arabella Steinbacher has previously released a number of recordings on the Orfeo label, with both Shostakovich concertos, and those by Berg, Beethoven, Khatchaturian and Milhaud already under her belt. She now appears on the SACD specialist Pentatone label, perhaps taking over the baton from Julia Fischer after her move to Decca.

Gidon Kremer, instead of coupling the Shostakovich Second Concerto with its natural partner, No. 1, enterprisingly chooses a concerto which Shostakovich labelled as his own Op. 129, but which in fact confusingly enough is Schumann's Op. 129. This is a novelty on two counts. Not only does it bring us Shostakovich's orchestration of the work, aiming to improve on Schumann's own, but for the first time to my knowledge puts on disc Schumann's violin version of his cello concerto. Shostakovich's aim in renovating the orchestration with changes predominating in the tuttis was to improve the work for his protege, Rostropovich.

Like much of Shostakovich's music following his heart attack in 1966, the Second Concerto is a work of shadows and dark introspection. The musical substance bears hallmarks of his later style: obsessive, cryptic motifs, repeated rhythmic cells, and concentration on particular intervals, notably the semitones and perfect fourths proclaimed at the outset. Also, as in the two cello concerti, the solo horn emerges in this work as an important protagonist in the drama.

Following the success of her discs of Romantic and Late Romantic repertoire, Vilde Frang has recorded Mozart’s Concertos Nos. 1 and 5 ‘Turkish’ and the Sinfonia Concertante K364, enabling music lovers to hear the Norwegian violinist perform Classical repertoire on disc for the first time. The impetus for this album was a 2012 orchestral tour of Asia conducted by Jonathan Cohen in which Vilde performed Mozart’s Violin Concerto No. 5. The vibrancy of their musical collaboration was something both artists were keen to repeat and commit to disc. Jonathan’s Cohen’s chamber orchestra, Arcangelo, proved the ideal partner, joined by violist Maxim Rysanov in the Sinfonia Concertante.

Antonio Vivaldi - Viktoria Mullova & Giuliano Carmignola - Double Concertos
EAC+LOG+CUE | FLAC: 313 MB | Full Artwork | 5% Recovery Info
Label/Cat#: Archiv Produktion # 477 7466 | Country/Year: Europe 2008
Genre: Classical | Style: Baroque

…Mullova and Carmignola provide one of the most consummate displays of period instrument playing that I have heard. True masters of their instruments.

Antonio Vivaldi - Viktoria Mullova & Giuliano Carmignola - Double Concertos
EAC+LOG+CUE | FLAC: 313 MB | Full Artwork | 5% Recovery Info
Label/Cat#: Archiv Produktion # 477 7466 | Country/Year: Europe 2008
Genre: Classical | Style: Baroque

…Mullova and Carmignola provide one of the most consummate displays of period instrument playing that I have heard. True masters of their instruments.