Tchaikovsky Violin Concerto

This was one of the first digital version (the very first?) of Tchaikovsky's violin concerto and remains pretty competitive though perhaps not a first choice. Kremer's playing is surely polished and technically impressive; the phrasing is wonderful and the tone beautiful. Still, it is unfortunately a little short on charm and expressive depth - Tchaikovsky's concerto isn't really the most appropriate vehicle neither for classical restraint nor almost curmudgeonly introspective approaches; it is peripatetic grand drama and passion and heart-on-sleeve through and through and despite Kremer's sweetness of tone he never manages to scale the heights or plunge the emotional abysses of the music.

After his venture into the musical traditions of Eastern Europe (Journey East) and the Baroque soundscapes of J.S. Bach (Bach), violinist Nemanja Radulovic now turns to the Russian master of the Romantic era, Tchaikovsky. Radulovics latest album features new arrangements for strings and piano of the Rococo Variations by Yvan Cassar, recorded with Double Sens, as well as the Violin Concerto, recorded with the Borusan Istanbul Philharmonic Orchestra under the baton of Sascha Goetzel.