Tension 1949

Few chamber music groups have as proud a history as the Smetana Quartet, or a history that evokes as much nationalistic passion. Founded during the Nazi occupation of Czechoslovakia, the group's very existence was an anomaly during an era when any manifestation of Czech nationalism was outlawed. They survived into the post-Nazi era, and went on to an acclaimed international performing career, making some of the finest chamber music recordings of the 1950s and 1960s…

This is one of the mere handful of great recordings of the Sibelius violin concerto. Not that there aren't many contestants in the field; in fact, it seems that almost every modern violin virtuoso wants to record the Sibelius, and perhaps this isn't surprising, since it's one of the Big Five (along with the Beethoven, Brahms, Mendelssohn, and Tchaikovsky) major violin concertos.

Je marche un peu, histoire de briser ma tension nerveuse. Mais c'est une coriace que cette tension-là ! Une seconde cigarette ne l'entame pas davantage. Au contraire, j'ai l'impression qu'elle est toute prête à se rompre… Je jette un coup de saveur à ma breloque ; voilà près de deux heures qu'elle est rentrée dans la carrée, Elia… Et celle-ci demeure aussi inerte et silencieuse qu'auparavant. Il n'y a toujours qu'une fenêtre éclairée… Et quand je dis éclairée, j'exagère… Simplement on décèle une lueur… Que fabrique-t-elle derrière cette façade croulante ?