Oboist, composer and
conductor, Heinz Holliger www.schott-music.com/shop/persons/featured/heinz-holliger
continues his survey of the Complete Symphonic Works of Robert Schumann (1810-1856) with Volume
IV that brings us the Violin Concerto in
D minor together with the Piano
Concerto in A minor.
On this new release
from Audite Holliger again conducts the WDR-Sinfonieorchester Köln www1.wdr.de/orchester-und-chor/sinfonieorchester
with soloists Patricia Kopatchinskaja
(violin) http://patriciakopatchinskaja.com
and Dénes Várjon (piano) http://denesvarjon.com
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| CD and HD Download 97.717 |
Schumann’s late Violin
Concerto in D minor, published posthumously in 1938 by Joseph Joachim’s
great niece against the wishes of many, has often received a pretty bad press,
being described as unadventurous and laboured, with occasional moments of
poignant beauty. Yet despite the composer’s mental health at the time of
composition he seemed to be experimenting with new ideas that have only in
recent years become appreciated.
Heinz Holliger brings a brief moment of glowing translucence
to the opening of the first movement marked
Im kräftigen, nicht zu schnellen Tempo before the music rises up, full of
remarkable resilience, weight and fervour with some beguiling quieter moments
before the soloist enters. Patricia Kopatchinskaja brings a sense of
spontaneous discovery in her exquisitely turned questioning and wonderfully
subtle dynamics. She brings some beautifully phrased virtuosic passages with
Holliger and the WDR-Sinfonieorchester bringing a fine weight, finding some
lovely Schumannesque harmonies and sonorities. Towards the middle of the
movement there is a particularly ear catching moment where the soloist and
orchestra have a gentle dialogue, moving through passages of quite remarkable
harmonies between soloist and orchestra. Holliger finds some most sensitively
drawn, hushed passages with some vintage Schumann whilst, along with the
soloist, infusing the music with some most unusual moments.
Langsam has a most
affecting orchestral opening to which the soloist gently brings a lovely theme.
Both soloist and orchestra achieve a wonderful balance as Kopatchinskaja weaves
a lovely line, revealing this as one of Schumann’s finest and most unusual
creations. She finds so many little inflections with this conductor drawing
exquisite playing from the orchestra, leading to a wonderfully hushed passage
before rising for the third movement.
Lebhaft, doch nicht
schnell is rhythmically buoyant with Kopatchinskaja finding the distinctive
rhythmic phrasing needed. There are some very fine incisive orchestral passages
with both soloist and orchestra finding a natural underlying flow and structure.
There are many fine little rhythmic phrases as this soloist leads the music
forward and a lovely gentler passage that leads to the vibrant, beautifully
sprung coda.
This concerto shows just how remarkably individual Schumann
was at this difficult period in his life. If this concerto is to fully gain
acceptance then this may well be the performance to do it. The recording made
in the Philharmonie, Koln, Germany is very fine with the soloist set naturally
within the orchestra.
Schumann’s Piano
Concerto in A Minor, Op. 54, Op. 54 needs no special pleading. Here
soloist, Dénes Várjon finds a considered and thoughtful moment after the crisp
decisive opening of the Allegro
affettuoso from orchestra. With the orchestra he soon develops a faster
flow, rising to some very fine passages. Várjon and Holliger shape the music
very well, finding a taut rapport that lifts this music. There are moments of
refined poetry as well as passages of impressive fluency where the soloist and conductor
really push the music ahead purposefully, bringing a directness of approach. Várjon’s
phrasing brings a fine pulse to the music with a quite wonderfully done cadenza
before a buoyantly sprung coda.
There is a lovely lightness of touch to the Intermezzo. Andantino grazioso with
Holliger and the orchestra providing some lovely rubato, letting the music
really blossom at times whilst this pianist beautifully dovetails his phrases
with the orchestra.
Várjon leaps into a buoyant Allegro vivace bringing a terrific forward propulsion over
Holliger’s fine orchestral flow. Both soloist and orchestra find many fine
subtleties through some very fine rolling piano passages, all the while subtly
developing the music with some particularly fleet and lithe orchestral playing
toward the coda.
This is a particularly musical performance lacking in any
superficial show for virtuosity’s sake. They receive an excellent recording
again from the Philharmonie, Koln and there are excellent booklet notes.
This is a fine addition to this ongoing Schumann cycle.
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