by Jason Tan

Maxim Vengerov has been touted as one of the most exciting young violinist of our time. Born in 1974, he had already performed with many world-renowned conductors and leading orchestras by the time he made this remarkable recording. It is no surprise that the expectations for every recording he makes are very high. He responded in this recording with tremendous confidence and authority, aided by a most remarkable instrument, the 1727 "Reynier" Stradivarius. The multi-talented Mstislav Rostropovich, famous for his cello talents, leads the world-class London Symphony Orchestra in this Russian extravaganza. All these elements combine to make this a brilliant recording. It was not only voted "Best Concerto Recording", but also "Record of the Year" by Gramophone magazine.

These two 20th century violin concertos are not as popular with the general public as compared to the standard pieces in the genre. However they are indeed masterpieces in their own right. The beautiful warm and full-bodied tone of the "Reynier" captures my attention right from the beginning. Vengerov proves to be a master with it, showing great versatility and coaxing the most out of the Strad. The thing that impresses me the most is how he maintains a fine balance between being one with the music, and yet never become overwhelmed or self-indulgent.

Even in the most frenzied of passages, Vengerov, armed with flawless technique, is always in control. He shows great maturity and musical understanding by his clearly defined phrasing. He rises above mere virtuosity, and uses his fantastic skills to convey the very essence of the music. Listening to him is a musical journey, full of discovery, excitement and adventure. The unmistakable Russian violinistic tradition is most appropriate for these two great Russian works.

Prokofiev wrote his First Violin Concerto in 1916-17. As intended to be, this concerto is refreshingly light and innovative. In the first movement, the subtle and well-controlled entry by the strings, led by Rostropovich, creates a whole tapestry of mellow colours for Vengerov to weave his music upon. The sweet tone of his violin is full of character and inner strength. The London Symphony Orchestra shows wonderful control in volume and tone, faithfully supporting its soloist.

The clarity of Vengerov's phrasing is exquisite. He exploits the deep tone of the lower registers of the Strad and combined with his energy and vitality, the musical nuances in the theme are fully shown. Vengerov plays with such concentration and conviction that it is difficult not be persuaded. Towards the end, Vengerov graciously allows the orchestra to take over, providing a well-controlled support, which I felt could be even softer.

The second movement is a Scherzo, which literally means a joke. Vengerov displays his impeccable virtuosity and uses glissandi to create a grotesque mesh of sounds. Good control of the bow allows him to conjure gross metallic effects. Rostropovich and the LSO are in fine form, moving together with the soloist all the time. A flurry of winds ends the movement; however one would have hoped for an even faster and vigorous scherzo. Isaac Stern for example does a magnificent job in this aspect, even though his intonation may not be as accurate as Vengerov's.

After listening to Vengerov's version many more times, I've come to realize that perhaps Vengerov opted to take it at that particular tempo in order to tease out the musical aspects of the Scherzo, which definitely comes though with much fervour. However I feel that a more emotional and lively outburst would be more satisfying, the composer having himself marked "vivacissimo" for the Scherzo.

The third movement is surprisingly delicate and pleasant. The wonderful orchestration combined with a sweet and unassuming tone of the violin ends this very listenable concerto. The music is pure and honest, with no hidden agenda. Beginners to this 20th century music will find this a joy of an introduction.

Shostakovich's First Violin Concerto is very different from Prokofiev's counterpart. Unusually long (about 40 minutes) and with four movements (something not common in the genre), this highly intellectual work is full of hidden codes. The composer used this concerto to convey his indignation at the Russian government at that time and also his defiance of anti-Semetism. The first movement is ironically called "nocturne"; it is gloomy and full of darkness. There is a hint of animosity, even ambivalence.

Vengerov is amazingly lyrical but at the same time subtle, maintaining the contradicting meditative mood. Dynamic changes are well-executed by the Rostropovich and the LSO. However somehow I feel that a certain "Russianness" is lacking from the orchestra. I sense that the conductor is desperately trying to coax the emotional fervour that is so needed from the LSO; however I detect a sense of detachness and aristocracy. This shows how critically important the culture of an orchestra is. A certain friend of mine believes that music is best played by the people of its origin. I can't say that I will go to that extreme, but I do believe that musicians should endeavour to feel and sound as though they belong to that particular culture.

The second movement is yet another Scherzo. This time I fully agree with the tempo. Both soloist and orchestra engage in a playful exchange, with a hint of irony and grotesqueness. The Jewish tune introduced by the violinist is meant to signify a musician who is "forced to play merry tunes though he'd much rather grieve".

The Passacaglia refers to music erected on an ostinato bass, i.e. a repeating theme. The powerful brass announces the heroic theme of the "power motif". It is only here that I can really feel the LSO at home with the noble music. There is no sign of any fakeness or disguise in their playing. Rostropovich (seen here with Shostakovich) maintains a well-balanced tone from the orchestra which shows his great comprehension of the harmonies involved. The result is a highly enjoyable third movement.

Towards the end of the Scherzo, the violinist is left alone with a most intense and beautiful candenza. Being quite a lengthy solo passage, Vengerov carefully plans his strategy revealing a depth of maturity and understanding of the musical messages. I can put it no better than Bernd Feuchtner who says that in this candenza, "virtuosity is transcended, transformed into a profound expressiveness, a measure for the emotional vigour of the performer". Vengerov lives up to that, playing with so much emotion and intensity. This electrifying solo passage links to the final movement, the Burlesque.

"Burlesque" means a "humorous form of entertainment involving an element of parody and exaggeration". But I'm sure no one would be able to laugh at this exhilarating finale. The madness and frenziness of a "system of violence and repression" is convincingly depicted. LSO at last comes alive, providing not just a mere accompaniment for the soloist, but claiming its rightful share of the music. Rostropovich and the LSO do an excellent job by keeping up with the speeding Vengerov, who by this moment, is lost in realm of emotional fervour. The fiery finish marks a most satisfying end to a truly great recording.

These two works, though written by Russian composers at roughly the same time, are distinctly diverse in terms of style and intention. I highly recommend this recording to every serious fan of violin music, not because of the famous personalities involved, but because it is seldom that all the various elements combine so well to make the culture of a piece of music so successfully grasped and proclaimed. For the more conservative listener, these two concerti can challange your impression of 20th century works. They will grow on you the more you listen and unveil the elusive beauty which lies at the root of the music, that which I am still constantly discovering each time I listen to them.

REFERENCES
Oxford Concise Dictionary of Music 4th Ed. Michael Kennedy, ed. Oxford, 1996.
Seuchtndr, Bernd. CD Sleeve notes.

Jason Tan thinks that Kennedy sounds brilliant... only when he doesn't sound himself.

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6xx: 5.3.2000 �Jason Tan

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