From Bow to String

Album review

A clever title to an album can, at times, be a welcome addition. When it's so clever, however, that no one can figure out exactly to what it's referring, then it largely defeats the purpose. Such is the case with Navona Records' From Bow to String, an album featuring Juilliard and Manhattan School of Music colleagues Karen Dreyfus (viola) and Glenn Dicterow (violin). Given the instrumentation, it's little surprise that the two would choose to perform Mozart's magnificent Sinfonia concertante. What's a little surprising is the orchestra with whom they chose to perform: the Warsaw National Philharmonic Orchestra. Dreyfus herself notes in the liner notes that the orchestra "had just started to familiarize themselves with the pieces along with the styles of Mozart…." Really? A national symphony that is only just beginning to address Mozart? Upon listening, Dreyfus' point can be heard. The Warsaw Philharmonic is an able-bodied ensemble, but its execution of Mozart is rather heavy-handed and weighty and it often seems to be lagging behind the spryer, more energetic soloists. Dreyfus also joins the Warsaw Philharmonic for Walton's Viola Concerto, an indispensable addition to the instrument's repertoire. Dreyfus performs with agility, passion, and precision. The orchestra, though technically proficient, does not seem to completely connect with the soloist and often plays far too loudly and heavily for a viola concerto.
© TiVo