Saint-Saëns - Chausson - Ysaÿe

Album review

The elevation of the violin to celebrity status in the music of 19th century France and Belgium owes its thanks to the unique inspiration generated between composers and performing virtuosos. This aeon disc shows one such connection with the Introduction & Rondo capriccioso and Third Violin Concerto of Saint-Saëns who wrote for the great Spanish violinist Pablo de Sarasate as well as the "Poème" of Ernest Chausson. Chausson dedicated his work to the legendary artist Eugène Ysaÿe, whose Poème élégiaque is also on the program. Characterized by equal parts fiery virtuosity and sensual lyricism, all of the works on this program tend to be crowd favorites and an ideal way for a violinist to showcase both his/her technical and musical skills. Violinist Tedi Papavrami does just that. Accompanied by the Orchestre Philharmonique de Liège Wallonie Bruxelles under François-Xavier Roth, Papavrami strikes an ideal balance between seduction and precision, never sappy, never rigid. His tone is warm and enveloping from the open G string to the heights of the E string. Vibrato is intense but not overdone, as is rubato. Papavrami technical skills are also more than ample to dazzle his audiences. The orchestra, whose parts in all of these works is almost entirely accompanimental, provides a sensitive, well-balanced backdrop for Papavrami.

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