Beethoven : Violin Concerto & Romances 1 & 2

Album review

It's a bit surprising that violinist Midori, whose repertory falls squarely in the mainstream, for the most part, waited until 2020 to record her first reading of the Beethoven Violin Concerto in D major, Op. 61. However, listeners will find it worth the wait. Her reading is well-considered and distinctive. Her notes give an idea of what is to come: she emphasizes the fantasy-like qualities of the score, taking a deliberate approach that avoids sweeping virtuosity. Midori does run counter to type, but her playing is coherent and makes sense. It may be the first movement, relatively consistent in tempo and lacking grand gestures even in the Fritz Kreisler cadenza, that will be most difficult for many listeners to accept, but Midori's method becomes clearer in the slow movement, where her relaxed performance blooms into an intense, even revelatory lyricism. The finale is also very strong, with a wonderfully light and lively treatment of the main theme. In Midori's hands, the two rarely performed Romances for violin and orchestra take on new weight as they show elements in common with the violin concerto. Midori is sensitively accompanied by the Lucerne Festival Strings under Daniel Dodds in a generally modest-sized performance that corresponds well to her aims, and the sound from the KKL Luzern Concert Hall is ideal.

© TiVo