Barber, Bruch

by Esther Yoo, Vasily Petrenko, Royal Philharmonic Orchestra

Overview

There is no shortage of recordings of the music on this album; the Bruch Violin Concerto in G minor, Op. 26, in particular, is one of the most often recorded violin works in the classical canon. However, this one is a standout in several ways. Start with the presence of Adagio appassionato for violin and orchestra, Op. 57, of Bruch, who pleaded with performers to play some of his other violin-and-orchestra works; it is lovely and not often heard. The grand finale is the Souvenir d'Amerique, Variations on "Yankee Doodle," Op. 17, to which Esther Yoo gives an appropriate level of over-the-topness. Yet this just serves to point up the careful approach Yoo brings to the two big concertos. There is a flavor of swinging for the fences here; Yoo (and really the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, with which she collaborates here for the first time) is not a household name, but she stretches herself to the limit here with impressive results. Consider the famed opening of the Bruch concerto, where she takes a deliberate, operatic approach that contrasts with the raw brilliance of readings from the violin golden age. She is capable of brilliance aplenty as well; her top register rings throughout this concerto as few others do, but she doesn't let the concerto turn into a wave of schmaltz. In the Barber concerto, she switches gears completely, moving into a warm, lyrical mode. It is a rewarding recording that will reveal new things on multiple hearings, and it has a rare quality of personal involvement from the violinist. Deutsche Grammophon's engineers make a strong case for Henry Wood Hall as the most acoustically interesting of London's major venues. ~ James Manheim

Product Details

Release Date:	06/30/2023
Label:	Deutsche Grammophon
UPC:	0028948584154
Rank:	185955

Tracks

1. Concerto for Violin and Orchestra No. 1 in G minor, Op. 26~I. Vorspiel: Allegro moderato - attacca
2. Concerto for Violin and Orchestra No. 1 in G minor, Op. 26~II. Adagio
3. Concerto for Violin and Orchestra No. 1 in G minor, Op. 26~III. Finale: Allegro energico
4. Adagio Appassionato Op. 57 for Violin and Orchestra
5. Concerto for Violin and Orchestra Op. 14~I. Allegro
6. Concerto for Violin and Orchestra Op. 14~II. Andante
7. Concerto for Violin and Orchestra Op. 14~III. Presto in moto perpetuo
8. Yankee Doodle (Souvenir d'Amérique) Op. 17 for Violin and Orchestra

Album Credits

Performance Credits

Esther Yoo   Primary Artist,Violin
Vasily Petrenko   Primary Artist,Conductor
Royal Philharmonic Orchestra   Primary Artist,Orchestra

Technical Credits

Jonathan Stokes   Engineer
Christopher Alder   Producer
Henri Vieuxtemps   Composer
Jewon Kim   Cover Photo,Photography
Dong-jun Lee   Design
Frances Marshall   Photography
Max Bruch   Composer
Samuel Barber   Composer
Jed Distler   Liner Notes