VENGEROV &
VIRTUOSI
RACHMANINOV: Vocalise
PONCE: Estrellita
BRAHMS: Hungarian Dances Nos. 7,1,5
NOVÁCEK: Perpetuum Mobile
DVORÁK: Humoreske No. 7
TCHAIKOVSKY: Souvenir d'un lieu cher
SCHUBERT: Ave Maria
BAZZINI: La Ronde des Lutins
KHACHATURIAN: Sabre Dance
MASSENET: Méditation
MONTI: Csárdás
 Maxim Vengerov (violin)
Virtuosi (11 violins)
Vag Papian (piano)
(Live recording, Grosser Musikvereinsaal, Vienna 28-30th April
2001) |
 |
EMI CDC5
57164 2 [68:59]
Crotchet
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This is an agreeable (cynics might say gimmicky) concert of popular
items showing off the virtuoso talents of EMI's star violinist Maxim Vengerov
in the spontaneity of a live concert.
The 11 Virtuosi is a unique alliance of eleven accomplished violinists -
chiefly Russian - together with pianist Vag Papian, who has rapidly risen
to prominence in Israeli cultural life. The booklet notes tell us that the
history of the violin ensemble runs deep in Russia. For example, Joseph Szigeti
recounted performances with the conductorless Persimfans Symphonic
Ensemble in his book With Strings Attached. Also, known in the West,
through occasional recordings, were the legendary Violins of the
Bolshoi.
The blend and balance of Vengerov and the Virtuosi is beautifully controlled
and the ensemble deliver sweet and beguiling performances of the quieter
and more romantic items, like Rachmaninov's Vocalise and Massenet's
Méditation. There are thrilling readings of showpieces like
Bazzini's La Ronde des Lutins, Novácek's Perpetuum Mobile,
Khachaturian's Sabre Dance and Monti's Csárdás
with its bird twittering effects that enthuse the audience. One or two items,
like Ponce's Estrellita come under that category "I know that tune,
now what's it called…" The most substantial piece, sensitively transcribed
for the expanded forces and delicately played is Tchaikovsky's Souvenir
d'un lieu cher (Three pieces for Violin and Piano)
The purists may scorn but this is a nice diverting hour of easy listening,
an unashamedly popular concert performed with plenty of bravado and sensitivity
by virtuoso players.
Grace Barber and Ian Lace
Terry Barfoot has also listened to this disc
This is a collection of encore items, recorded live at the Vienna Musikverein,
before a particularly well behaved audience. Only once or twice does their
excitement boil over into uncontrolled gasps of appreciation. At the end
of Monti's Czardas there is a veritable explosion of appreciative
applause.
This an enjoyable, well planned programme. Vengerov is always at the centre
of it, but the skilful arrangements by Mikhail Parhamovsky, the leader of
the Israeli ensemble Virtuosi (a group of ten violinists) always suit the
music well enough. Add to that the sensitive and, when necessary, robust,
piano accompaniments of Vag Papian, and there is talent in abundance on display.
The EMI recording is particularly successful in balancing the requirements
of the music in relation to this somewhat unusual ensemble. While Vengerov
is favoured he is never larger than life, and the pyrotechnics are able to
make their impact in a natural way. For example, Bazzini's Scherzo and
Khachaturian's Sabre Dance set out to astonish, and astonish they
do. On the other hand, a highlight of the programme is the most substantial
piece, the three-movement suite by Tchaikovsky entitled Souvenir d'un
lieu cher. Here Vengerov brings a rich vein of lyricism to the
performance, ably supported by his colleagues.
There is no question that Maxim Vengerov is one of the great violinists,
worthy of the legacy of Oistrakh, Heifetz and Kreisler. This programme captures
him at the peak of his form, though as ever with a continuous stream of short
'encore' items, no matter how fine they are individually the effect of the
whole sequence adds up to rather less than the sum of the parts. On CD it
is best to listen selectively.
Terry Barfoot
But Marc Bridle is distinctly
less happy having attended the live performance
