Niccolo PAGANINI (1782-1840)
Violin Concerto No.1 in D Op.6 [33:48]
Caprice No.1 [2:04]
Caprice No.2 [3:08]
Introduction and Variations on the Opera “La Molinara” by
Paisiello Op.38 [11:50]
Maria Solozobova (violin)
Cape Philharmonic Orchestra/Nicholas Cleobury
rec. City Hall, Cape Town 2012 (concerto) and Hardstudios Switzerland
ANTES EDITION BM319287 [51:12]
Maria Solozobova was born in Moscow and now lives
in Switzerland. Her talent was evident as a child and at the age of
ten she won first prize in Russia's most prestigious national music
competition. After attending Moscow's Gnessin School of Music for gifted
children, she continued her musical education at the Tchaikovsky Conservatory
in Moscow and with Professor Zakhar Bron at Zurich University of Music
and Drama. She completed her studies with Professor Raphael Oleg at
the Basel Music Academy. Solozobova was appointed leader of the Orchestre
de la Suisse Romande even before finishing her work at the Academy.
She has won several prestigious international music competitions, for
instance the Johannes Brahms Competition in Austria (first prize and
special audience price 2000), the W. A. Mozart Competition in Zurich
(first prize 2005), the Tibor Varga Competition and the Rodolfo Lipizer
Prize.
Some people can get a bit snooty about the Paganini - and others in
a similar vein - but there’s no doubting its tunefulness or sense
of fun. Solozobova is clearly a wonderful player. She tackles the Paganini
concerto with great flair and affection. Her tone is golden - especially
beautiful in the lower register - and she rarely shows any stress even
in those manic virtuoso passages of rapid finger work, hellish harmonics
and double stopping. All the technical difficulties are despatched with
nonchalant ease. The first movement cadenza is superb. That said, this
is probably one of those discs that I will not return to very often
but that’s nothing to do with the playing of the soloist. The
performance is taken from a live concert in City Hall, Cape Town. As
such this would be a fine souvenir for those people in attendance on
the night but for outsiders you have to put this into context with other
recordings available on the market. The orchestral playing is enthusiastic
and polished, putting a few minor blemishes to one side. These slight
slips in ensemble are only to be expected in a live concert and the
soloist is for the most part very secure. The central section of the
last movement (the sul G passage) is less than stellar in terms of intonation
but that’s the only real criticism to be made of the violinist.
Unfortunately the whole venture is let down by the recording. I have
no idea what this hall in Cape Town actually sounds like in the flesh
but the engineers have captured something akin to a large swimming baths.
The orchestra is awash with reverberation. The soloist can be heard
clearly enough but it’s impossible to pin her down. The soundstage
isn’t very stable and there are times when the violin appears
to come out of both speakers in double mono.
To compound the issue still further the couplings offer a measly total
of 51 minutes playing time. This would have been fine in the old days
of vinyl but in the CD era ranks as quite unacceptable. The two caprices
are brilliantly played as is the rather inconsequential Introduction
and Variations but the studio-bound recording of these fillers is
close, airless and boxy. This does no justice whatsoever to Ms Solozobova’s
playing and she certainly deserves better than this. Indeed the Introduction
and Variations is breathtaking in its execution and demonstrates
without doubt what a truly virtuoso player she is. It’s quite
a firework display.
There are plenty of versions around to choose from when it comes to
the concerto. The 1958 Columbia LP of Leonid Kogan with the Paris Conservatoire
Orchestra is still a personal favourite. The Naxos coupling of the first
and second concertos is fine value for money with some magnificent playing
by Ilya Kaler captured in natural sound. Those looking for a real bargain
should search out the complete concertos on Brilliant Classics. This
3 CD set features the stunning Alexandre Dubach as soloist and the recording
(originally by Claves) is bright and detailed.
I hope that future recordings by Maria Solozobova are supported by improved
engineering and more generous couplings. I’m sorry I can’t
be more enthusiastic.
John Whitmore
