Max BRUCH (1838-1920)
Violin Concerto No. 1 in g Op.26 [26:09]
Felix MENDELSSOHN-BARTHOLDY (1809-1847)
Violin Concerto in e Op.64 [29:10]
Shlomo Mintz (violin)
Chicago Symphony Orchestra/Claudio Abbado
rec. 1980, venue not specified
PENTATONE PTC5186208 SACD [55:23]
The Russian-born Israeli violinist Shlomo Mintz made his concert
debut with the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra at the tender age of 11. Shortly
after, he stepped in to perform Paganini’s First Violin Concerto when
Itzhak Perlman fell ill, and made his Carnegie Hall debut at the age of 16.
An extensive European tour in 1977 established his international reputation
and a series of recordings for Deutsche Grammophon followed. The first album
to be released, when the violinist was aged 23, was this 1980 recording of
the Mendelssohn and Bruch violin concertos, with Claudio Abbado conducting
the Chicago Symphony Orchestra. The original quadraphonic release has now
been fully re-mastered and issued on CD by Pentatone. The couplings of short
pieces by Kreisler have been removed from the original LP compilation and
the playing time of 55 minutes isn’t very generous by CD standards.
Pentatone has managed the transfer very well.
The solo playing by Mintz is immaculate and the orchestra plays beautifully
for Abbado but there is something strangely unsatisfying about the whole thing.
The orchestral recording is bright by the usual DG standards and just about
avoids becoming fierce in the loudest passages. The solo violin is placed
so far forward that some orchestral detail is lost. Mintz sails through the
spotlight test with some ease but as a listening experience the huge violin
image soon becomes tiring. At least the sound of the violin is attractive,
with no ugly scrapes or rough edges.
Immaculate technique and perfect intonation are all well and good but music
needs to offer much more than that to connect with the listener. In his attempt
to be note-perfect Mintz sounds nervous and laboured. The opening passage
of the Bruch is so ponderous that you wonder if the soloist is just scared
to death of making a mistake. There is no spontaneity, it sounds mechanical.
Some of the interpretative touches along the way also sound contrived. The
glorious Adagio doesn’t disappoint but it rarely fails to be
honest. The Finale has patches of brilliance and some lovely G string
tone but in other places the tendency to play safe comes back to the surface.
Just like the Bruch, the Mendelssohn also opens a little ponderously. The
glorious second subject sounds overdone and fussy and it misses the legato
flow that you get in the finest versions. The Adagio is nicely done
and here we do get a true legato. Maybe the young soloist had relaxed at this
point and forgotten that he was making a record for posterity. The Finale
is neat and tidy but lacks the fire and forward momentum you would expect
in a live performance.
This is an early glimpse of a great violinist in the making. Everything is
there except for relaxation and spontaneity in the studio environment. Despite
the immaculate playing the spirit of the music has eluded him. I’m sorry
that I can’t be more enthusiastic.
John Whitmore
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