ROMANTIC VIOLIN CONCERTOS.
FIORILLO Concerto no. 1 in F;
VIOTTI Concerto no. 13 in A minor.
Adelina Oprean (violin) European
Chamber Orchestra, Jorg Faerber.
Hyperion Helios CDH55062
(DDD)
(46.29)
Crotchet
This is a delightful disc. I cannot see why the concertos are called romantic,
though. They are baroque/classical.
The minor problem is that listening to the Fiorillo, one feels that one has
heard this all before. Mind you, it is a lovely piece with Mozartian elegance
and super hunting horn sounds. It is very fresh in sound and hugely enjoyable.
Federigo Fiorillo was born in Germany in 1755 and his date of death
is uncertain. It is thought to be after 1823. He travelled extensively and
wrote much music for the violin some of which may be well known to students
today. Apparently he wrote four violin concertos.
The concerto here is in three movements with an opening allegro
moderato, a sublime larghetto and a rondo
finale in the polonaise style with a catchy theme.
It is well worth hearing. It is a good piece.
Giovanni Battista Viotti was born in 1755 and also travelled extensively
earning his living as a soloist. He was a remarkable violinist who moved
away from the affected style of playing to a brilliant style
. He was a sensation in Paris for about
eighteen months until Marie Antoinette called for his services at Versailles.
He wrote 23 violin concertos and no less a figure than Brahms admired them
particularly number 22.
Violin Concerto no. 13 in A is a fine piece. Like the Fiorillo it may not
be overtly original yet it is also very enjoyable and all his concertos should
be available. I played one of his Piano Concertos many years ago. The opening
movement is brilliant in style, the Andante
has a feelings of a French romance and the work ends with a minuet which,
as I have said before, seems an unsuitable movement to end a concerto with.
Nonetheless it is very entertaining and beautifully played. Like Karl Munchinger
before him, Jorg Faerber has done excellent service to early music and I
admire the vigour he brings to the music.
The soloist is Rumanian by birth and she has a gorgeous tone and clearly
an excellent sense of musicianship. She studied with the legendary Sandor
Vegh and I shall now investigate her performances of the Haydn concertos
with great enthusiasm.
A splendid disc.
This is how all baroque and classical concertos should be played.
David Wright
Performances
Recording
