HAYDN
Double Concerto in F, for violin, piano and strings HobXVIII 6
Violin Concerto in G HobVIIa : 4
Violin Concerto in C Hob.
VIIa:1.
European Union Chamber orchestra,
Adelina Oprean (violin/director)
Justin Oprean (piano).
Hyperion Helios CDH55007
(DDD)
(60.18)
Crotchet
I was very pleased with Adelina Oprean's disc of concertos by
Fiorillo and Viotti that I approached
this disc with great expectation. I have listened to it six times and am
still disappointed and confused.
The problems stem from the violinist being the director and/or the quality
of recorded sound. For example, the Double Concerto does not sound like a
Double Concerto. Unless you concentrate really hard you will think that it
is a keyboard concerto. The solo violin is often so distant that it is
unimportant. While accepting that many baroque/classical concertos for these
two instruments favoured the piano, as did early sonatas which were called
sonata for piano and violin, the balance is too remote. Had a conductor been
present things may have been different. The pianist is very dominant and
the whole work is spoiled for me by this imbalance.
In the finale of the Violin Concerto in G you could be excused for believing
that the soloist has gone home. The music is fine and the vigorous attack
is to be complemented but the soloist, where is she? She seems to be playing
in tutti passages for most of the time and she is swamped again.
If you can forget the title concerto you can enjoy this music and the
performances but, in a day when these concertos are not widely known we do
need a more compelling and orthodox account of them.
David Wright
Performances
Recording
