Naxos as part of their
continuing series the Violin Virtuoso
Composers have released a new recording
devoted to the virtually forgotten Moravian-born
composer Heinrich Wilhelm Ernst. The
issue comprises five works for violin
and orchestra, all cast in a single
movement, including two quasi violin
concertos: the Concertino, Op. 12 and
the Concerto Pathétique,
Op. 23.
Ernst’s compositions
were predominantly intended for his
own use like many of those of his fellow
virtuoso composers, such as Joseph Joachim,
Giovanni Viotti, Ferdinand David, Henri
Vieuxtemps, Camillo Sivori, Henryk Wieniawski
and Niccolò Paganini. In line
with the custom of the day it is likely
that Ernst would not allow the tyranny
of the written page and would feel free
to improvise and adapt his own scores
and those of others.
Performing as a virtuoso
for the vast majority of his life, predominantly
around Europe and also Russia, Ernst
is now largely forgotten as a composer.
In his day he was held in great esteem,
rather like the stars of popular music
today, and was acclaimed by no less
than Joseph Joachim who stated that,
"Ernst was the greatest violinist
I have heard; he towered above all others."
He was praised by luminaries such as
Berlioz and Mendelssohn, appearing on
the concert platform several times with
the latter and also with Paganini.
The first score here
is the Fantaisie Brillante sur la
Marche et la Romance d'Otello de Rossini
is known as the Othello Fantasy.
It uses themes from Rossini’s three
act opera Otello (1816). The
Concerto Pathétique is
a substantial work and carries a dedication
to fellow violinist Ferdinand David.
Described as a Chant for Violin the
Elégie sur la mort d'un objet
chéri appeared after its
publication in a version with an Introduction
composed by eminent violinist Louis
Spohr and the Concertino in D major
could be regarded as a single movement
violin concerto. The final score is
the light-hearted Rondo Papageno
which not surprisingly is influenced
by Mozart’s opera The Magic Flute.
On this recording the
Latvian-born soloist Ilya Grubert plays
a 1740 Guarneri violin that evidently
was once owned by virtuoso Henryk Wieniawski.
He proves to be very much equal to the
considerable demands that Ernst places
on members of the violin playing fraternity.
In the Othello Fantasy I especially
enjoyed Grubert’s warm and tender playing
from 8:03 in the ‘Willow Song’
section. From the introduction of the
violin at 3:27 Grubert in the Concerto
Pathétique impresses with
a confident swagger throughout the adventurous
writing. The short Elégie
that could have been the slow
movement to a violin concerto and
here is performed in a manner that is
gloriously brooding and winsome. The
Concertino provides Grubert with
plenty of opportunity for technical
display as well as dramatic expression.
I loved his precisely assured and exciting
playing in the virtuoso passage at 3:34-4:09
and his outpouring of warmly romantic
lyricism at 4:26-5:33 is impressively
poised. In the Rondo Papageno Grubert
adroitly blends virtuosity with lyricism
and at 7:54-8:49 plays strikingly with
lightning-fast pyrotechnics in a dazzling
dash to the finishing line. The orchestra
provide secure and sympathetic accompaniment
throughout and are particularly impressive
in the Concertino with the waltz-like
section at 17:56-20:17.
The sound quality from
the Kultura Studio in Moscow is clear
and well-balanced and the disc enjoys
the advantage of interesting and informative
notes from Keith Anderson. Grubert’s
palette of sound is impressive and his
virtuosity remarkable. These scores
deserve a wider audience, especially
in performances as excellent as these.
Michael Cookson
see also review
by Jonathan Woolf
Ilya Grubert (violin)
