Wolfgang Amadeus MOZART (1756-1791)
Concertone in C major K190 [25:11]
Violin Concerto No.5 in A major K219 Turkish [27:10]
Johann Sebastian BACH (1685-1750)
Sarabande from Partita No.2 BWV1004 [2:13]
Piero Toso (violin)
Orchestra di Padova e del Veneto/Christian Joseph Saccon (violin)
rec. April 2007, Theatre of Pieve di Soligo, Treviso
Includes DVD of the same performances; Video 16:9 HD, Audio Stereo PCM 48kHz/24bit, Region 0
WIDE CLASIQUE WCL 134 [56:00 + DVD 58:00]

 
No great claims could be made for this DVD as a scenic experience. It doesn’t pretend that opulent camera angles, plush camera work and HD viewing is on offer. It’s something of a rough and ready affair designed to mark the live concert series undertaken by Italian fiddler Christian Joseph Saccon, here also directing the Orchestra di Padova e del Veneto, which is led by Piero Toso, the distinguished concertmaster alumnus of Claudio Scimone’s Solisti Veneti.
 
Saccon undertakes solo and head-nodding duties in Mozart’s A major Concerto. Clearly he and Toso have an excellent rapport because it usually only takes a brief nod to achieve unanimity in tutti passages. With the modest, chamber orchestra sized band with him, Saccon plays with thoughtful directness. We can see that he uses a shoulder rest, and note, too, that he plays the cadenzas of another of his illustrious compatriots Franco Gulli.
 
In the Concertone in C major Saccon and Toso make an interesting visual pairing. The thick set, Ysaÿe-like Saccon looms over the tulip-spry Toso. As before, camera angles are decidedly limited. Lighting, too, is a bit of a problem; Saccon in the dark, Toso in the light, for some of the time. There are some decent panning shots to the rightly credited orchestral soloists, cellist Mario Finotti and oboist Paolo Brunello. The playing is robust and communicative with a well spun slow movement. Toso half directs during the performance, but neither he nor Saccon ever fumble when phrasing; excellent rapport. The majority of camera time is spent looking at Saccon.
 
Their encore is a performance, by Saccon, of the Sarabande from Bach’s Partita No.2. It’s compelling, in particular, to watch Toso watching his colleague so intently. Scrutiny and admiration are very evident.
 
The CD that comes with the DVD is of the same performances, with sound that is clearer and more focused.

Jonathan Woolf