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
Scrutiny and admiration are very evident.