Dénes Kovács (violin)
Volume 2: Mozart and Schubert
rec. 1959-1982
DOREMI DHR8111-5 [5 CDs: 361:40]
The Hungarian violinist Dénes Kovács was born in Budapest on April 18, 1930. He took up the violin at the age of six and became a pupil of Dezső Rados at the Fodor Music School at the age of eight. In 1944, at the age of fourteen, he entered the class of Ede Zathureczky at the Liszt Academy in Budapest, graduating in 1951. His next banner year was 1955 when he landed First Prize in the Carl Flesch Competition in London. He concertized widely, and boasted a formidable repertoire. In addition to the staples, he embraced many contemporary Hungarian works. In 1957 he took on a teaching role at the Liszt Academy, and was promoted to head of the violin department in 1959. He became Rector there in 1968. He amassed a sizeable discography on the Hungaroton and Qualiton labels. He died February 11, 2005. This 5 CD set focuses on his complete Mozart and Schubert recordings, made between 1959 and 1982 for the two said labels.
CD 1 opens with Mozart’s Divertimento in E-flat major K. 563, a masterpiece in six movements and, in the opinion of many including myself, the greatest string trio ever written. Kovács joins forces with Géza Németh on viola and cellist Ede Banda. The recording dates from 1974. It’s a stylish traversal, with the players rising to the occasion with infectious brio and expressive freedom. They respond instinctively to dynamics and phrasing. It doesn’t, however, displace my favorite versions of the work by the Grumiaux Trio (Philips) or, more recently, the Trio Zimmermann (BIS). Géza Németh and Kovács pair up for Mozart’s lesser-known Duos for Violin and Viola, works both highly inventive and enchanting. The performances, again from 1974, brim over with affection and appeal. There’s a tangible reciprocity between the two artists, which further contributes to the reading’s success.
The earliest recordings in the collection are a selection of five sonatas for violin and piano by Mozart, set down in 1959 for the Qualiton label, fine-sounding for their age. The pianist is Mihály Bächer. The playing is wonderful and engaging and there’s a real meeting of minds and singularity of vision between the two performers. This is teamwork of the highest order. The two-movement Sonata in G major is a sheer delight, where warmth and generosity shine forth in abundance. In the well-known Sonata in B flat major, K454, after an uplifting opener, the Andante is played with heartfelt tenderness. For some reason, the G major Sonata, K 379 is the victim of some background hiss, not apparent in the other sonatas.
Kovács performs three of Mozart’s violin concertos, nos. 3, 4 and 5. The latter is heard in two versions. The earliest is from 1976 with the Hungarian State Orchestra under György Lehel. The other dates from 1982, again with the Hungarian State Orchestra, this time directed by Gyula Németh. In this performance, Kovács substitutes the slow movement with the Adagio in E major for Violin and Orchestra, K. 261. It’s the first time I’ve heard this done, but I’ve since discovered that it was Mozart’s intention that this should act as an alternative slow movement for the concerto. In both readings the Joachim cadenzas are employed. I prefer the sound quality of the earlier performance. The latter is lit with a more resonant and cavernous acoustic, which places the violin somewhat backwards in the sound picture. Concertos 3 and 4 are played with freshness and spontaneity eschewing any sense of routine, the soloist delivering these joyously uplifting works with immediacy and command. Tempi in each case sit just right. Kovács uses Joachim’s cadenzas for No. 4, but in No. 3 he plays those by a certain F. Hidas, new to me but imaginatively wrought and thoroughly engaging.
The two Schubert Piano Trios and Notturno were recorded for Hungaroton in the early 1980s. Kovács is joined by Ede Banda (cello) and Ferenc Rados (piano). All three performances are nicely paced and imbued with the Viennese charm and elegance we’ve come to associate with this composer. The attentive dialogue between violin and cello in the slow movement of the B flat Trio is particularly effective, with the players fully savouring Schubert’s lyrical outpourings. The scherzos in both trios have sufficient buoyancy and rhythmic drive. To the Notturno they bring pure magic. Hungaroton’s engineers have struck an ideal balance between all three instrumentalists.
The restorations by Jacob Harnoy and Clive Allen are clean and refreshing, and the collection is bolstered by a neat and useful biography of Kovács by Jack Silver.
Stephen Greenbank
Contents
Mozart, Wolfgang Amadeus
Adagio in E major, K261
Divertimento for string trio in E flat major, K563
Duo for Violin and Viola
in B flat major, K424
Duo for Violin and Viola in G major, K423
Violin
Concerto no.3 in G major, K216
Violin Concerto no.4 in D major, K218
Violin Concerto no.5 in A major, K219 'Turkish'
Violin Sonata no.17 in C
major, K296
Violin Sonata no.18 in G major, K301
Violin Sonata no.19 in
E flat major, K302
Violin Sonata no.24 in F major, K376
Violin Sonata
no.27 in G major, K379
Violin Sonata no.32 in B flat major, K454
Schubert, Franz
Notturno in E flat major for piano trio,
op.148 D897
Piano Trio no.1 in B flat major, op.99 D898
Piano Trio no.2
in E flat major, op.100 D92
Participating artists
Géza Németh(viola)
Ede Banda (cello)
Mihály Bächer(piano)
Ferenc Rados (piano)
Budapest Philharmonic Symphony Orchestra / Gyula Németh
Hungarian Radio Symphony Orchestra / György Lehel
Hungarian State Orchestra / Gyula Németh
