Primarily a commander of turgid orchestral forces and vibrant musical landscapes, Finnish composer Jean Sibelius brought his formidable musical gift to just a single concerto. It is for violin, unsurprisingly; early on, Sibelius had aspired to a career as a concert violinist. His understanding of the instrument, his gargantuan Wagnerian orchestration, and his unabashed lyricism have succeeded in putting that single concerto at the heart of the violin repertoire, and it remains one of the most popular concertos written after 1900.
The demands on the violinist in the concerto (as well as the dozen or so violin works) are greater than the usual fast fingers. The virtuosity of a good Sibelius player is something more: a study in contrasts of light and dark, hot and cold, sadness and mirth. Quite an imposing musical task.
German violinist Christian Tetzlaff has all the right tools in his shed. His eternal, liquid line and burly, burnished tone are ideally suited to he retro romanticism of Sibelius. He plays with understatement, emotive through a prevalent stoicism that gives way at, ooh, just the right times to unequivocal gush and guts. The sweet Humoresques are tender and nostalgic, the Serenades warm and effulgent.
The rarely-recorded pictorial Suite is completely rapturous, and Tetzlaff is a knockout in the closing moto perpetuo. Simply a magnificent recording. -- David Simmons, WQXR
The rarely-recorded pictorial Suite is completely rapturous, and Tetzlaff is a knockout in the closing moto perpetuo. Simply a magnificent recording. -- David Simmons, WQXR
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