Felix Mendelssohn and Max Bruch, Mendelssohn and Bruch Violin Concertos [Midori, violin; Berlin Philharmonic, Mariss Jansons, cond.] (Sony Classical, SK-87740)
The two works recorded here represent two of the greatest war-horses of the violinist's repertoire. The Mendelssohn Concerto in E-Minor for Violin and Orchestra, written in 1844, is by turns haunting, elegiac, magical and spritely; it has never been out of the standard repertoire and is often paired, as it is here, with the Concerto in G-minor for Violin and Orchestra by Max Bruch. Bruch's concerto, written in 1865, is by far that composer's most popular work -- in fact, it is almost the only work of Bruch's still performed regularly. It is a warm and lush work, reminiscent of Brahms and Mendelssohn in its conservative form. The great nineteenth century violinist Joseph Joachim considered these two works to be two of the four great German violin concertos, along with Beethoven's and Brahms's.
The present recording features Midori, a onetime child prodigy who has now reached her adulthood -- a time when virtuosic fireworks should take a back-seat to making a musical statement, which is precisely what happens here. After being initially struck by the particularly brisk tempo chosen by Midori and conductor Jansons for the opening movement of the Menselssohn (marked "Allegro molto apassionato"), my concerns quickly abated when it became clear that this tempo was not selected to merely showcase a virtuoso. The concerto's opening theme, stated without preamble, sings wonderfully, and all throughout the work Midori executes the wonderful interplay between soloist and orchestra that is the hallmark of both a good concerto and good concerto playing. This was especially true in one of my favorite passages in all music, early in the first movement, when the violin descends to a sustained pedal tone while the woodwinds sing the movement's secondary melody. The work's other two movements are excellently shaped as well, especially the third with its playful "vivace" theme.
The Bruch concerto also soars, with the orchestra giving a wonderful performance that glows and delights. Like the Mendelssohn, the Bruch concerto is amazing in the way it casts soloist-as-partner; and as in the earlier work on this disc, Midori shows her ability to fill the role of partner just as well as she displays her awesome command of her instrument.
These recordings were made live at the Philharmonie in Berlin, and they do indeed have the "urgent" feel of live performances. The liner notes are decent, directly quoting the composers to depict their attitudes toward composition. This is a fine, fine disc.
