Vieuxtemps: Violin Concertos Nos. 5, 6 and 7 [CD, Import]

This third volume completes Misha Keylin's splendid recordings of Vieuxtemps' violin concertos; however, another one featuring his short pieces with orchestra will follow in 2005. Vieuxtemps (1820-1881) was not only one of the greatest violinists of his time but also a master pedagogue who taught or influenced Ysae, Hubay, and Auer. His compositions are generally regarded as mere bravura showpieces, but this is contradicted by these last three concertos, which--though they do indeed demand utmost virtuosity from the player--reveal solid structural craftsmanship, masterful orchestration, and considerable emotional depth and intensity. No. 5 is the most familiar, but all abound in lovely melodies, inventive harmonies, and almost operatic drama and lyricism. As in the previous two volumes (Concertos Nos. 1 and 4 and Concertos Nos. 2 and 3), the playing is spectacular. Keylin! has the effortless brilliance, facility and flair to make the most hair-raising technical feats seem easy; he tosses off long passages in staccato, harmonics, and double and triple stops; his runs are perfectly clear at any speed. His tone is pure, focused, and beautiful, glowing in the low register, soaring up high, and he can change mood, color, and expression instantly with bow and vibrato. In the early concertos, he gave shape to the often overabundant sequences, keeping the grandeur from becoming bombastic and the fireworks from sounding empty. Here, without external effects, sentimentality, or excess, he projects every emotional nuance with captivating charm and genuine identification, from pensive inwardness to passionate ardor. For lovers of the best violin virtuoso writing and playing, this record is a must. --Edith Eisler

Misha Keylin, violon - Slovak Radio Symphony Orchestra - Arnhem Philharmonic Orchestra - Andrew Mogrelia & Takuo Yuasa, direction