Nemanja Radulovic - Tchaikovsky: Violin Concerto - Rococo Variations (2017) [Official Digital Download 24/96]

After his exciting journey into the musical tradition of Eastern Europe (Journey East) and the Baroque sound-scapes of J.S. Bach (Bach), Nemanja Radulovic now turns his attention to the Russian master of the Romantic era, Tchaikovsky, excelling as violinist and (in an arrangement of the famed Rococo-Variations for viola and string ensemble) a violist.

Bringing together Tchaikovsky’s two most important works for solo strings and orchestra is bringing together the two most relevant poles of his life – Belgrade and Paris: The Rococo Variations are linked to the first part of his life, when he was a student in Belgrade before the Balkan war. At this time Nemanja not only used to play the violin, but also viola and sometimes the cello. Playing an arranged viola version of the Rococo variations which originally were composed for cello, takes him back to his musical childhood in Belgrade.

Yvan Cassar, who worked with Nemanja on Journey East has now produced compelling arrangements for strings and piano of the Rococo Variations. They provide a lightness and an energy that are perfectly suited for the neoclassical sound of Tchaikovsky’s music.

The Rococo Variations were recorded in Belgrade with ensemble Double Sens (French for: “double direction” & “double meaning”). The group reflects perfectly Nemanja’s dual past between Paris and Belgrade as it includes his former student-friends for Serbia, and his friends from the Conservatoire de Paris (including 2 members of the Fontanarosa family).

The Tchaikovsky concerto is linked to Nemanja’s arrival in Paris. He began to work on the concerto with his Conservatoire de Paris’ teacher Patrice Fontanarosa. Since then, this piece has been the concerto Nemanja has played most often during his career opening the doors to the great concert halls of the world like in Paris, London or Tokyo.

The concerto was recorded in Istanbul with the Borusan Istanbul Philharmonic Orchestra and Sascha Goetzel, with which Nemanja feels he finds the freedom and mutual sprit to develop and express what is fundamentally important to him in the respective work.

2018 marks the 125th anniversary of the death of Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky (1840-1893).

TRACKLIST

Peter Ilyich Tchaikovsky (1840-1893)

1 Concerto For Violin And Orchestra In D Major, Op. 35, TH 59: 1. Allegro moderato 18:45
2 Concerto For Violin And Orchestra In D Major, Op. 35, TH 59: 2. Canzonetta. Andante 06:32
3 Concerto For Violin And Orchestra In D Major, Op. 35, TH 59: 3. Finale. Allegro vivacissimo 09:55
4 Variations On A Rococo Theme, Op.33, TH.57 - Arr. By Yvan Cassar: Moderato quasi Andante 00:50
5 Variations On A Rococo Theme, Op.33, TH.57 - Arr. By Yvan Cassar: Tema. Moderato semplice 01:22
6 Variations On A Rococo Theme, Op.33, TH.57 - Arr. By Yvan Cassar: Var. I. Tempo del Tema 00:44
7 Variations On A Rococo Theme, Op.33, TH.57 - Arr. By Yvan Cassar: Var. II. Tempo del Tema 01:05
8 Variations On A Rococo Theme, Op.33, TH.57 - Arr. By Yvan Cassar: Var. III. Andante sostenuto 03:34
9 Variations On A Rococo Theme, Op.33, TH.57 - Arr. By Yvan Cassar: Var. IV. Andante grazioso 01:52
10 Variations On A Rococo Theme, Op.33, TH.57 - Arr. By Yvan Cassar: Var. V. Allegro moderato 03:14
11 Variations On A Rococo Theme, Op.33, TH.57 - Arr. By Yvan Cassar: Var. VI. Andante 02:21
12 Variations On A Rococo Theme, Op.33, TH.57 - Arr. By Yvan Cassar: Var. VII. Allegro vivo 01:54

PERSONNEL
Nemanja Radulović, violin
Borusan Istanbul Philharmonic Orchestra
Sascha Goetzel, conductor