Antonín Dvořák: Violin Concerto; Mazurek, Op.49
Pablo de Sarasate: Zigeunerweisen; Carmen Fantasy (2001)
Akiko Suwanai, violin; Budapest Festival Orchestra, conducted by Iván Fischer
EAC | FLAC | Tracks (Cue&Log) ~ 254 Mb | Mp3 (CBR320) ~ 149 Mb | Scans included
Genre: Classical | Label: Philips Classics | # 464 531-2 | Time: 00:55:27
Pablo de Sarasate: Zigeunerweisen; Carmen Fantasy (2001)
Akiko Suwanai, violin; Budapest Festival Orchestra, conducted by Iván Fischer
EAC | FLAC | Tracks (Cue&Log) ~ 254 Mb | Mp3 (CBR320) ~ 149 Mb | Scans included
Genre: Classical | Label: Philips Classics | # 464 531-2 | Time: 00:55:27
Dvorák’s Violin Concerto has been undergoing a renaissance of sorts on disc, one that it entirely deserves. Its critics (starting with Joachim and Brahms) dismissed it for not adopting the usual sonata-form first movement structure, instead welding the truncated opening to the gorgeous slow movement. But really, how many violin concertos are there where you can really say that the best, most characterful and highly developed movement is the finale? And what could possibly be bad about that? Clearly Fischer and Suwanai understand where the music’s going: the performance gathers steam as it proceeds, and really cuts loose in that marvelous last movement. Suwani displays a characteristically polished technique and fine intonational ear (lending a lovely purity of utterance to the slow movement), but she’s not afraid to indulge in some “down and dirty” gypsy fiddling in the finale, or in the two Sarasate items that open the program.