Cover art: Janine Jansen – Brahms and Bartók 1. Image via Decca Classics.
The first question this recording raised was ‘Why another recording of the Brahms Violin Concerto?’ There are dozens of fine recordings of this important work, a central pillar of the Romantic repertoire. Closer examination and listening provided the answer. To start with it is coupled with Bartók’s first Violin Concerto; this could be the first recording that combines both compositions. The Bartók was composed in 1907-08 but not published until 1956 (posthumously in fact) and performed for the first time two years later by David Oistrakh. The reason for this extraordinary delay in a first airing was that it had been ‘annulled’ by the composer and some of its material reworked after the composition was painfully rejected by its dedicatee Stefi Geyer whom Bartók loved. In two movements it is a fine work and contains premonitions of much later compositions such as the Concerto for Orchestra (1943). The pairing works well and I found intriguing (particularly Hungarian) stylistic and gestural similarities in both works hearing them sequentially.
But what is also remarkable here is that the recording is truly exciting with both soloist (Dutch violinist, Janine Jansen) and conductor Antonio Pappano working in pretty close to perfect rapport in bringing the very best from each work. Jansen refers to the conductor encouraging a singing cantabile from the orchestra and this can certainly be heard in the achingly beautiful Adagio of the Brahms. One can hear that Jansen’s style is modelled on the voice, its phrasing and colour. The deep and rich sonority from her magnificent 1727 ‘Baron Deurbroucq’ Stradivarius (on loan from the Beares International Violin Society) is a joy to behold.
The recording was made in London in 2014 (Bartók), and Rome (Brahms) from three live recordings in 2015. Here is an intelligent and sensitive account of two great works for violin and orchestra performed by a consummate artist that is well worth owning for its convincing authenticity and genuine vitality.
Very highly recommended.
Rating: 4 1/2 stars out of 5
Janine Jansen – Brahms and Bartók 1
London Symphony Orchestra (Bartók)
Orchestra Dell’Accadamia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia (Brahms)
Antonio Pappano
Decca
