Chailly: Janine Jansen – Concertos & Romance (APE)

Orchestra: Gewandhaus Orchestra
Conductor: Riccardo Chailly
Composer: Max Bruch, Felix Mendelssohn
Audio CD
SPARS Code: DDD
Number of Discs: 1
Format: APE (tracks)
Label: Decca
Size: 320 MB
Recovery: +3%
Scan: no

01. Violin Concerto in E minor, Op.64 – 1. Allegro molto appassionato
02. Violin Concerto in E minor, Op.64 – 2. Andante
03. Violin Concerto in E minor, Op.64 – 3. Allegro non troppo – Allegro molto vivace
04. Romance in F for Viola & Orchestra, Op.85
05. Violin Concerto No.1 in G minor, Op.26 – 1. Vorspiel (Allegro moderato)
06. Violin Concerto No.1 in G minor, Op.26 – 2. Adagio
07. Violin Concerto No.1 in G minor, Op.26 – 3. Finale (Allegro energico)

A worthy inheritor of the tradition

The combination of the Mendelssohn and Bruch Violin Concerto No. 1 is not new. My first purchase goes back to LP, the violinist then was Yehudi Menuhin. Later purchases included Milsten, Mutter and Kreisler. Even when not combined, both concertos have been well served in recording.

Dutch violinist, Janine Jansen, more than holds her own in this distinguished company This can be safely recomended whether one is a collector of performances or looking looking for a single recording. It’s one that I’d be satisfied to posess as the sole one in my collection.

The sound is natural and well balanced. The accompanyment, from the orchestra that gave the first performance of the Mendelssohn under the composer’s baton, is sympathetic. Ms. Jansen’s playing is lyrical and tender in the Mendelssohn (it draws favourable comparison with Menuhin, who set the benchmark for me). The Bruch is sweet and romantic without overdoing it. The Romance is less well-known than the other two works. It shows Ms Jansen is equally adept on the viola. If you like Bruch’s Violin Concertos and the Kol Nidri, you will probably like this.

All in all an outstanding modern version of these popular pieces. One that remains satisfying and moving with repeated listening. This will, deservedly win Janine Jansen further recruits to her growing fan-club.