Composer: Franz Clement
Performer: Mirijam Contzen
Orchestra: WDR Sinfonieorchester
Conductor: Reinhard Goebel
Format: FLAC (tracks)
Label: Sony
Release: 2020
Size: 716 MB
Recovery: +3%
Scan: yes
Violin Concerto No. 1 in D Major
01. I. Allegro maestoso
02. II. Adagio
03. III. Rondo. Allegro
Violin Concerto No. 2 in D Minor
04. I. Moderato
05. II. Adagio
06. III. Rondo. Allegro
It’s fascinating to consider these two works as a sort of call and response to Beethoven’s own concerto, which Clement commissioned and premiered in between composing the pair – Beethoven was clearly inspired by the Rondo-finale of Clement’s Concerto No. 1, and Clement in turn pays obvious and affectionate homage to Beethoven in the scoring (particularly the writing for timpani) and sheer symphonic scale of his second concerto. Contzen is lithe and lyrical in both works.
While Clement’s writing lacks the audacity of Beethoven’s, he points the way in terms of structure, style and orchestration, with silvery melodic lines that spring from within the orchestral texture, rather than merely gliding over an accompaniment…Contzen produces a ravishing sound, complemented by the suave playing of the WDR Symphony Orchestra.