Sibelius: Violin Concerto, Op. 47 / Goldmark: Violin Concerto, Op. 28

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Free Music Notes for Sibelius: Violin Concerto, Op. 47 / Goldmark: Violin Concerto, Op. 28

Free Music Review: Brilliantly virtuosic study in contrasts
Hit: 5 Stars

In the Sibelius, the soloist is required again and again to perform fiendishly difficult virtuosic pyrotechnics, frequently in sparse, exposed passages where the symphonic parts give the violinist no place to hide even the tiniest of stumbles. Yet Bell nails the technical aspects consistently, handling the finger-tangling acrobatics with an ease that, were it not for the emotional intensity of his playing, would nearly make it seem as if he were merely warming up with Kayser's elementary studies for the violin.

Goldmark's more lyrical A-minor concerto would seem to be more Joshua Bell's home court. Here, the warm, lush tone that has garnered him positive comparison to Fritz Kreisler would not be out of place, as it would jar the listener in the barren, icy expanses of the Sibelius. And yet, while his performance is masterful in the Goldmark concerto, it is Bell's powerful, eloquent interpretation of the Sibelius that makes this disc a must-buy.

In the Goldmark, he gives a lovely performance of a lovely piece, but nothing really startling or unexpected -- this is "merely" (surely an unfair statement, but nonetheless) Joshua Bell doing what Joshua Bell does best. It is in the fierce intensity and icy brilliance of his performance in the Sibelius concerto that we hear how very much more there is to this young virtuoso than we have previously seen.

More than ably backed by the Los Angeles Philharmonic under Esa-Pekka Salonen (whose exceptional rapport with Bell and skill as an interpreter of Sibelius enlighten every note on the disc), Bell gives the finest reading of these works by any violinist of his generation. If you're a fan of Joshua Bell, you probably already own this disc -- if you're a fan of the violin in general, or of Sibelius in particular, you should.

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