Henri Vieuxtemps - Violin Concertos Nos. 2 & 3 (Misha Keylin)

Information

Composer: Henri Vieuxtemps

1. Violin Concerto No. 2 in F sharp minor, Op. 19: I. Allegro
2. Violin Concerto No. 2 in F sharp minor, Op. 19: II. Andante
3. Violin Concerto No. 2 in F sharp minor, Op. 19: III. Rondo
4. Violin Concerto No. 3 in A major, Op. 25: I. Allegro
5. Violin Concerto No. 3 in A major, Op. 25: II. Adagio
6. Violin Concerto No. 3 in A major, Op. 25: III. Rondo

Misha Keylin, violin
Janáček Philharmonic Orchestra
Dennis Burkh, conductor

Date: 1997
Label: Naxos
http://www.naxos.com/catalogue/item.asp?item_code=8.554114

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Review

By good fortune Naxos have chosen a splendid player to introduce us to Nos. 2 and 3. The Russian artist, Misha Keylin, emigrated to the USA at the age of nine and by 15 was already a soloist at Carnegie Hall. His timbre is rich, with a duskily subtle control of colour, his technique impeccable, and there is the kind of Slavonic flair that can bring such lightweight but masterly concertos fully to life. Moreover, as the opening ritornello of the Second Concerto immediately demonstrates, Burkh’s accompaniments with the leonine Janacek Philharmonic are extremely vivid and supportive, polished too; and how gracefully they play the fetching secondary lyrical theme. The Andante brings another fine melody, which Keylin phrases most enticingly, in a heartfelt but never cloying manner. The finale is just as graceful, with the histrionics ever tasteful, and in the cadenza, as elsewhere, Keylin’s touches of rubato, his quixotic colour-changes and dynamic shading constantly add to the listener’s pleasure.

The Third Concerto opens with a throbbing, spirited tutti which the conductor, Dennis Burkh, handles with aplomb. The solo entry, with its rhythmic snap, is arresting and has an exciting, Paganini-like progress and a dainty secondary theme. The Adagio is a darkly eloquent cantilena which is superbly caught here: the orchestra’s response is properly passionate. In the finale, marked con delicatezza, the soloist launches into a scintillating rondo, with attractive contrasting episodes. Keylin plays this with infectious and captivating insouciance, the fireworks sparkling at every capricious turn, the lightness of his bowing sheer joy. Again the orchestral ritornellos have matching spirit. In short one cannot conceive that these two thoroughly diverting concertos could be given a more auspicious CD debut.

The Naxos recording is first-rate, with a nice concert-hall ambience, and a realistic balance (no solo scratchiness from unduly close microphones). A genuine bargain.

-- Ivan March, Gramophone

More reviews:
http://www.naxos.com/reviews/reviewslist.asp?catalogueid=8.554114&languageid=EN
http://www.amazon.com/Vieuxtemps-Violin-Concertos-2-3/dp/B0000014GU

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Henri Vieuxtemps (17 February 1820 – 6 June 1881) was a Belgian composer and violinist. He occupies an important place in the history of the violin as a prominent exponent of the Franco-Belgian violin school during the mid-19th century. The bulk of Vieuxtemps's compositions were for his own instrument, including seven concertos and a variety of short salon pieces. He is also known for playing upon what is now known as the Vieuxtemps Guarneri del Gesu, built in 1741, a violin of superior workmanship. The instrument was later played by noted violin masters like Yehudi Menuhin, Itzhak Perlman and Pinchas Zukerman.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Henri_Vieuxtemps

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Misha Keylin (born 1970 in St. Petersburg, Russia) is a Russian-American violinist. He immigrated to the United States at nine and had his New York Carnegie Hall début at age 11. He currently resides in New York and performs on a violin made by Antonio Gagliano in 1831. Keylin has garnered numerous awards (including “Critic’s Choice” by The New York Times, Gramophone and The Strad) for his complete CD series for Naxos of the seven Henry Vieuxtemps’ Violin Concertos. These recordings have sold over 150,000 copies worldwide.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Misha_Keylin

http://www.keylin.com/

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