Why buy a cd from a performer you do not know, with an unfamiliar conductor, and with one of the works unknown to you? Well, on a whim, I decided I needed more Barber in my collection, and chose this cd with 19 year old [at the time, in 2000] Hilary Hahn. I tend to be suspicious of very young violin players. Their technique may be flawless, but the performances are missing soul. Not so here. Hahn’s tone is smooth, but not too sweet. While razor precision does not fall in the perview of these two works, there is some great violin playing on this disc. Hahn’s playing has emotion, and she brings the music alive, instead of treating it as a dusty tome that has to be played just right, in order not to offend. I will be expanding my collection of Hahn recordings to be sure, and am interested how her performances of more familiar works will hold up.
Technically, the recording is good, not too close, and the violin stands apart slightly from the small orchestra, but not in a distracting way. The orchestral parts are a little bit back, but this may be due to the size of the St. Paul Chamber Orchestra. Overall, the recording is not quite stellar, but close.
The Barber Violin Concerto has been well recorded, and there are over a dozen cds in the current catalog. Having never heard the work, I cannot compare this particular performance to others, so it will have to stand up on its own merits. And it does, very well. The work touches on the classical style, but with some 20th century elements. Movement one is a nice allegro, while the second movement has a sad feel, and you can almost feel the distress that Hahn’s playing conveys. The CD liner notes reference the fact that Barber had trouble with the third movement, and that the violinist Briselli [who commissioned it] called it unplayable. There is a lot of energy here, and qualifies as a violin showpiece. Between the 3 movements, the violinist gets to stretch their performing styles, and overall it is a very good work.
The Meyer Violin Concerto was commissioned by Hahn and this is the world premiere recording. The first movement has a rolling theme, and somehow reminds me of Stravinsky’s 8 Miniatures for 15 Players. Of course, I have been listening to the Stravinsky a lot lately, and it may have to do with the small orchestration of the performance. The second movement starts with an Appalachian Spring by Copland feel, and moves from there. The work as a whole is a pretty piece, and floats in and out thru various themes and styles, but definitely worth a listen. It is not a violin barnstormer, but rather a nicely composed work with some interesting violin work. It is good to know that performers will still commission new works, for they will be the classics of tomorrow.
So, if you are a fan at all of the violin, buy this cd. It has provided me with hours of pleasure, and will be one of those cds that you play over and over again.
