Max Bruch (1838-1920)
Violin Concerto No. 1 in G minor, Op. 26 (1868)
Adagio appassionato in F minor, Op. 57 (1890)
Samuel Barber (1910-1981)
Violin Concerto, Op. 14 (1939)
Henri Vieuxtemps (1820-1881)
Souvenir d’Amérique (Variations on Yankee Doodle), Op. 17 (1843)
Esther Yoo (violin)
Royal Philharmonic Orchestra/Vasily Petrenko
rec. 2021, Henry Wood Hall & Watford Colosseum, UK
Deutsche Grammophon 4858415 [63]
While maintaining a strong association with her family’s Korean heritage, violinist Esther Yoo was born in the USA and raised in Europe, studying in Belgium and Germany. In 2018, she became the inaugural artist-in-residence with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra for twelve-months. She now renews her association with the RPO with this album comprising of four works spanning almost one hundred years: the violin concertos by Bruch and Barber and shorter works for violin and orchestra by Bruch and Vieuxtemps. Her choice of programme is quite uncommon, but she explains ‘Together, all of the works on this album represent much of my cultural upbringing in the USA, Belgium and Germany.’ Conducting is the gifted Vasily Petrenko who was appointed the RPO’s music director from the 2021-2022 season.
Bruch’s Violin Concerto No. 1, Op. 26 has a huge and enduring popularity that hugely surpasses his other two violin concertos. It is the most often programmed violin concerto and new recordings just keep on coming. Soloist Otto von Königslöw premiered it in 1866 in Cologne, resulting in Bruch quickly withdrawing the work and revising the score; the eminent soloist Joseph Joachim gave the first performance of that revision under Karl Reinthaler in 1868 in Bremen. Selling the concerto direct to a publisher outright must have been a source of great regret for Bruch, given its subsequent esteem and popularity.
Yoo’s playing is fresh and compelling playing from start to finish; she clearly relishes Bruch’s warm and satisfying melodies, and the varying moods of the writing. Marked Vorspiel: Allegro moderato, the opening movement is memorable for its outpouring of passion. There is an aching sorrow to the Adagio that feels entirely sincere and Yoo delights in the long, singing melodic lines. In the Finale: Allegro energico, Yoo adeptly contrasts the exciting and boisterous dance rhythms with the passages of warm-hearted expression.
A substantial number of accounts of Bruch’s G minor Concerto already exist and I prize several versions: those which spring to mind include Jaime Laredo directing from the violin the Scottish Chamber Orchestra, a special account released in 1986, which is warm and characterful, full of joy and spontaneity. No information is given about the date or venue of that recording on IMP Classics (c/w Mendelssohn Violin Concerto); it has been reissued on Regis. For alluring playing full of personality and humanity, there is Tasmin Little with the RLPO under Vernon Handley, recorded in Liverpool in 1991 and issued on Classics for Pleasure (c/w Brahms Violin Concerto). Another favourite is Salvatore Accardo’s refined and expressive recording with the Leipzig Gewandhaus Orchestra under Kurt Masur in 1977 – a most valuable release on Philips Duo in an attractive programme: Bruch Violin Concertos No. 2 & No. 3; Violin Serenade & Scottish Fantasy. In addition, there is Janine Jansen who excels with a notable live 2006 account on Decca with the Leipzig Gewandhaus Orchestra under Riccardo Chailly. Jansen encompasses a broad range of emotions together with vibrant and characterful playing (c/w Bruch Viola Romance & Mendelssohn Violin Concerto).
Bruch completed the Adagio appassionato in 1890; it was written in appreciation of Joachim. It’s a single movement concert piece with the focus maintained on the violin part which plays almost continuously. Taking around ten minutes here, Yoo relishes Bruch’s rich writing and her playing exhibits by turns exhilaration and a sense of nostalgia.
Next, Yoo plays Barber’s glorious Violin Concerto written in 1939 and a commission by Samuel Fels for his protégé, Isaak (Iso) Briselli a Jewish/Odessa-born émigré. Briselli was gratified by the first two movements but disappointed with the much shorter closing movement. He felt that it was not substantial enough for a Finale and wanted more virtuosity. The oft-made assertion that Briselli found the Finale too difficult has been refuted entirely. Following an earlier review on this site, Susanna Briselli, his daughter, wrote to MusicWeb stating that readers should go to the website where there is an ‘exhaustive account of what really occurred.’ So, Barber didn’t rewrite the Finale movement and Briselli never did premiere the concerto. Albert Spalding introduced the score in 1941 with the Philadelphia Orchestra under Eugene Ormandy. I, too, find the short closing movement far weaker than the first two; nevertheless, it is thoroughly enjoyable.
Yoo clearly respects the Barber concerto and gives it a passionate performance. In the opening Allegro, she successfully generates high drama. Another highlight is the wonderful, extended lilting oboe solo that commences the Andante movement, which is the heart of the score. Yoo displays her fluency so persuasively in Barber’s meltingly beautiful melodies and the stirring passages of Romantic ardour. The furious moto perpetuo of the short Presto: Finale holds no fears for her; she takes the technical difficulties of this showpiece in her stride.
There are three recordings of the Barber Violin Concerto I especially appreciate. First, is Gil Shaham, in first-class form with the LSO under André Previn recorded in 1993 in the Henry Wood Hall, London. Shaham’s playing is characterful, full of warmth and engaging intensity. Next is the account which won the 1998 ‘Gramophone Concerto Award’, by Joshua Bell and the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra under David Zinman. Recorded for Decca in Baltimore, USA in 1996, Bell’s performance is urbane, lyrical and expressive(c/w Bloch Nigun – Baal Shem No. 2 & Walton Violin Concerto). Worthy of consideration is the recording by James Ehnes with the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra under Bramwell Tovey in 2006 at Vancouver on Onyx (c/w Korngold & Walton Violin Concertos). Ehnes is certainly at one with Barber’s eloquently Romantic melodies and high drama.
Celebrated Belgian/French violinist Henri Vieuxtemps wrote Souvenir d’Amérique, Variations Burleques (Yankee Doodle), Op. 17 in 1843, during a concert tour in the USA. Often used as an encore piece, the variations are based on the traditional song Yankee Doodle. Yoo recalls from her childhood songs such as Yankee Doodle and Old Macdonald that she would sing with her father. Here, she plays Souvenir d’Amérique in the version for violin and orchestra. It’s a rare makeweight which is humorously taunting and splendid fun overall.
Throughout the album, conductor Vasily Petrenko demonstrates his understanding of the contrasting moods, the required rhythmic impetus and control of dynamic, and the RPO responds with outstanding playing. Recorded at both Henry Wood Hall and Watford Colosseum, the sound quality is first-class with a glorious tone from Yoo’s violin the ‘Prince Obolensky’ Stradivarius (1704) that is on private loan.
This album is described by Yoo as ‘a beautiful melting pot of her past and present…’ a view that is easy to understand. Esther Yoo’s gratifying performances of the Bruch and Barber Violin Concertos make this a highly desirable album that can stand alongside the most enjoyable recordings I know.
Michael Cookson
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