JAVS Fall 2003

Dickinson, viola; Marianne Thorsen, violin, Kate Gould, cello Musical Heritage Society 516946 Two of my very favorite Mozart compositions receive a most absorbing and illuminating per formance. This group is new to me although the excellent notes tell me that they have been performing together since 1991. All three are teaching in England and I look forward to their continued success in the chamber music field. The sound originally recorded by Hyperion in England is extraordi nary m every way. Mozart: Sinfonia Concertante K 364; Concerto for Violin, Piano and Orchestra K. Anh. 56 (315f) (Reconstructed by Philip Wilby); Nobuko lmai, viola; Midori, vio lin; Christopher Eschenbach, piano and conductor; NDR Symphony Orchestra SK 89488 I have listened to this recording several times and I agree with other reviewers that something is seriously wrong with this interpre tation. One review said that Ms. lmai was at fault and another that Midori bares the blame. I feel that Midori is definitely miscast as vio lin soloist. Ms. Imai does her best to cater to the wishes of the violin ist but clearly she should have got ten Midori to work up to her stan dard. Midori several times enters or leaves her part so softly so that it is almost inaudible. In the last movement when she finally gives her all to her part it is rather stri dent. It's a shame because the North German Radio SO is excel lent and Mr. Eschenbach has sup

believe I own a copy of every recording made by Mr. Vardi and I sincerely believe that there are few soloists today who can match his extraordinary technique and supe rior tone quality. If you truly love the viola, it should be in your record library. It has been remas tered and sounds like it was recorded yesterday. It is a monu mental recording - buy it now. Rolla: Sonatas for Viola and Bass; Duet for Viola and Cello; 3 Esercizii; Alexander Besa, viola; Marco Mosca, cello; Supraphon su 3616-2 ...The recording does the composer justice, the two musicians being fine musicians, comfortable with their instruments and with their respective scores. They play marvelously, with great gusto, ability and finesse... Laura Ronai, Fanfare Schumann: Marchenbilder; Piano Quintet; Andante and Variation; Fantasiestiicke; Nobuko lmai, viola; Martha Argerich, piano; and others; EMI 5 57308 2 ...The charming Marchenbilder are well played... My first impression in hearing the Quintet was that it was the most exciting performance I have ever heard... it was recorded live in concert... the recorded sound, complete with enthusiastic audience applause, is vivid and real. Susan Kagan, Fanfare Shostakovich: Viola Sonata; Violin Sonata; Shlomo Mintz, viola and violin; Viktoria Postnekova, piano; Elatus 0 927 49812-2 ...violin and viola sonatas in thor-

plied the soloists with superb sup port. The engineers have supplied us with equally fine sound. Mozart: Trio K 498 (Kegelstatt); Schumann: Marchenerzalungen (Fairy Pictures); Brahms: Trio; Igor Oistrakh, viola, Valeri Oistrakh, violin; Natalia Zertsalova, piano; MCA Classics AED 10209 violin, and in the Brahms, the viola is used instead of the horn. The excellent notes by Victor Ledin tell us the first editions stat ed that the usage of either instru ment was possible. This is strictly a family affair. Igor Oistrakh (son of David) is joined by wife Natalia Zertsova and son Valeri. This the only recording I could find in the record catalogues using this instru mentation. Once you get used to the different instruments I find this a beautiful recording. The first two trios are more famous with clarinet instead of the Recently, I received a pre-publica tion CD of the soon-to-be-released remaster of a recording which I have owned on LP for several decades. A personal letter from Mr. Vardi accompanied the disc which I will treasure always. It was origi nally recorded by Epic (Columbia) in the 1960's. There have been vio lists, such as William Primrose, who played several of the Caprices going back to the 1930's but Vardi was the first to put all 24 on disc. I marveled at this recording when it first came out and still do today. I Paganini: 24 Caprices; Emanuel Vardi, viola; Vestige Classics

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