Schoenberg Violin Concerto Op.36/Sibelius Violin Concerto Op.47

In another original pairing violinist Hilary Hahn brings together the familiar, highly commercial and long-awaited recording of the famous Sibelius Violin Concerto with the rarely performed Violin Concerto by Arnold Schoenberg. Hahn brings out the romantic qualities of Schoenberg's Concerto--known as one of the most difficult pieces in the violin repertoire--showing why it makes an ideal coupling with the Sibelius--"Hahn didn't merely play the notes, she passionately engaged with them." (The Daily Telegraph on a live performance of the Schoenberg Violin Concerto). As both an acclaimed Sibelius interpreter and a known advocate of 20th-century music in concert halls worldwide, Esa-Pekka Salonen is the ideal musical partner in this project. Album Description

Five Stars -- No Doubt About It

Some CD's get 5 stars that don't deserve it. This is NOT one of those. It's definitely one to cherish. October 5, 2008

Great Sibelius but the Schoenberg is the showstopper

It'd be tempting to say the classical music recording industry is in great shape when the Schoenberg on this disc is the primary work and the Sibelius is the "flip-side." But a look at much of the rest of the industry shows that this is an anomaly...still, we'll take what we can get. This wonderful CD starts off with a delightfully *lyrical,* yes, lyrical, reading of the Schoenberg concerto. If this performance doesn't make you fall in love with it, nothing will. It's not at the caliber of the Berg VC (what is?), but it shouldn't be as neglected as it is either, and maybe this recording will do something to change that. Using long lines, lots of expressive vibrato and a singing tone, Ms. Hahn makes the work sound practically romantic. The cadenza is dazzling and shows what a tremendous virtuoso she is (how does she manage the stretches with her apparently small hands?) and what a mature musician. This is a very intelligent interpretation. Salonen is right at home in this kind of music, so it should be no surprise that his support is top-notch, especially in the delicate shadings. Many small instrumental details emerge thanks to the superb balance and understanding of the tiny details of this piece. The clarity is impressive--reminiscent of Boulez, but with more feeling. I heard elements in the orchestra accompaniment I'd never noticed before.

The same is true of the Sibelius. Here I felt Hahn's tone wasn't quite as distinctive or confident, but her freedom with the line is fascinating and again Salonen reveals tiny details in the accompaniment I'd never noticed before. (I don't own a score.) Hahn plays the most rhapsodic cadenza in the first movement I've ever heard, and the result is wonderful. Again, balances of violin vs. orchestra are perfect--one never intrudes on the other and we hear details that are often lost in this music in even some of the best readings. I'd recommend this disc highly to those who love either of these pieces, and I hope DG lets HH continue to record challenging repertoire like this instead of pushing her into yet another Four Seasons.
September 28, 2008

Clarity Over Passion

Hilary Hahn's Schoenberg and Sibelius


A courageous Hilary Hahn and Esa-Pekka Solonen really crack this hard nut, the Schoenberg Violin Concerto, making it listenable music rather than what seems to be a collection of difficult 20th Century gestures, as it's often apt to sound. Their performance is better than the one by Amoyal and Boulez (Erato/Ultima), but perhaps not quite as good as the out of print classic account of Israel Baker and Robert Craft (Columbia LP). This last is more humorous than Hahn's more literal approach, but the digital recording of this new recording is certainly a great advantage in such complex music.
The performance of the Sibelius is good (especially the orchestral playing), but the Heifetz (RCA) is still best; he swaggers more in the finale, and has a fuller tone. Hahn is a bit detached and cool here, which is perhaps an influence of playing the Schoenberg. Salonen is excellent is delineating Sibelius' formal structures, but he also somewhat lacks passion.

Schoenberg A plus for clarity and intellectual passion

Sibelius B plus for clarity, but lacks passion.
September 18, 2008

Lyrical Schoenberg, Lost Sibelius

This recording pairs two concerti that, despite the obvious differences in tonal language, have much in common: both are large-scale, impassioned and, at times, achingly lyrical works that require technical mastery and musical maturity from both soloist and orchestra.
As far as the Schoenberg goes, Hahn and Salonen meet these challenges unabashedly; it is the most well-controlled yet lyrical recording of this sadly underplayed masterpiece I know. Schoenberg's musical language--so difficult for so many listeners--is brought to life with remarkable clarity and, more importantly, treated with a lovely musicality that sings out the Romantic beauty of the work.
However, while Schoenberg's lyricism generally reveals itself in shorter bursts, Sibelius's is positively epic; and that's where this recording falls short. Despite admirable playing, neither Hahn nor Salonen seem to be able to stay on course in the Laplandian hugeness of this piece and often end up sounding somewhat lost in the expanse. (For a masterful and simply gorgeous performance of this work, I'd recommend Mutter/Previn on DG.)
Nonetheless, one could do far worse as far as the Sibelius goes; and, in any case, the Schoenberg itself is worth the price of the disc. July 19, 2008

DON'T BELIEVE THE HYPE!!! THIS is POISON!!!

Yes, this is probably the best performance of the Schoenberg Violin Concerto ever recorded. That said, it is still a piece that looks better on paper than it sounds. The constant hype about the work does NOT make it a better piece of music. It is dull, paper music, PERIOD! This is musical castor oil played very sweetly, but even Mary Poppins won't make this go down "...in a most delightful way!!!" Hahn's hyperlyrical style makes the work sing better than ever before. The orchestra performance is excellent as is the conducting.

The Sibelius is a DUD and completely earthbound. There is NO grit in this performance, it is all oily-smooth and punctilliously played, but it NEVER catches FIRE as it can. Just listen to Heifetz or David Oistrakh or Julian Sitkovetsky. Salonen's partnership in this piece is completely misbegotten. He, as per usual, likes loud-and-fast, while Hahn wants deep and lyrical. I remember hearing a live performance of the Tchaikovsky Violin Concerto like this one: a fight to the finish with the violinist plodding and the conductor racing when the soloist finally shuts up. The tempo gear-changes are God-awful and finale has NO rhythmic articulation. I have never heard the dance rhythms in this piece sound so mushy. Don't waste the money on this...

ON THE OTHER HAND, if you like musical castor oil, play the Schoenberg recording, hold your nose, and swallow... June 26, 2008

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