Sergey Prokofiev - Complete Works for Violin [2 CD set] (2013)

The latest offering from James Ehnes is an outstanding 2-CD set of the Complete Works for Violin by Sergei Prokofiev. Gianandrea Noseda conducts the BBC Philharmonic in the Violin Concerto No.1 in D Major and the Violin Concerto No.2 in G Minor on disc one, and Andrew Armstrong is the accompanist for the violin and piano works on disc two. Ehnes gives thoughtful and sensitive performances of the two concertos, and is given perfect support by Noseda, a conductor who has few equals when it comes to drawing nuanced, sensitive playing from a large orchestra.

“Wow. Everything works here. James Ehnes rarely disappoints, and the playing on this beautifully recorded two-disc set is immaculate. It’s not just the musicality, the remarkable ability to give shape and colour to the thorniest solo writing, but his modesty...Unmissable.” The Arts Desk, 28th September 2013 “In their mix of lyricism and sharp-edged rhythmic and harmonic piquancy, Ehnes and Moretti are absolutely spot on in defining the music’s character. This is playing that truly grabs you by the scruff of the neck and commands attention.” The Telegraph, 4th October 2013 “Ehnes's particular combination of matchless virtuosity, sweet tone, flowing tempi and interpretative restraint suits all this music down to the ground. You sense that we are in for a special performance of the D major Concerto (No. 1) even before the soloist enters, Noseda eliciting a special quality of fairy-tale unreality.” Gramophone Magazine, October 2013 “I have not heard such a beautiful performance of the First Violin Concerto since Itzhak Perlman's 1982 EMI recording, and Ehnes enjoys the advantage of a more natural balance with the orchestra...Ehnes smoothes some of the First Sonata's rough edges...yet its menace and brutality emerge clearly enough...a real winner.” BBC Music Magazine, December 2013 ***** Gramophone Magazine - Editor's Choice - October 2013
Track List:

Sergey Prokofiev (1891-1953)

COMPACT DISC ONE

Violin Concerto No. 1, Op. 19 21:57
in D major - in D-Dur - en ré majeur
1 I Andantino -Meno mosso - 9:44
2 II Scherzo. Vivacissimo 3:40
3 III Moderato - 8:31
BBC Philharmonic
Gianandrea Noseda

Sonata, Op. 56 14:23
For Two Violins
in C major - in C-Dur - en ut majeur
4 1 Andante cantabile 2:56
5 2 Allegro 2:59
6 3 Commodo (quasi Allegretto) - Pochissimo meno - 3:22
7 4 Allegro con brio - Poco più sostenuto - Tempo I - Più presto 3:28
Amy Schwartz Moretti violin

Sonata for Violin Solo, Op. 115 12:43
in D major - in D-Dur - en ré majeur
8 1 Moderato 4:52
9 2 Tema. Andante dolce - 3:41
Variazione I -
Variazione II. Scherzando -
Variazione III. Andante -
Variazione IV. -
Variazione V
10 3 Con brio - Allegro precipitato - Tempo I - Allegro precipitato 4:10

Violin Concerto No. 2, Op. 63 26:23
in G minor - in g-Moll - en sol mineur
11 I Allegro moderato - Poco più mosso - Poco più tranquillo - 10:35
12 II Andante assai - Più animato - Tempo I - Allegretto - 9:37
13 III Allegro, ben marcato - 6:10
BBC Philharmonic
Gianandrea Noseda
76:03

COMPACT DISC TWO

Sonata No. 1, Op. 80 27:02
in F minor - in f-Moll - en fa mineur
For Violin and Piano
Dedicated to David Oistrakh
1 I Andante assai - Poco più animato - Tempo I 6:32
2 II Allegro brusco - Poco più tranquillo - Più mosso - 6:28
3 III Andante - Poco meno mosso 6:56
4 IV Allegrissimo - Poco più tranquillo - Allegrissimo I - 7:01
Andrew Armstrong piano

Five Melodies, Op. 35bis 13:31
For Violin and Piano
5 1 (To Paul Kochanski) Andante 2:23
6 2 (To Cecilia Hansen) Lento, ma non troppo - Poco più mosso - Tempo I 2:53
7 3 (To Paul Konchaski) Animato, ma non allegro - Poco più tranquillo - 3:28
8 4 (To Paul Kochanski) Allegretto leggero e scherzando 1:24
9 5 (To Joseph Szigeti) Andante non troppo - Pochissimo più animato - Meno mosso 3:19
Andrew Armstrong piano

Sonata No. 2, Op. 94a 24:13
in D major - in D-Dur - en ré majeur
For Violin and Piano
10 I Moderato 8:15
11 II Scherzo. Presto - Poco più mosso - Tempo I 4:52
12 III Andante 3:48
13 IV Allegro con brio - Poco meno mosso - Tempo I - Poco meno mosso - 7:26
Andrew Armstrong piano
65:09




3% recovery record is included.

Of related interest:
Benjamin Britten · Dmitri Shostakovich - Violin Concertos (2013) Link

More contemporary American and European music is available at my blog.