Search - Beriot, Kirk Trevor, Slovak Radio Symphony Orchestra :: Beriot: Violin Concertos Nos. 2, 3 & 5

Charming Virtuosic Concertos

D. A Wend | Buffalo Grove, IL USA | 12/05/2008

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Charles Auguste de Beriot (1802 - 1870) was a Belgian violin virtuoso and composer. He studied music in Paris and was, like Paganini, a master of pyrotechnics. For a time, he led quite a tempestuous life with the singer Marie Malibran, whom he met as she fled a marriage in New York that served to get her away from a dictatorial father. Malibran was not interested in marriage so the couple lived together until her death from complications from a riding accident.



Beriot was among the foremost virtuosi of his day and toured widely. His violin concerti reflect his skills as a performer. Concerto No. 2 was written in 1835 and published in 1841. It sounds a lot like a Paganini concerto characterized by lovely melodies and fantastic passage work by the soloist. There is a long orchestral introduction in the first movement that gives way to a lyrical melody by the soloist. The movement has some dramatic music by the orchestra with passages of more reflective and lyrical playing by the violin. The middle movement is elegant and the Finale in an expressive and colorful Rondo russe.



Concerto No 3 opens with an orchestral passage that sounds more like a Verdi opera than a concerto. The soloist enters with an equally dramatic display of technical skill, and the movement goes on with some catchy melodies punctuated by some remarkable passages by the soloist. The second movement has some charming music with the soloist leading with the theme. The Finale begins with a lilting melody played by the soloist; like the prior concerto, this is an energetic rondo with the soloist having the last word with a very demanding coda.



Concerto No 5 dates from around 1848 and, like the other concerti, has a long orchestral passage with the soloist entering with a flourish. The soloist has center stage playing technically demanding but also lovely melodies that show off the virtuoso qualities of the instrument. The short Adagio is a beautifully lyrical movement and leads directly into the Finale that reused much of the music from the first movement.



Philippe Quint has the skill to meet the demands that Beriot sets for the soloist and he is ably supported by the Slovak Radio Symphony Orchestra under Kirk Trevor. If you enjoy the concerti of Paganini you will certainly enjoy these virtuosic marvels by Beriot.





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Tired of the warhorses? Try Beriot.

Michael J. Colbruno | Oakland, CA USA | 12/21/2008

(4 out of 5 stars)

"If you're tired of hearing the violin warhorses by Dvorak, Tchaikovsky, Beethoven and Mendelssohn then try Beriot. Who? That's what I said when I first read about him in Gramophone magazine, but this is unjustly lost repertoire."