Great ensemble playing and recorded sound
Kenneth Latchis | Washington, DC | 09/07/2009
(5 out of 5 stars)
"The recorded sound is first rate. The Violin Concerto is beautifully played. Kavakos's technique and intonation are absolutely marvelous. Although his Mendelssohn is very convincing, things don't really begin to gel until half way through the first movement. As a matter of taste, I would prefer the Szeryng.
What really stands out in this recording are the 2 Mendelssohn Trios. Kavakos, Demenga and Pace are totally "in-tune" with each other. Technique, ensemble, recorded sound and interpretation are all wonderful. Absolutely first rate performances!!!
KSL"
The two piano trios are five-star readings; the Violin Conce
Santa Fe Listener | Santa Fe, NM USA | 03/13/2010
(4 out of 5 stars)
"Leonidas Kavakos, now 42, isn't a newcomer on the scene, but he's been rising in prominence lately, it seems, and the crowning touch is a contract with a major record label. Sony seems to ignore the U.S. market, and I tend to miss their releases. Here Kavakos takes on quite a burden to play and conduct the concerto and then join in as violinist for the two piano trios. He's been the artistic director of the Salzburg Camerata since 2007, and frankly, I wouldn't have known the absence of a separate conductor if the notes didn't indicate it. In part that's because this is a modestly shaped recording for smaller forces. There's not much need for a "personality" conductor in the orchestral accompaniment.
Despite the reduced scale, Kavakos is quite a romantic interpreter, giving us considerable rubato and some startling slow downs in the first movement. His tone is quite full and beautiful; the engineers have captured it very well, too. After a bit you notice that the soloist really is leading the orchestra, not just literally as conductor but in terms of mood and temperament. I've never herd such a close fusion of the two parts, and it's a delightful change. Tempos are almost identical to Zukerman's with Bernstein, also on Sony, but with a notably slower Andante that tended to flag a bit. My only caveat, and it's not minor, is that Kavakos' tone is too uniform, and he finds it difficult to reach deep emotionally. I found myself standing apart and admiring his reading rather than being touched by it.
As for the two piano trios, Kavakos and friends -- pianist Enrico Pace and cellist Patricck Demenga -- are relative unknowns compared to Argerich and friends on EMI, not to mention the Istomin-Stern-Rose Trio and a recent superstar lineup of Ax-Perlman-Ma, both recordings on Sony. Immediate on notice is the group's warm tone and relaxed, romantic style, aided by very warm, clear sound. I can't fault their readings, either. Excellent musicianship is on display in both works. However, there's an embarrassment or riches when one can hear the charismatic Argerich and the higher powered Istomin-Stern-Rose versions. Admittedly, the Argerich requires you to buy a box set for one trio and a separate CD for the other, so Kavakos benefits on the grounds of economy.
All told, the two trios offer more musical interest and are warmly recommended. The concerto isn't generic, but Kavakos is standing in the shadow of giants.
"
Made my friend happy
Silverwaltz | Houston, TX | 03/04/2010
(5 out of 5 stars)
"This was a gift for my violinist friend. She was extremely happy to hear this popular music bt Mendelssohn played so beautifully by Kavakos."
