Search - Sibelius, Jenson, Ormandy :: Violin Concerto

Dylana Captures the Essence of Sibelius

Interplanetary Funksmanship | Vanilla Suburbs, USA | 05/25/2003

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Sibelius' Violin Concerto by Dylana Jenson and Eugene Ormandy definitely holds a place in my list of "ten records I'd take with me to a desert isle." Among violin concertos, the Sibelius is obligatory for any soloist who wishes to be taken seriously, but I do not believe this piece has been sufficiently recognised for its place in the Sibelius repertoire. In Harold Johnson's 1959 biography, "Jean Sibelius," the author is at a loss when it comes classifying this among Sibelius' other masterworks. This may in part be due to the treatment the Concerto had previously been given by violinists - as a virtuoso piece, rather than a composition written in Sibelius' own inimitable style. This is understandable, given that Sibelius was an accomplished solo violinist.Prior to obtaining this recording, the only two I owned were by Heifetz (with Hendl/Chicago Symphony) and Perlman (Leinsdorf/Boston Symphony). While I admire Heifetz' sterling performance, it seems aloof from the actual music itself, brilliantly and expertly played, but lacking in depth. The Perlman just never did anything for me.This CD by Dylana Jenson with Eugene Ormandy and the Philadelphia Orchestra was her debut recording, which RCA chose to showcase in its then-new digital series. What makes it so satisfying is that it is by far the most Sibelian performance I've heard, then or since (and I own 11 different recordings). This is more difficult than it sounds. I have found most violinists to have rather "inbred" perspectives in regards to the repertoire for the solo violin - they tend to "interpret" a piece of music from the standpoint of the music out there for their instrument (which is logical), rather than understanding the composition's place within the composer's output. Hence, a brilliant performer such as Heifetz sounds as though he doesn't "get it," despite his sound musicianship. This approach by lesser virtuosos, such as Sarah Chang in her 1996 performance with the Berliner Philharmoniker and Mariss Jansons (himself a dedicated Sibelian), falls flat on its face. But the Jenson recording does not "come close"; it's *there.* Jenson, who recorded this when she was twenty, obviously holds an affection for the music of Sibelius and beautifully gets under the skin of the piece. Her playing is seemingly paradoxical: Her timing is so mathematically precise that one could set a metronome to it and her execution is so matter-of-fact, that it sounds inevitable. And yet, this could never for a minute be mistaken for indifference, for her performance comes across as inspired and impassioned. Through her performance, you can hear that the Sibelius Concerto belongs not in a category by itself (as Johnson suggests) but thematically with the First Symphony and "En Saga" and structurally with the Second and Fifth Symphonies.From the opening of the first movement (Allegro moderato), Jenson's violin subtly rises from within the ostinato of the upper strings played in pp-p, placing her violin firmly at the helm, but never outside, of the orchestra. Eugene Ormandy's conducting goes a long way towards the seamless integration between soloist and orchestra - as with so many other soloists, Ormandy places the Philadelphia in the service of providing a sympathetic accompaniment. The genius of Ormandy (and Jenson) is that the orchestra is never in a subordinate role. Throughout the opening movement there are intimate passages in which Jenson's solo violin beautifully communicates with orchestra soloists, such as the cellist, the bassoonist and clarinetist. There is one passage in which Jenson's violin and the solo 'cello repeatedly exchange a handful of notes between each other in so simple and understated a manner, that it conjures in the mind's eye two lovers meeting, then parting, in the night.Dylana Jenson's violin (a treasured Guarnerius del Gesu) has such a warm tone that it almost sounds like a viola and her bowing is smooth without ever having to over-rely upon vibrato. Her playing clearly achieves the Sibelian ideal in sound: Her instrument sounds as though it is playing from within the orchestra, though she never becomes subsumed in the ensemble. Nowhere is this more evident than in the second movement, Adagio di molto. I've heard many a performance in which the soloist tries to "impart meaning" to this movement by letting the bow linger just a shade too long on the strings, which only ruins the whole effect intended by the composer. From listening to Jenson's simple and persuasive interpretation, it is refreshing to hear this movement interpreted gently, honestly and forcefully, the meaning found where it had been all along - in the notes as written by the composer.The Finale (Allegro ma non tanto) is where Jenson really gets to show her "chops." This movement runs the whole gamut of difficulty in bowing and fingering, and Jenson brings the same expertness she does in the earlier movements in building towards the finale's climax tautly and suspensefully, yet without tearing the concerto away from its thematic roots. A couple of the runs sound so breathtakingly impossible (without sounding in the least incongruous to the thematic material) that you realise that you're listening to perhaps to the most difficult of concertos; difficult not only technically, but one that demands an implicit understanding on the part of the soloist, conductor and orchestra. This recording more than delivers on all three accounts.Saint-Saens' "Introduction and Rondo Capriccioso" is likewise imparted with the same maturity on Jenson's part as the Sibelius: As music, first and foremost. Yet, unlike the Sibelius, Jenson realises she's got a "showpiece" on her hands, and plays accordingly. Yet, as Toscanini would even conduct Rossini's "William Tell" Overture with the same thoughtfulness and passion that he would "Turandot," Jenson never comes across as hackneyed, but rather musically committed to this piece. There is a section in which her playing deftly shifts gears into a wistful, reflective interlude, then effortlessly builds to the quicksilver finale without missing a beat.Altogether, a brilliant recording by one of the great violinists of our time."

Grab one of the few remaining copies while they are here.

Alan M. Silbergeld | Baltimore, MD United States | 09/17/2009

(5 out of 5 stars)

"There is no reason for me to paraphrase everything the previous reviewer has said. It's all true! This is one of the great recordings of all time. Only the Oistrakh, the Ferras and perhaps the Marcovici recordings also come across as "the right" performance of the Sibelius. Jenson and Ormandy are inside the composer's head here. They understand the dark, brooding nature of his work. There is no exaggerated milking of individual phrases here. Everything is played with the structure of the movement and the entirety of the work in mind. And they are truly together in their interpretation. The orchestra gets the tension of the line and the frequently tentative nature of the mood prior to resolution just as right as does the soloist. The second movement is a marvel. This recording could be called a menage a trois between a girl, her violin and the conductor. Except that the sound engineer, Paul Goodman, also deserves great credit for getting right the balance between the soloist and the orchestra.



Recently, I listened to the Leonidas Kavakos performances of both versions of the Sibelius Violin Concerto on Bis. It was a maddening experience. Bis sought to reproduce the true dynamics of the concert hall, so it decided not spot mike the violinist. The result is that the violin line frequently becomes entirely lost in the overly-loud orchestral sound and you can't really tell what the heck Sibelius wrote for the soloist in the original version that was (or was not) different from the final version. The living room (or a good set or headphones) is not the same acoustical environment as the live symphony hall. And I pay to hear the violinist, not some sound engineer's misguided view of what will reproduce realistically. Thankfully, Goodman and RCA's mixing team get it right here.



Dylana Jenson is one of our great violinists. I won't say its "too bad" that her career did not continue to be one with the world's leading orchestras instead of occasional forays with smaller ones. Maybe she preferred that. Maybe or maybe not the story about her losing the loan of her original del Gesu violin because of her marriage is the reason why she did not continue to have a "major" career. It doesn't matter. She gave us this great recording as a souvenir of her art. It ought to be reissued so that everyone can hear it. But don't hold your breath. Buy!"