Midori‘s latest release brings together works by both Clara and Robert Schumann, centering on Robert’s Violin Concerto in D minor, alongside his 3 Romances and 5 Pieces in Folk Style, and Clara’s 3 Romances, Op. 22.
It took more than eighty years after its composition for the Violin Concerto to receive its premiere in 1937. It is not the most immediately gripping of the major Romantic violin concertos, but it has a distinctive inwardness and dignity. Midori and Festival Strings Lucerne give it a refined and thoughtfully shaped reading.
In the first movement, In kräftigem, nicht zu schnellem Tempo (track 1), the orchestral contribution has a dark, unsettled character, while Midori’s playing remains poised and lyrical. The close in the major key leads naturally into the Langsam (track 2), one of the strongest performances on the disc. Here Midori gives the line a vocal warmth, and the orchestra’s spacious phrasing helps underline the movement’s deeply Romantic character. The finale, Lebhaft, doch nicht schnell (track 3), is genial rather than impetuous, its jubilance moderated by a certain stateliness.
Robert’s 3 Romances, Op. 94, were originally written for oboe and piano, and there are moments when one misses something of the woodwind’s plaintive color in the violin version. Even so, Midori and Özgür Aydin make a strong case for the arrangement.
In Nicht schnell (track 9), Midori adds depth through subtle shading of line and tone, while Aydin shapes the piano part with unobtrusive flexibility. Einfach innig (track 10) is tenderly done, its more unsettled middle section giving the piece needed contrast.
In the final Nicht schnell (track 11), Midori emphasizes the music’s questioning quality without overstatement. The return of the opening material is especially well handled, with the violin at times barely above a whisper.
Midori (image: ©️ Fabrice Umiglia)
Clara Schumann‘s 3 Romances, Op. 22, dedicated to Joseph Joachim, provide a natural complement to the more troubled world of the concerto. There is an appealing directness to the Andante molto (track 12), and Midori avoids sentimental excess. In the Allegretto: Mit zartem Vortrage (track 13), she and Aydin keep the music light on its feet, balancing grace and melancholy without pushing either too far.
The final Leidenschaftlich schnell (track 14) is similarly fluent, the violinist’s fluid phrasing shines in large part thanks to the pianist’s wonderfully rendered accompaniment, which is vividly reminiscent of lush, cascading waterfalls.
The most rewarding part of the album, perhaps unexpectedly, is Robert’s 5 Pieces in Folk Style, Op. 102, originally written for cello and piano. These miniatures suit the performers well. In Mit Humor (track 4), Midori captures the music’s wit with light articulation and a well-judged sense of lift. Langsam (track 5) has the quiet simplicity of a lullaby, supported by Aydin’s calm, understated playing.
The central Nicht schnell, mit viel Ton zu spielen (track 6) offers a welcome moment of stillness before the more robust final pair. If there is a reservation, it is that Stark und markiert (track 8) could use more bite and weight; here the violin can sound slightly restrained.
These performances are attentive to the emotional and stylistic subtleties of the Schumanns’ music, and the program itself is intelligently assembled. One still wishes for more urgency and force in the concerto, which in this account remains a little too contained. Yet the care, seriousness, and musical sympathy evident throughout make this a worthwhile and often absorbing release.
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Kremer | Faust | Zehetmair | Zimmermann | Szeryng
Album Details |
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|---|---|
| Album name | Schumann: Violin Concerto & Works for Violin and Piano by Clara and Robert Schumann |
| Label | Pentatone |
| Catalogue No. | PTC5187496 |
| Artists | Midori, violin; Özgür Aydin, piano; Festival Strings Lucerne; Daniel Dodds, conductor |
