| Aram Khachaturian (1903-1978) Violin Concerto in D minor (1940) |
||
| 1 | Allegro con fermezza - cadenza by the composer - |
14. 54 |
| 2 | Andante sostenuto | 12. 28 |
| 3 | Allegro vivace | 9. 16 |
| Serge Prokofiev (1891-1953) Violin concerto No. 1 in D Op. 19 (1916-1917) |
||
| 4 | Andantino – Andante assai | 10. 09 |
| 5 | Scherzo (Vivacissimo) | 3. 37 |
| 6 | Moderato – Allegro moderato – Più tranquillo | 8. 14 |
| Alexander Glazunov (1865-1936) Violin Concerto in A minor Op. 82 (1905) |
||
| 7 | Moderato – | 4. 19 |
| 8 | Andante – - cadenza by the composer - |
10. 29 |
| 9 | Allegro | 5. 40 |
Total playing time : |
79. 24 |
|

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Russian ViolinConcertos
Julia Fischer, violin
Russian National Orchestra
Conducted by
Yakov
Kreizberg
PTC 5186 059
![]()
DSD recorded
Three Russian Violin Concertos
Many of you will probably wonder why I chose these violin concertos in particular
for my first CD. To be perfectly honest, it was more a matter of coincidence,
together with an idea of Yakov Kreizberg’s, that led to the compilation
of this programme. We met in October 2003 in Philadelphia, where we were performing
Khachaturian’s Violin Concerto; and as we enjoyed working together
on the music so much, we immediately started looking for a chance to record
this
wonderful work. After it was settled that the Russian National Orchestra
would work on this recording, I felt immediately inspired to add a further
two Russian
concertos to the programme.
The Khachaturian had always been a dream piece of mine – ever since I
first heard the music, I wanted to play it. However, as soon as I proposed
playing this concerto, I usually encountered strong opposition from conductors
and concert promoters alike. Not until the 100th anniversary of the composer’s
birth did I actually manage to perform this concert in public. I have never
understood the aversion to this piece, as I consider it to be one of the most
exciting works to have emerged from the 20th century. I first heard the concerto
as an 11-year-old, when a girlfriend played it with a student orchestra during
a class. The themes immediately resounded from every direction, they were played,
sung and “danced” without interruption and the rhythmic motif,
which can be heard throughout the entire first movement and is first played
on the solo violin, thus becomes a kind of signal to all participants. At the
time, I noticed straight away how impressive this work could be, and since
then I have striven to establish it as part of the standard violin repertoire.
From the point of view of the violinist, it is a highly rewarding work, and
the ensemble-playing with the orchestra is original and delightful. Above all,
though, the origins of the composer – his native Armenia – are
clearly audible in this concerto.Serge Prokofiev’s Violin Concerto No.
1 contains all the typical characteristics of the composer – his Russian
side, his sarcastic side, his ironic side and also his lyrical side. In this
work, it is mainly the composer’s lyrical side which fascinates me,
as well as his symphonic manner of writing. The violin is well and truly
embedded
in the orchestral sound.
Another violin concerto I have always wanted to play, yet never had the opportunity
to do so, is Glazunov’s Violin Concerto. It is a true pleasure for a
violinist to play this work – absolutely delightful and rewarding for
the instrument, with really catchy themes as well as dialogues with all orchestral
instruments. It would be difficult to come across more romantic or exciting
examples in chamber music. What a joy to play this concerto with the Russian
National Orchestra – one would be hard put to find an orchestra which
has played this work more often or with more representative soloists.
Ever since I was small, I had always wanted to play in Moscow: my greatest
example had always been David Oistrach. When I first entered the Tchaikovsky
Conservatoire, I became aware of the atmosphere that has dominated this building
for decades now – only the music counts, only the search for the hidden
meaning of a work. Yakov Kreizberg is a musician for whom precisely this
task of interpretation is what matters. That is what made working with him
so unique
and incomparable, and therefore I am delighted to have been able to record
my first CD with him.
Julia Fischer 7/2004
"For her first disc, the young German prodigy Julia Fischer chose a
repertoire that suits her perfectly. In the Khachaturian concerto, she combines
impetuosity and reflection as much as this romantic, exotic work allows.
Her direction of the melody is always within the limits of the best taste...
Very different and imaginative in the details [is] the First Concerto of
Prokofiev... dazzling. The orchestra is very remarkable."
--Le Monde de la Musique
"A very generously filled CD with three appealing Russian violin concertos
played by this month's 'One to watch', Julia Fischer. [The RNO] under Yakov
Kreizberg accompany superbly and if, as the booklet implies, this CD was made
in two days then the concentration level must have been immense!"
--James Jolly, The Gramophone
"...the most soulful reading of the (usually neglected) Khachaturian
on record. [In] the Prokofiev First Violin Concerto, Fischer and the engineers
reveal the piece's inner workings... a model recording and indispensable."
The Absolute Sound (April 2005)
"Julia Fischer stands out. What's most impressive on this disc is [Julia
Fischer's] revitalization of the Khatchaturian Violin Concerto... Fischer
makes it sound fresh again. In part, the bloom results from her burnished
tone (sensuous but firmly focused) and her confident technique (note the
rhythmic definition of her opening gestures); simply as virtuoso display,
this is a charismatic performance. But there's a lot more than surface appeal.
Because of her unwavering concentration, she manages...to make each detail,
each swing in mood, register clearly, and because of her unflagging sense
of shape, she makes sure that each element contributes to a lucid unfolding
of the overall structure.... a nobility unmatched by any other recording
I know...urgently recommended."
Peter J. Rabonowitz, International Record Review
"Since January is a good time to celebrate new life, I'd like to give
a warm if belated welcome to Julia Fischer's debut disc on PentaTone Classics
of Russian violin concertos (5186 059). Barely 21, this German talent delivers
Khachaturian, Glazunov and Prokofiev No 1 with a lyrical fervour and unwavering
confidence that deserves to win her many new fans; she's already far beyond
promising, well into full achievement. With this repertoire, no pale loitering
by musicians is allowed; happily, Yakov Kreizberg and the Russian National
Orchestra make ideal, full-blooded partners. If this CD doesn't banish winter
chills, frankly, nothing will."
The Times (London)
“In any event, a model recording and indispensable.”
--Hary Pearson, Avguide.com
“All in all, this is a very impressive CD debut for Fischer. I look
forward to listening to it repeatedly in the coming months, and to hearing
still more from her, in the future.”
--Barry Brenesal, Fanfare
“..if, as the booklet implies, this CD was made in two days then the
concentration level must have been immense!”
---James Jolly, Gramophone
“
A striking début sees a young violinist doing full justice to a work
she loves… The freshness of her way with the Khachaturian is immediately
striking in the chattering figuration of the opening, and she brings a rare
tenderness to the lyrical second subject…The clarity of Fischer’s
performance in the finale brings lightness and sparkle…A unique coupling,
superbly recorded.”
---Edward Greenfield, Gramophone
“
Fischer offers scintillating readings of the Khachaturian, Prokofiev'sgreat
Violin Concerto No. 1 and Glazunov's strangely meandering Violin Concerto.
Besides being smart and accomplished, the violinist enjoys an astonishing
ease of expression that recalls young Itzhak Perlman and Gil Shaham. In some
ways, Fischer surpasses them with buoyant, lyrical
sensibility behind her technique.”
---David Patrick Stearns, Philadelphia Inquirer
“I
don’t believe I have heard a better performance of the Khachaturian than
Fischer’s, and with the hi-res surround sonics we have here a sure
winner. The Prokofiev and Glazunov concertos prove excellent companions and
also receive
sparkling performances. As you can see by the time total, this disc is packed
to the gills with great music.”
---John Sunier, Audiophile Audition
" The young and prodigiously gifted German violinist Julia Fischer makes
her recording debut with this terrific disc of three Russian violin concertos...
The Khachaturian, in which the world of Spartacus and the Sabre Dance never
seems all that far away, is an irrepressibly exuberant piece, to which Fischer
and the Russian National Orchestra under the dynamic baton of Yakov Kreizberg
bring vibrant colour and buoyant rhythms. The Glazunov, inexplicably neglected
these days, is one of his most winning works, innocent of the saccharine
pallor
that could sometimes afflict his music and here given with a flair that highlights
its tender melodic lines and vitality. Neither concerto is shamed by being
in the company of Prokofiev's more widely performed First Concerto, given
in a performance that blends subtlety of colouring, haunting atmosphere and virtuoso
flourish."
---Geoffrey Norris, The Telegraph
" ...these are crisp, bright, agile performances... Fischer has the solid
and sympathetic backing of the Russian National Orchestra under Yakov Kreizberg.
[The] ambience is natural and full of life."
---The Scotsman
“
THE debut disc of the German violinist, Julia Fischer, this is seriously impressive…Both
of these (the Khachaturian and the Glazunov) should be played in the concert
hall rather than always the old warhorses: perhaps Julia Fischer, a phenomenal
player, will help them find their place”.
---Robert Beale, Manchester on line
" In the Khatchaturian Violin Concerto, the large but extremely graceful
solo part does not owe its attraction alone to the virtuoso gesture, but also
to
the intensive dialogue between soloist and orchestra. And this dialogue unfolds
excellently between Julia Fischer, Yakov Kreizberg and the exceptional Russian
National Orchestra.... A remarkable debut CD. "
---Bayern 4 Klassik
" The premiere recording for this young German violinist (born in 1983)
affirms a temperament of fire equipped with dazzling vitality. [Julia Fischer]
fulfilled
a dream by playing these works with her orchestra of choice: the Russian
National... Ease, maturity and temperament spring forth from the first passages
of the
Khachaturian, with a vision clear, concise and enthralling, built with a
logical projection that is never diverted. Prokofiev's first violin concerto
is performed
with lyricism and imagination.... Finally, [in the Glazunov] Julia Fischer
affirms with ease its temperament and richness of color balances in perfect
symbiosis with the orchestra led by Yakov Kreizberg. The festive and bucolic
third movement concludes an ambitious and auspicious recording, leaving us
to impatiently await the next one."
--- Noël Godts, Ramifications
“
It will be a shame if this disc doesn’t win an award or two, as the three
distinctive Russian works Julia Fischer has chosen for her CD debut are immensely
satisfying and thrillingly executed”.
--- Birmingham Post
“Fischer is utterly brilliant throughout: Technically accomplished,
she’s deep where that’s called for, humorous where humor is needed.
This disc is a winner.”
---Sarah Bryan Miller, St. Louis Post
Julia
Fischer
Julia Fischer was born in Munich, Germany in 1983, and now ranks among the
top violinists performing for audiences around the globe. Reviews include
the following praise: “...not a talent, but a full-fledged phenomenal violinist...”, “...she
takes your breath away...”, “...worthy of a hailstorm of superlatives...”, “...a
winning blend of steely assurance and unabashed lyricism...”.
Julia Fischer has worked with such internationally acclaimed conductors as
Lorin Maazel, Christoph Eschenbach, Yehudi Menuhin, Giuseppe Sinopoli, Bernhard
Klee, Asher Fish, Marek Janowski, Jeffrey Tate, Simone Young, Herbert Blomstedt,
Yakov Kreizberg, Jukka-Pekka Saraste, Sir Neville Marriner, David Zinman, Michael
Tilson Thomas, Mikhail Jurowski, as well as with a variety of top orchestras
from Germany, Britain, the US, Poland, France, Italy, Switzerland, the Netherlands,
Norway, Russia, Japan and Slovakia. She has performed in most European countries,
the United States, Brasil and Japan. Her concerts have been broadcast on television
and radio in every major European country, as well as on many US, Japanese
and Australian radio stations.
In 2003, Julia Fischer – who has appeared in concert halls in the US
since 1997 – performed with the New York Philharmonic under Lorin Maazel,
playing the Sibelius Violin Concerto in New York’s Lincoln Center as
well as the Mendelssohn Violin Concerto in Vail, CO. Her 2003 Carnegie Hall
début received standing ovations for her performance of Brahms’ Double
Concerto with Lorin Maazel, Ha-Na Chang and the Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra.
In autumn 2003, she toured with Herbert Blomstedt and the Gewandhaus Orchestra
throughout Germany, the UK and Austria. In January 2004, Julia Fischer embarked
on her second tour with Sir Neville Marriner and the Academy of St. Martin
in the Fields, this time through Germany.
Her chamber music partners include Christoph Eschenbach, Jean-Yves Thibaudet,
Daniel Müller-Schott, Tabea Zimmermann, Gustav Rivinius, Lars Vogt and
Milana Chernyavska.
Julia Fischer began playing the violin before the age of four, receiving her
first lesson from Helge Thelen; and a few months later, she started studying
the piano with her mother Viera Fischer. Her formal violin education commenced
at the Leopold Mozart Conservatory in Augsburg, under the tutelage of Lydia
Dubrowskaya. At the age of nine, she was admitted to the Munich Academy of
Music, where she continues to work with Ana Chumachenco.
Julia Fischer has won many competitions, the most prestigious of which include
the International Yehudi Menuhin Violin Competition under Yehudi Menuhin’s
supervision (where she won both the first prize and the special prize for best
performance of a solo work by Bach in 1995); and the Eighth Eurovision Competition
for Young Instrumentalists in 1996, which was broadcast in 22 countries from
Lisbon. In 1997, Julia Fischer was awarded the “Prix d’Espoir” by
the Foundation of European Industry.
In 2004, Julia Fischer signed an exclusive recording contract with PentaTone
Classics.
Her active repertoire ranges from Bach to Penderecki, from Vivaldi to Shostakovitch,
and includes over 40 works with orchestra as well as some 60 chamber-music
works. Julia Fischer currently performs on a Jean Baptiste Guadagnini from
1750
Russian
National Orchestra
The Russian National Orchestra has been in demand throughout the music world
since its 1990 Moscow début. The first Russian orchestra to perform
at the Vatican and in Israel, the RNO maintains an active schedule of touring
and is a frequent guest at major festivals. Of the orchestra’s 1996 début
at the BBC Proms in London, the Evening Standard wrote: “They played
with such captivating beauty that the audience gave an involuntary sigh of
pleasure.” By the time of the RNO’s 10th anniversary, the orchestra
had been reviewed as a “major miracle” (Time Out New York) and
classical music’s “story of the decade” (International Arts
Manager). In 2004, the RNO was described as “a living symbol of the best
in Russian art” (Miami Herald) and “as close to perfect as one
could hope for” (Trinity Mirror).
Gramophone magazine listed the first RNO CD (1991) as the best recording
of Tchaikovsky’s Pathétique in history, and reviewed it as follows: “An
awe-inspiring experience; should human beings be able to play like this?”.
Since then, the RNO has made more than 30 recordings for Deutsche Grammophon
and PentaTone Classics, with conductors such as Mikhail Pletnev, Mstislav
Rostropovich, Kent Nagano and Alexander Vedernikov.
In 2003, the orchestra signed a new multi-disc agreement with PentaTone Classics.
One of the first results of this collaboration – a recording of Prokofiev’s
Peter and the Wolf and Beintus’ Wolf Tracks, conducted by Kent Nagano – won
a 2004 Grammy Award, which made the RNO the first Russian orchestra ever to
win the recording industry’s highest honour.
Unique among the principal Russian ensembles, the RNO is independent of the
government and has developed its own path-breaking structure. It is perhaps
the only orchestra to have established a Conductor Collegium, a group of internationally
renowned conductors who share the podium leadership.
Another innovation is Cultural Allies, which was created in 2001. Cultural
Allies encompasses exchanges between artists in Russia and the West, and
also commissions new works. Prominent RNO partners in Cultural Allies include
Dave
and Chris Brubeck, Hélène Grimaud, Sophia Loren, Wynton Marsalis,
John Corigliano and Michael Tilson Thomas.
The Russian National Orchestra is supported by private funding and is governed
by a distinguished multinational board of trustees. Affiliated organizations
include the Russian National Orchestra Trust (UK), the Russian Arts Foundation
and the American Council of the RNO.