| Karol Szymanowski (1882 – 1937) Violin Concerto No. 1, Op. 35 (1916) |
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| 1 | Vivace assai | 12. 33 | |
| 2 | Vivace scherzando | 8. 35 | |
| 3 | Cadenza (by Pawel Kochanski) | 1. 55 | |
| 4 | Allegro moderato | 3. 02 | |
| Antonin Dvořák (1841 – 1904) Romance for Violin and Orchestra in F minor, Op. 11 (1873 – 1879) |
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| 5 | Andante con moto | 11. 44 | |
| Violin Concerto in A minor, Op. 53 (1880, rev. 1882) |
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| 6 | Allegro ma non troppo | 11. 51 | |
| 7 | Adagio ma non troppo | 10. 30 | |
| 8 | Finale – Allegro giocoso, ma non troppo | 11. 12 | |
| Total playing time: | 71. 44 | ||

“Would you please write me a violin concerto? A truly original one, full of melodies and written for good violinists? Please, drop me a line!”
These words in a letter from the publisher Simrock to , dated January 27, 1879, resulted in the composition of his Violin Concerto in A minor. Although Dvořák concluded the work towards the end of the summer of 1879, after completing his exceedingly successful Slavonic Dances, a further four years would pass before the violin concerto finally appeared in print and actually received its première. With his reference to “good violinists”, Simrock (ever on the lookout for a good business deal) probably had one person in particular in mind: Joseph Joachim. Two years previously, this violinist – who nowadays would enjoy the status of a megastar – had “launched” the violin concerto written by Johannes Brahms, following a period of intensive collaboration with the composer. So it seemed only logical that Dvořák – who was now also gaining an international reputation – would write the next concerto specifically for the famous virtuoso. During the summer, Dvořák and Joachim spent some “pleasant and delightful moments” together in Berlin. It seemed as if nothing would stand in the way of a rewarding and steady collaboration. Thus in the autumn of 1879, Joachim received the manuscript of the concerto. However, apart from his thanks for the dedication, his reaction was mainly to send back a list of requests for massive changes in both the formal structure of the work and the solo violin part. After meeting personally with him in April 1880, Dvořák decided to fundamentally revise the work, which he concluded the following May. Joachim’s words must have had a significant effect on Dvořák, as the latter wrote the following to Simrock: “I have revised the entire concerto, not a single bar have I retained”. The second version was again sent to Joachim – however, the violinist did not react. At least, not straight away. Finally, some two years later in August 1882, the answer arrived. Once again with requests for changes, which Dvořák implemented without complaint. (The well-known Dvořák-scholar, Klaus Döge, described Joachim’s conduct quite drastically as “downright neglectful”.) Following a concert held in Berlin (which was not accessible to the general public) in which Joachim gave a performance of the work, further cuts were planned. They were the last. In 1883, Simrock published the concerto, which finally received its première in Prague that year, on October 14. And the soloist was … František Ondříček! So no trace of Joseph Joachim, who had played a leading role in the shaping of the composition. In fact, despite being the dedicatee of the concerto, Joachim never even played the work in public... A very peculiar end to a long story. Karol Szymanowski (1882 – 1937) was born in the Ukraine to prosperous parents, and grew up in highly artistic surroundings. As a result of extended trips to, for example, Berlin and Vienna at the beginning of the 20th century, the young Szymanowski – who had already presented to the public highly virtuoso piano compositions around the turn of the century – was noticeably influenced by German composers of the late-Romantic era, such as Reger and Strauss. Later on, the impressionist compositions of Ravel became important to him, and his intensive study of ancient Mediterranean cultures and oriental mystique shaped his further works. That Szymanowski once again raised the music of Poland from its backwardly provincial status to an international level is most definitely a direct result of his work in the field of Polish folk music and folklore following the First World War. In both his opera King Roger and his Stabat mater, he created a new Polish idiom.
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“An intriguing coupling of Slavic violin concertos finds Marek Janowski and the Radio Symphony Orchestra Berlin conjuring a wealth of colours and inflections from Szymanowski’s exotic orchestration. What a marvellous violinist Arabella Steinbacher is! Her instrument soars potently and her lyrical playing seduces….. And Szymanowski’s (underrated) Violin Concerto similarly benefits from a fiery and loving approach, with plenty of high spirits in the finale (the tempo ideally poised, the slower central section beautifully integrated), conductor, orchestra and soloist working as one – such teamwork reflected in the recorded sound – and leaving in no doubt that Arabella Steinbacher is a violinist of wonderful craft and a musician who communicates without tricks.”
Colin Anderson, Classicalsource.com
“Despite the relatively short time since the dawn of her international career, which began in 2004, violinist Arabella Steinbacher is already leaving a significant mark on the concert stages and recording studios of the world as of this 2009 recording. She is rapidly proving herself to be an extremely mature, well-developed artist capable of handling the most musically sophisticated compositions in her repertoire. Such is certainly the case with the present performance of Karol Szymanowski’s intense, gripping First Concerto…… Marek Janowski leads the Rundfunk-Sinfonieorchester Berlin in masterful, restrained accompaniments and rich, enthusiastic tuttis. PentaTone’s sound, particularly for those listening in 5.1-channel surround sound, is warm, present, and clear.”
Mike D. Brownell, Allmusic.com
“This is undoubtedly one of the finest SACDs to be released from a label that consistently produces outstanding recordings and I have no hesitation in giving it a top recommendation.”
Castor, SA-CD.net
Musik *****
Klang *****
FONO FORUM
“This is a disc that belongs in every collection.”
Richard Foster, HiFi+Magazine
“Recommended- for the surround, and above all, for arabella Steinbacher’s freshness and youthful aplomb.”
Adrian Corleonis, Fanfare
“This is a performance in which the doloist sounds as if she is leading the dance, and everyone is rhythmically buoyant in the heady climax of an enjoyable and vividly recorded disc.”
John Allison, BBC Music Magazine
“The whole disc is ectremely enjoyable. I can’t wait to hear more of this magnificent young violinist.”
Nigel Simeone, International Record Review