Review By David Denton, Naxos,March 2007
Born in Italy in 1692, Giuseppe Tartini became the leading
Italian violinist of his generation, holding major orchestral appointments in
Padua and Prague. As a composer he was prolific, writing over 400 works, mostly
in the field of string music, many with virtuoso parts for the violin and probably
intended for his own use. In style it was to bridge the period between the most
ornate Baroque and the following Classical era. Later in life he was to provide
works for the church, reflecting his first thoughts of a monastic life. By then
he had completed 135 violin concertos, the orchestral scoring concentrating
on the upper instruments to add transparency and lightness to the sound. Of
the five works on this disc, Naxos claim that two are receiving their first
recording, which is a most welcome fact as the E major is an absolute gem. Its
thematic invention is highly attractive, Ariadne Daskalakis flying around elaborate
decorations with deceptive ease. Maybe best heard a couple of concertos at a
time, Tartini having worked to a very simple and repetitive formula of two fast
and brilliant moments surrounding a slow central movement. I could hardly expect
more persuasive performances, Daskalakis playing a gut-strung violin from Tartini's
time, her bright tone matched by immaculate intonation even in the most exacting
passages. Tartini left few written cadenzas as he would have improvised, Daskalakis
adding her own and very appropriate versions. The orchestral part is functional
rather than exacting, the Cologne musicians well attuned to the Baroque style.
Just a fraction too forward of the orchestra, we have a very close scrutiny
of Daskalakis, the disc best played at a relatively low volume control.
more....
|