Bruch: Violin Concerto No. 3 in D minor, Op. 58 / Scottish Fantasy, Op. 46
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MAX BRUCH
Bruch: Violin Concerto No. 3 in D minor, Op. 58 / Scottish Fantasy, Op. 46
Jack Liebeck (violin) / BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra, Martyn Brabbins
[ Hyperion Romantic Violin Concerto Vol 17 / CD ]
Release Date: Monday 29 September 2014
Award-winning violinist Jack Liebeck brings his impassioned tones, fulsome emotional display and formidable technique to the first of three albums of music by Max Bruch.
This programme presents one of Bruch's most popular pieces for violin and orchestra, the Scottish Fantasy, alongside one of his least known, the Violin Concerto No 3 in D minor, Op 58. Anyone hearing Jack Liebeck's performance may well wonder why this concerto has languished in the lumber room for so long-it has never been heard at the BBC Proms, for example. It was written for Joseph Joachim who gave the premiere in Düsseldorf and subsequently played the concerto in Hamburg, Berlin, Frankfurt, Strasbourg, Breslau, Leipzig, Cologne and London (for the Philharmonic Society).
The Scottish Fantasy in E flat major, Op 46 (or more correctly 'Fantasia for the violin with orchestra and harp, freely using Scottish folk melodies'), was written in Berlin during the winter of 1879-80 for Sarasate and reflected the Spaniard's more colourful personality. Although Bruch never visited Scotland, he was typical of German Romantics in having a fascination with the picture of the country painted by such writers as Walter Scott. For the Scottish Fantasy he drew on James Johnson's voluminous folk-song collection The Scots Musical Museum.
"Violinist Jack Liebeck is strong and convincing in both of these works. He possesses the technique and sensitivity to persuade the listener that these two works are better than they really are. Conductor Martyn Brabbins has a special insight into romantic music. The BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra under Brabbins' baton provides Liebeck with perceptive and compelling accompaniment. The sound is remarkably clear and natural thanks to Simon Eadon (engineer) and Andrew Keener (recording producer)." (Five Stars AudAud.com)
"Jack Liebeck and conductor Martyn Brabbins work hard to make the music come alive. Liebeck's playing is consistently fresh and his phrasing always imaginative" (The Guardian)
"Jack Liebeck (a professor at the Royal Academy of Music) gives us two lesser-known works by Bruch. The Third Concerto is at least as memorable as the first and is given a commendably clear reading here, although the brassy timbre of orchestra and soloist at the very opening hints at a harsh, treble-biased recording set-up, which takes a bit of getting used to. Liebeck's playing soon proves to be clean, tidy and free from undue mannerism. The first movement contains the best playing; the slow movement is a little inengaging and the last is thwarted by slightly harsh staccatos. The Scottish Fantasy-an extended work dedicated to Joseph Joachim's polar opposite, Sarasate-is played with a great sense of fun (as in the final Allegro guerriero), and some soulful and evocative landscape painting at the start." (The Strad)
Tracks:
Violin Concerto No. 3 in D minor, Op. 58
Scottish Fantasy, Op. 46
