All concerto articles
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Blogs
5 tips for learning the Walton Viola Concerto
Norwegian violist Eivind Holtsmark Ringstad discusses the crucial challenges of one of his instrument’s core repertoire concertos
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Review
Christian Tetzlaff: Bartók Violin Concertos
Finnish Radio Symphony Orchestra/Hannu Lintu: Impressive performances in one of a recent brace of Bartók concertos
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Debate
Is playing a concerto really the ultimate test of musicianship?
Performing a concerto has long been regarded as the highest test of a string player's musical prowess. But what exactly do they prove, asks Toby Deller
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Review
Bomsori Kim: Shostakovich and Wieniawski concertos
Two concertos, two eras, two contrasting performances
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Video
Vivaldi's Concerto for Two Cellos – René Schiffer, Mimé Brinkmann – Apollo's Fire
This video features Apollo’s Fire, The Cleveland Baroque Orchestra, conducted from the harpsichord by Jeannette Sorrell, with cello soloists René Schiffer and Mimé Y. Brinkmann, performing Antonio Vivaldi’s Concerto in G Minor for Two Cellos, RV 531. The performance took place as part of the Tanglewood Festival on ...
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Review
Tasmin Little – Szymanowski: Violin Concertos nos.1 & 2, Karlowicz: Violin Concerto
THE STRAD RECOMMENDS The Strad Issue: November 2017Description: Romantic concertos that stand in a class of their ownMusicians: Tasmin Little (violin) BBC Symphony Orchestra/Edward GardnerComposer: Szymanowski, KarlowiczCatalogue Number: CHANDOS CHSA 5185 ‘I maintain that our national music is not the ossified ghosts of ...
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Focus
Arabella Steinbacher on Khachaturian’s Violin Concerto
For the German violinist, Khachaturian’s Violin Concerto opened the doors to 20th-century repertoire – and with it, whole new sound worlds
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Video
Sarah Chang - Paganini: Violin Concerto no.1, op.6
In this video from 1995 Sarah Chang plays Paganini’s Violin Concerto no.1 with the Berlin Philharmonic under Zubin Mehta at the Palazzo Vecchio in Florence. The full concert is available to purchase here Read: The secret behind violinist Paganini’s amazing technique, but Ruggiero Ricci
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Video
Noa Wildschut: trailer for her first album for Warner Classics
Noa Wildschut, the dutch 16-year-old violinist who signed to Warner Classics last year, has released her first album for the label, including Mozart’s Violin Concerto no.5, the ‘Turkish’.
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Blogs
How Schumann’s suppressed Violin Concerto made history – and the ideal subject for a novel
A glamorous violin virtuosa, a hidden masterpiece, a ouija board, Nazis, Ravel’s Tzigane. It’s not hard to see why author Jessica Duchen was attracted to the story of Jelly D’Arányi. As her novel becomes a UK touring concert, she writes about the strange facts behind the fiction
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News
Leonard Elschenbroich steps in to save BBC Proms premiere
Cellist steps in at two weeks’ notice to take on Brian Elias cello concerto from indisposed Natalie Clein
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Article
Mozart: Complete Works for Violin and Orchestra
The Strad Issue: February 2017Description: Period playing and new cadenzas in the five Mozart concertosMusicians: Isabelle Faust (violin), Il Giardino Armonico/Giovanni AntoniniComposer: MozartCatalogue number: HARMONIA MUNDI HMC 90 2230/31 (2 CDS) This is now one of several sets of the Mozart concertos I have reviewed for The ...
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Article
MENDELSSOHN Violin Concerto in E minor op.64 SCHUMANN Violin Concerto in D minor WoO23
The Strad Issue: February 2017Description: A soloist well attuned to the challenges of Schumann's Violin ConcertoMusicians: Chamber Orchestra of Europe/Carolin Widmann (violin)Composer: Mendelssohn, SchumannCatalogue number: ECM NEW SERIES 481 2635 With a solo line of rapt simplicity, Carolin Widmann gets right to the heart of the slow ...
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Article
Dusapin: Aufgang, Mantovani: Jeux d’eau, Rihm: Gedicht des Malers
The Strad Issue: February 2017Description: Three premieres show that the 21st-century violin concerto is in rude healthMusicians: Renaud Capuçon (violin), Vienna Symphony Orchestra, Orchestre de l'Opéra National de Paris, Orchestre Philharmonique de Radio France/Philippe Jordan, Myung-Whun ChungComposer: Dusapin, Mantovani, RihmCatalogue number: ERATO 2564 60268-7 There’s no denying ...
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Review
Reger: Violin Concerto op.101 (arr. Rudolf Kolisch)
THE STRAD RECOMMENDS The Strad Issue: October 2016 Description: Reger’s knotty concerto clarified for Schoenberg’s chamber music society Musicians: Winfried Rademacher (violin) Linos Ensemble Composer: Max Reger Catalogue number: CAPRICCO C 5137 Max ...
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Review
Glazunov: Violin Concerto op.82; Shostakovich: Violin Concerto no.1 op.99
The Strad Issue: October 2016 Description: Sweetness rather than bite in two major 20th-century violin concertos Musicians: Nicola Benedetti (violin) Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra/Kirill Karabits Composer: Glazunov, Shostakovich Catalogue number: DECCA 478 8758 Benedetti ...
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Review
Polish Violin Concertos - Bacewicz: Violin Concerto no.1; Panufnik: Violin Concerto; Tansman: Five Pieces; Spisak: Andante and Allegro
The Strad Issue: October 2016 Description: An important addition to the discography of these works Musicians: Piotr Plawner (violin), Berlin Chamber Symphony Ensemble/Jürgen Brun Composer: Bacewicz, Panufnik, Tansman, Spisak Catalogue number: Naxos 8.573496 ...
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Review
Dvorák: Cello Concerto in B minor op.104; Schumann: Cello Concerto in A minor op.129
The Strad Issue: September 2016 Description: Romantic concertos in commanding readings, let down by poor sound Musicians: Carmine Miranda (cello), Moravian Philharmonic Orchestra/Petr Vronský Composer: Dvorák, Schumann Catalogue number: NAVONA NV6034 In the ...
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Article
Gil Shaham performs Mendelssohn's Violin Concerto
Gil Shaham gives a particularly joyful performance of Mendelssohn's Violin Concerto with the Singapore Symphony Orchestra conducted by Lan Shui in May 2016. The full concert can be viewed at medici.tv. Read: Violinist Gil Shaham on the irresistible lure of 1930s violin concertos Watch: Violinist Gil Shaham ...
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Review
Haydn: Cello Concertos: no.1 in C major, no.2 in D major; Adagio (Violin Concerto no.1 in C major); Adagio (Symphony no.13 in D major)
THE STRAD RECOMMENDS The Strad Issue: September 2016 Description: A charming cello comes out to play Haydn’s two concertos and more Musicians: Pavel Gomziakov (cello) Gulbenkian Orchestra/Erik Heide (concertmaster) Composer: Haydn Catalogue number: ONYX 4151 For some, the chance to hear the ...