Thrilling solo violin adventures from the father of Swedish music

Alison Luthmers: Roman

THE STRAD RECOMMENDS

The Strad Issue: June 2025

Description: Thrilling solo violin adventures from the father of Swedish music

Musicians: Alison Luthmers (violin)

Works: Roman: Assaggi for solo violin: E minor BeRI312, A major BeRI301, G minor BeRI314, G minor BeRI320

Catalogue number: RUBICON CLASSICS RCD1140

Alison Luthmers is a strong advocate for four of Roman’s Assaggi, variously translated as ‘fast tastes’, ‘essays’ or ‘experiments’, and shows commendable sensitivity towards their cosmopolitan origins. Closest in content and approach to Telemann’s solo violin fantasias, which Roman evidently studied intently, these works require the violinist to tease out the optimum tempo, genre and character of each movement.

Luthmers is well equal to the task, performing these pieces with a winning freedom and flexibility. Espousing the composer’s spirit of experimentation, she occasionally fills out harmonies with additional notes (as in the third movement of BeRI301), slips in some tasteful ornamentation (as in the opening movement of BeRI312), arpeggiates notated multiple stopping ad libitum (as in the opening movement of BeRI314) or even repeats or da capos sections that are not so indicated. Her light bowing, impeccable intonation and carefully inflected shaping of the line communicate the music’s melodic charms with aplomb.

Particular highlights include the buoyant finale of BeRI301, the sicilienne-style third movement of BeRI314 and the galloping gigue-like penultimate movement of BeRI312. The close recording allows some non-musical sounds to be audible, but is otherwise pleasingly spacious and resonant.

ROBIN STOWELL