Ravishing new accounts breathe life into a favourite pairing
THE STRAD RECOMMENDS
The Strad Issue: January 2026
Description: Ravishing new accounts breathe life into a favourite pairing
Musicians: Johan Dalene (violin) Swedish Radio Symphony Orchestra/Malin Broman, Gemma New, Swedish Radio Choir/Kaspars Putniņš
Works: Bruch: Violin Concerto no.1. Mendelssohn: Violin Concerto in E minor. Vaughan Williams: The Lark Ascending (arr. Paul Drayton)
Catalogue number: BIS BIS-2610 (SACD)
Still only 25, Johan Dalene is already undeniably a star in the fiddle firmament. Listen, though, to the way he is careful not to outshine his playing partners in this coupling of two 19th-century warhorses, emerging from the opening tutti of the Mendelssohn with a refreshing naturalness.
His singing approach to portamento makes something personal of his performances here, as does an individual way of occasionally approaching a note from below, without ever sounding ‘skatey’ – often a danger in the Mendelssohn of all pieces. The slow movements in both concertos benefit from an unsentimental approach, even when Dalene is digging soulfully into the G string.
Perhaps the Mendelssohn finale might have frolicked a little more, but the footwork is never clumpy, the smile always audible. The Bruch is fully authoritative, from the razor-sharp rhythmic definition of the opening to the dancing exultation of the finale, all aided by Dalene’s selective, sensitive and circumscribed vibrato, and supported every inch of the way by the attentive Swedish RSO, conducted by Gemma New in the Bruch, led from the front desk by Malin Broman in the Mendelssohn.
To close, the slight oddity of The Lark Ascending arranged for violin and choir. It’s a bit like doing Gainsborough’s Blue Boy in mauve – the point is somewhat missed. Nevertheless, like the concertos, it’s performed (and recorded) exquisitely.
DAVID THREASHER
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