Customer Reviews

Dvorak: Violin Concerto, Romance; Bartok: Rhapsodies / Chung, Muti, Rattle

5 star:		(3)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Kyung Wha Chung has an astonishing ability to make a studio recording sound spontaneous and slightly dangerously like a live recording - in the best possible way. The way she sparks off conductors to produce magical moments in a beguiling seamless weave as in her Mendelssohn with Dutoit, her Sibelius with Previn, and this Dvorak with Muti, all spells intuitive genius. The first movement is lovely, perhaps would be even better if there were a little more pace (comparison with Milstein here, sorry). The adagio ma non troppo is exactly that, and what a fabulous sound, especially with the thrilling trills later on. The finale is full of brio, and the slavonic zest is never more beautifully caught on disc than at the bouncy violin part playing off the orchestra at around 8 mins into the allgro giocoso. This would surely have won a rosette if only the orchestral sound were more lush in the studio setting. Not that I would fault of the orchestra or the conductor in any way, the sound is fine. By the way, if you are inclined to listen to classical music in Dolby Prologic Surround, don't with this disc. For some reason the stereo is unbelievably better than the synthetic surround sound, the stereo image is beautifully focussed, and the violin sounds far more beautiful. Don't ask me the physics of it!
The Romance is exquisite, and deserves 5 gold stars in its own right, even though it may be a 13 minute vignette.

This was an excellent CD by Kyung-Wha Chung. You will surely fall in love with the Dvorak Violin Concerto if you listen to this CD. I heard no flaw in her technique, and her paraphrasing was wonderful. The orchestra accompanies her just as beautifully. The first movement had some very good technique and dynamics. I especially enjoyed her sound, and the double-stops. The third movement sounded very full and vibrant. I must say that it was very playful. The romance was breath taking! It must be her best recording of a slow piece. I would highly recommend this CD to anyone interested in Kyung-Wha Chung, the Violin Concerto, or the Romance.

Dvorak's violin concerto is a lovable work, if not quite on the level of his cello concerto in terms of the level of inspiration and invention. It has been well served on disc, so does Kyung Wha Chung stand up to the competition? In some respects, yes, but I am not fully convinced that this is quite the benchmark performance (Oistrakh probably takes that one). Her technique is of course never in doubt, the phrasing, intonation and the precision and clarity especially in quicker passages is staggering. One would think that the Dvorak concerto, with its warm lyricism and spirited, lively, dance-like faster parts should be perfect for her, but there seems to be something missing - maybe it's because the music is simply to perfect for her; there is no sense of real engagement or immersion in the music, all the turns and twists are elegant and whatever else is added to it is the kind of sweetness that is just a little too overdone. Maybe it is just because the tempi are a little too slow, precluding the sense of joy and life and drama that ought to permeate this music. A beautiful sound, but not quite right; only in the last movement does the performance really take flight (and it really makes up for much). The orchestra is good, of course, but seems - as opposed to Chung - to lack that last bit of lushness and tonal finesse; it is quite simply a little to dry. Oh well, I shouldn't grumble too much - this is still a truly impressive performance, and I am glad to have heard it.

In the inconsequential Romanse there is no such problems of course - this is the kind of music that exactly needs a little additional sweetness and fabulous tone. I am more surprised by the successfulness of the Bartok pieces - these are somewhat overromanticized, but I found them captivating nonetheless with delectable, idiomatic orchestral contributions. Not the benchmark performances here either, perhaps, but I can imagine myself returning to these versions many times. All in all then, this is a good performance, and no one who acquires this cheap release as their first encounters with the works are likely to be disappointed. But there are more spirited versions out there as well. As for the final verdict, I am vacillating a little - I can indeed justify a five-star rating, but keeping in mind some of the classic versions of the works I will, in the end, settle for four.

Kyung Wha Chung; what more can I say?