Customer Reviews

Paganini: Violin Concertos Nos. 3 & 4

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

 

 

Paganini's First and Second violin concertos were taped for Naxos several years ago by the Russian violin virtuoso Ilya Kaler. At the time these seemed ideal bargain recommendations, but they're vastly eclipsed in overall quality by these amazing performances of Concertos Nos. 3 and 4 by 30-year-old Romanian-born violinist Ernö Rózsa. Rózsa and the Slovak Radio Symphony are currently engaged in recording all of Paganini's works for violin and orchestra, and once completed their survey should become a first recommendation in this repertoire.

Concertos Nos. 3 and 4 are not only formidably demanding from a technical standpoint, but also are extremely difficult to interpret musically. Rózsa has all the violinistic equipment necessary to tackle these fiendish scores, as he impressively shows in the first movement cadenza of the E minor work. For comparison, I turned to Salvatore Accardo's account on Deutsche Grammophon with Charles Dutoit and the London Philharmonic. Accardo is rightly regarded as a Paganini specialist, but he is neither as subtle in his phrasing and inflection nor so stylish and polished in bravura passages as Rózsa. Where Accardo is pleasingly warm-toned in the songful Adagio, Rózsa digs deeper and plays with greater imagination than we normally hear in this music. A constant feature of his musicianship is its wide- ranging coloration and nuance: you're never left with the impression that Paganini's slow movements are just entr'actes.

In Concerto No. 4 Rózsa's interpretation has something palpably demonic about it, surely coming closer to the composer's own intentions than Accardo offers in his version. While the opening movement brings moments of mercurial brilliance and panache, the Adagio has a depth of sentiment rarely encountered outside a live performance. Packed with risk-taking solo playing and complemented by good, detailed sound, this release makes for an unmissable addition to anyone's basic violin library.

--Michael Jameson
(L. H.)

I received the critics in classicstoday, where Rozsa was established like the new Paganini, before Accardo and Co.
This recording is a new standard in violin playing: musicality, perfection in technic, and an imagination, that is deeper what we heard until yet.
Kaler is not the niveau of Rozsa. Wether his technical meanings or musicality is in near of Rozsa unique genius.
We can forget everything when we hear this fantastic player, a phaenomenon!

Neuberg

Why didn't Naxos stick with the Kaler/Polish Radio Symphony combo?--that Paganini #1/#2 recording rates a 10 STAR!
SOUND---this recording is BOXY--as I have found the same with the Dvorak symphony series from Naxos--I suspect It must be the actual recording hall.
PLAYING---some specious intonation from the orchestra especially for the strings high up-some ensemble problems-rather bothersome--and
Mr. Rozsa is not Mr. Kaler---that is clear---the chords are especially difficult to listen to--it sounds like he is striking his strings with a piece of wood without any hairs--had to turn off the recording after ten minutes of listening (really I tried to listen to it)---these are difficult pieces but Kaler makes the notes sing--Mr. Rozsa sounds like he is struggling--
If this was a live recording of a community orchestra I say "okay"--best stick with Accardo
INTERPRETATION--standard straight forward Paganini stuff--though without much "bel canto"

Despite my criticism I will give it 2 stars --it is hard stuff to play

This has been an excelent experiance all the way through. Although the sound engineering volume seems to be a little low in the beginning,I just turned the volume up and the average highs and lows still works out to be an extream pleasure to listen to many times over (ie. in eight hour increments).

Paganini: Violin Concertos Nos. 3 & 4 is a recording under the direction Michael Dittrich who leads the Slovak Radio Symphony Orchestra starring soloist Erno Rosza on violin on this Naxos recording from 1999. Keith Anderson has written the liner-notes in this quite short booklet. I am not a huge fan of Paganini, still this is a very fine recording. Recommended. 4/5.