Martinu: Violin Concerto No. 2

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Martinu's Second Violin Concerto is one of his greatest works in the genre. From her very first entry, Isabelle Faust shows a strong feeling for the work's dramatic ebb and flow, and in the... — BBC Music Magazine, July 2008, 5 out of 5 stars More…

Release Date: 26th May 2008
Catalogue No: HMC901951
Label: Harmonia Mundi
Length: 62 minutes

Martinů: Concerto for Violin and Orchestra No. 2, H. 293

Work length29:59

$3.80

$6.50

The Prague Philharmonia, Isabelle Faust, Jiří Bělohlávek

I. Andante (Poco Allegro) - Moderato - Andante

Track length12:09

$1.40

$2.60

II. Andante moderato

Track length9:31

$1.20

$1.95

III. Poco allegro

Track length8:19

$1.20

$1.95

Martinů: Serenáda No. 2 for Strings, H. 216

Work length7:20

$3.00

$3.90

The Prague Philharmonia, Jiří Bělohlávek

I. Allegro

Track length2:08

$1.00

$1.30

II. Poco Andante

Track length2:53

$1.00

$1.30

III. Allegro con brio

Track length2:19

$1.00

$1.30

Martinů: Toccata e Due Canzoni for Orchestra, H. 311

Work length25:30

$3.60

$5.85

The Prague Philharmonia, Cédric Tiberghien, Jiří Bělohlávek

I. Toccata (Allegro moderato)

Track length7:31

$1.20

$1.95

II. Canzone I (Andante moderato)

Track length8:00

$1.20

$1.95

III. Canzone II (Allegro)

Track length9:59

$1.20

$1.95

About
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About

Long overshadowed by the reputation of his Bohemian compatriots Smetana, Dvorák and Janácek, Bohuslav Martinu is at last enjoying his fair share of the limelight.The three works presented on this recording display the Czech composer's endless creativity within the framework of a vivid concertante language. Isabelle Faust, Cédric Tiberghien & Jiri Belohlavek renew the succesful partnerships that brought us superb recordings of Dvorak and Brahms.

Gramophone Magazine gave Isabelle Faust its Young Artist of the Year Award for her first recording of sonatas by Béla Bartók, in 1997. Since then she has appeared with all the major orchestras. Cedric Tiberghien's international career took off as he became a BBC New Generation Artist. For harmonia mundi, he has recorded four recitals, and more recently Brahms' Concerto No. 1 with the BBC Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Jirí Belohlávek.

Reviews

July 2008

Martinu's Second Violin Concerto is one of his greatest works in the genre. From her very first entry, Isabelle Faust shows a strong feeling for the work's dramatic ebb and flow, and in the supremely beautiful slow movement achieves heights of eloquence. Belohlávek provides magnificently flexible accompaniment and a clear vision of the work's broadly developed structure.

2010

Hot on the heels of Hyperion's series of Martinu's works for violin and orchestra (see above) comes this brilliant new account of the Second Concerto (1943), played with verve and a real feeling for the idiom by Isabelle Faust.
What a fine player of the modern repertoire she is and her sweet, precise tone allows Martinu's angular lyricism – or is that lyrical angularity? – to open out for maximum appeal. Superbly supported by the Prague Philharmonia under Belohlávek, this is as brilliantly played an account as has appeared on disc.
Orchestra and conductor are heard to excellent effect in the other major work, the Toccata edue canzoni (1946). Written for Paul Sacher, this invigorating cross between chamber symphony and concerto grosso (though with an extensive piano part, played with nicely suggestive power by Cédric Tiberghien) is both a product of its time – catching the relief, horror and war-weariness in equal measure – and a timeless classic.
Yet through its many dramatic moments Martinu's radiant humanism, overtly displayed in the Concerto, shines through. Despite some slight scratchiness of ensemble and tuning in the upper strings in the opening pages, this is a strong performance, taut and purposeful.
Sandwiched between the two is the delightful Second Serenade (1932), scored for string orchestra and inhabiting the joyful folk world of the ballet palícek. Thrown off with élan, music and performance spotlight the splendid engineering that is an unobtrusive delight of this excellent disc. Recommended.

August 2008

… this brilliant new account of the Second Concerto (1943), played with verve and a real feeling for the idiom by Isabelle Faust. … her sweet, precise tones allows Martinu's angular lyricism… open out for maximum appeal.

7th June 2008

Isabelle Faust is a lyrical soloist, and also finds plenty of energy to convey the rhythmic play of the finale. The other concertante work here is for piano, and Cédric Tiberghien is receptive to its neo-Baroque sensibility.
The Prague Philharmonia under Jirí Belohlávek provides idiomatic support, and the strings shine in the one other work here, the short Serenáda No 2 from Martinu's playful Paris years.

Martinu: Violin Concerto No. 2

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