Shostakovich & Vainberg: Violin Sonatas
Kolja Blacher (violin), Jascha Nemtsov (piano)
Composed in 1947, a year before the notorious Zhdanov condemnation of leading Soviet composers, Weinberg's works reflect an unsettling landscape manifested most obviously in the central section...
Shostakovich & Vainberg: Violin Sonatas
Kolja Blacher (violin), Jascha Nemtsov (piano)
Purchase product
Composed in 1947, a year before the notorious Zhdanov condemnation of leading Soviet composers, Weinberg's works reflect an unsettling landscape manifested most obviously in the central section...
About
The present program is a continuation of Jascha Nemtsov’s exploration of the music of Shostakovich and his Jewish circle of friends featuring a trio of Violin Sonatas. The tragedy of Mieczys³aw Weinberg sadly continues posthumously, as his musical output remains largely unperformed and unrecorded. Weinberg was a close friend of Shostakovich and the two composers often exchanged both ideas and admiration and while regarded as one of Shostakovich’s lesser imitators, the two highly original Weinberg Sonatas performed here provide tremendous contrast to Shostakovich’s dark score. Nemtsov is joined by violinist Kolja Blacher in vivid, emotionally charged readings, making this a stunningly beautiful and extremely valuable addition to the recorded literature.
Contents and tracklist
- Kolja Blacher, Jascha Nemtsov
- Kolja Blacher, Jascha Nemtsov
- Kolja Blacher, Jascha Nemtsov
Awards and reviews
Proms 2007
Composed in 1947, a year before the notorious Zhdanov condemnation of leading Soviet composers, Weinberg's works reflect an unsettling landscape manifested most obviously in the central section of the non-movement Fourth Sonata, the violin's fast and furious passage work fighting against brutal rhythmic patterns in the piano. Both Kolja Blacher and Jascha Nemstov are extremely persuasive advocates of the Weinberg, and their finely balanced recording makes one eager to hear them in the first two Sonatas.
