The
period-instrument ensemble Europa Galante under the direction
of baroque violinist Fabio Biondi are one of Virgin Classics’
most prolific and best-selling artists. Biondi is well renowned
for his Vivaldi recordings but on this new release, to tie
in with Mozart’s 250th birthday celebrations, he explores
previously unknown territory for him, that of Mozart’s violin
concertos. There must surely be further volumes in the pipeline
from Biondi on Virgin Classics to include the remaining two
Violin Concertos, K218 and K219, the Concertone,
K190, the Adagio, K261, the Rondos, K269 &
K273 and possible the Sinfonia Concertante for Violin
and Viola, K364.
Founded
in Italy, in 1989, Europa Galante are one of the very finest
and most exciting ensembles of the new generation that have
come to prominence at the cutting-edge of the authentic-instrument
scene in the last decade of so. The pioneering interpretations
of Baroque and Classical music using authentic-instruments
were dictated by the severe limitations of the instruments.
These restrictions must have felt so confining to the players;
as if they were all wearing strait-jackets. Consequently the
performance style often came across as technically mechanical,
rather lacklustre, frequently insipid and even sterile. Biondi
and Europa Galante were one of a group of Young Turks who
were able to explore and exploit the strength of their period-instruments
rather than being restricted by the weaknesses. They came
to international prominence in 2000 with a ground-breaking
interpretation of Vivaldi’s Op. 8 set of 12 Violin Concertos
Il cimento dell’armonia e dell’inventione, the collection
that contains the much-loved Four Seasons, on Virgin
Veritas 5 61980 2.
Mozart
wrote his five Violin Concertos in Salzburg in 1775. It is
not certain if the set was intended for his own use or for
Italian violinist Antonio Brunetti, a court violinist who
Mozart later judged as coarse, vulgar and a disgrace to his
profession. The Violin Concertos were also played in Salzburg
by Johann Anton Kolb, for whom Leopold Mozart implies one
of the concertos had been written.
It
is said that the first of the five Violin Concertos, the Violin
Concerto in B flat major, K207 was written in the Spring
of 1773 in Salzburg, not 1775, as originally thought. It is
scored for an orchestra with pairs of oboes and horns, in
addition to the usual strings. The B flat major, K
207 Concerto opens with a statement of the principal theme
by the orchestra, later taken up and developed by the soloist.
The slow movement has a principal theme of particular grace,
capped by the soloist The last movement, returning to the
original key, is introduced by the orchestra, followed by
the soloist with a theme of simple elegance.
Mozart
completed his Violin Concerto No. 2 in D major, K211
in June 1775, scoring it for the usual orchestra of oboes,
horns and strings. The first movement starts with a descending
arpeggio figure proclaimed by the whole orchestra,
followed by a gentler complementary figure. The soloist enters
with the same call to the listener's attention, embellishing
and extending the theme, before embarking on the material
of the subsidiary theme. The oboes and horns have very little
part to play in the G major slow movement, with its poignant
principal melody, taken up by the soloist after its first
statement in the orchestra. In the finale it is the
soloist that first leads the way into a pert little theme
then repeated by the orchestra in a rondo of the greatest
clarity of texture.
The
Violin Concerto in G Major, K216 shares the greater
popularity of the last three of the series. The opening allegro
offers an orchestral exposition in which the principal themes
are declared, the first of them having already appeared in
Il re pastore. The soloist repeats the principal theme
and by means of new material leads to the second subject,
both duly developed and re-established in the final section
of the movement.
The
adagio is an assured example of Mozart's handling of
the solo violin cantilena, a finely sustained violin
melody, to which the orchestra provides a subtle foil. This
D Major slow movement is succeeded by a final rondo, allegro
with a profusion of varied ideas in its contrasting episodes,
which include a courtly dance and a less urbane folk-dance
before the final re-appearance of the principal theme. The
opening orchestral theme in the final movement is from a popular
tune ‘à la mélodie de Strassbourger’ which gave the
Concerto its occasionally used nickname, the ‘Strassburg’.
Palermo-born
Biondi expresses his desire to free period-performance of
stifling convention and musicological dogma which has resulted
in some of the most spontaneous and impassioned performances
of this inexhaustible repertoire in modern times. Biondi and Europe Galante give stylistically innovative interpretation
performances of Mozart’s three Violin Concertos. He
is obviously eager wholeheartedly to experience the music
with ‘new eyes’. With a strong sense of expressive freedom
Biondi imaginatively and bravely chooses to provide exciting,
energetic and occasionally explosive playing as a priority;
a risky approach that comes off here to sheer perfection.
He never loses his innate style and artistry with strongly
dramatic and colourful playing that comes across with the
spontaneity of a live performance, rather than mad-cap recklessness.
Although it is not stated on this release the last time I
checked Biondi was using an original Carlo Ferdinando Gagliano
(1766 Naples).
I
enjoyed the tender adagio of K207 where Biondi’s violin
weaves its flowing lines gravely and severely creating a rich
and placid air. The opening allegro of K216 is my highlight
of the release. The memorable and powerful main theme with
its biting rhythm is played by Biondi and his Italian ensemble
with ferocious fire, spirit and superb control, followed by
his spirited cadenza. I would also single out Biondi’s
interpretation of the adagio of RV216 for special praise,
of which Albert Einstein said, “could have fallen straight
from heaven”. Biondi’s playing offers depth and concentration
yet with great empathy, proving the adagio to be one
of Mozart’s most sublime creations. Throughout the three Concertos
the enthusiastic Europa Galante supply orchestral playing
of the highest calibre and their robust driving rhythms are
especially remarkable.
There are a large number of recordings of Mozart’s violin concertos
in the catalogues. The sets most likely to be encountered
will include: Arthur Grumiaux with the LSO under Sir
Colin Davis on Philips; Itzhak Perlman with the Berlin Philharmonic
Orchestra on EMI; Takako Nishizaki with the Capella Istropolitana
under Stephen Gunzenhauser on Naxos; Anne-Sophie Mutter with
the BPO under Herbert von Karajan on Deutsche Grammophon,
Anne-Sophie Mutter with the LPO on Deutsche Grammophon, Monica
Huggett and the Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment on Virgin
Classics, Simon Standage and the AAM under Christopher Hogwood
on L’Oiseau-Lyre, Henryk Szeryng with the ASMF under Neville
Marriner on Philips, Itzhak Perlman with the VPO under James
Levine on Deutsche Grammophon, Pamela Frank with the Zurich
Tonhalle Orchestra under David Zinman on Arte Nova, Cho-Liang
Lin with the ECO under Raymond Leppard on Sony and Yehudi
Menuhin with the Bath Festival Orchestra on EMI Seraphim.
This is not intended to be an exhaustive list just a guide
to the more established sets.
For those wanting just one disc of Mozart’s violin concertos the field
is dominated by two straight choices, both on period-instruments.
Firstly, the astonishing risk-taking performances from Biondi
and Europa Galante on Virgin Classics and secondly the accounts
from Viktoria Mullova with the Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment
on Philips. Mullova performs and directs her wonderful interpretations
of Mozart’s Violin Concertos Nos. 1, 3 and4 on
Philips 470 292-2. Although her 2001 London recording received
a mixed critical reception, Mullova’s exciting and characterful
interpretations left a huge impression on me. Playing a ‘Jules
Falk’ Stradivarius (1723) with gut strings and using a period
bow, Mullova’s remarkable playing at certain points on the
release still makes the hairs stick up on the back on my neck.
If
the listener has a problem with period-instrument performances
the set of the violin concertos to go for, using modern
instruments, is clearly that from Arthur Grumiaux with the
LSO under Sir Colin Davis on Philips 464 722-2. These evergreen
performances are highly satisfying, being beautifully played
with an abundance of vivacity and expression, together with
an appealing purity of tone. Recorded in London between 1961
and 1964 the forty year old sound quality, in digital transfers,
has worn remarkably well.
The
cool, clear and detailed sound quality from the Virgin Classics
engineers is highly impressive. The concise annotation from
Adelaide de Place is interesting and instructive.
Exciting,
explosive and thought-provoking performances. If I had to
own just one Mozart recording, in this his 250th anniversary
year, it would be this one.
Michael
Cookson
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Europa Galante/Fabio Biondi,
direction and baroque violin
