Having just reviewed
a similar CD of French works for violin played by Renaud Capuçon
for Virgin Classics, and another a day or two earlier of highlights
from Carmen with Grace Bumbry, this seemed like a case of
déja entendu, but then neither Capuçon nor Bumbry
sound like Sarah Chang. The start of the Carmen Fantasy is frankly
very unattractive violin playing with vibrato so distorted I was tempted
to see whether the machine was faulty. Waxman’s fantasy is a better
work than Sarasate’s whose better Zigeunerweisen, to end this
CD, shows the violinist/composer in a far better light. Saccharine tone
is the order of the day in Chang’s interpretation of Massenet’s operatic
interlude, but matters improve with a fiery interpretation of Ravel’s
Tzigane (though I prefer the combination of Renaud Capuçon
and Daniel Harding). Dvorak’s Romance reduces the emotional stakes
with an elegant account, Beethoven’s even more so in a stylishly phrased
performance. Then it’s back to the charts again with an arrangement
of Bach’s Air (yes on a G string to dumb it down to subterranean
level) before coming full circle with Sarasate once again. At least
this pyrotechnical froth was meant to be played as Chang does, technical
bravura to the fore. The Berlin Philharmonic are there, more out of
duty one suspects, and with not much to do. When the level of accompaniment
gets tricky they guide Domingo through it. Why does he not just do what
he does best, and sing? Fire and Ice? I’m afraid it’s more a mixture
of Hot Air and Slush.
Christopher Fifield
Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra