Elgar: Violin Concerto / Vaughan Williams: The Lark Ascending

02-18-2014 The title of this review is taken from a quote by the composer to a London newspaper just after the premiere of his violin concerto in 1910. The initial hearing was an unqualified success and it featured fritz Kreizler and rthe composer on the podium. Critics likened him to Brahms and Beethgoven, which , fdor me, is a significant statement. I consider thew Brahms Concero the best of them all, better even than Beethgoven and Mendelssohn. This is pretty heady praisefor a man whoalso wrote a truly great Cello Concertoa pair of wonderful Symphonies, the enigman Variations, and all that terricif victoreian material. Noboby could write a march like Sir Edward could. This performance by the young "waify" looking Hilary Hahn, with Sir Colin Davis and the London Symphony capture much of that 100 + year old euphoria and stunning beauty. I first heard this young Lady in Seattle back in 2002 or a bit later playing the Barber under Gerard Schwarz > It was, as you might expect.a glorious performance. But, here encore was even better, as she offered the audience an excerpt from one of Bach's Violin Suites. She had, by this time, already recorded the unaccompanied violin Suites and partitas for DGG. Her solo insrument filled the sold out Hall with heavenly sound and soaring poetry. We get much the same here in the Elgar, on DGG also. Sir Colin Davis, who passed away not long ago was a conductor I much admired but, alas, this concerto lacks the blazing romanticism of otherts, most notably, of Menuhin, accompaning Dimitri Sitkovestsky on Virgin. In an effort to find a balance between passion and poetry, he is a gentle accompanist, and the LSO, as usual, plays wonderfully. Hahn, born in 1979, looks much the same as she did in that Seattle concert, ever young, but her maturing has gone well, as she hs seen herself steadily rise through the ranks of top violinisats world-wide. Sample, for instanmce, her absolutely gorgeous passage from 06:32 to about the 08:23 mark. It produced a jaw-dropping reactin in my listening and will your's as well. Her instruement sings and soars above the orchestra with a powerful and raptuous effect I thought exquisite. Both soloist and conductor chose this path and produced a strong performance all araound. Davis, to his credit, assists her eloquently, at every turn of the melodies. At 18 minutes in length, the opening movement is marked Allegro, but is taken at Andante pace which allows all tyhe beauty and detail to emerge from the score. Marvelous! The second part is an Andante of 12:18. It is reflective and private music, played in rue Andante pacing, and, again, the lyricism is nearly unbearable in it's poignancy. We are permitted to share the composer's feelings of love and devotion, likely referring to his desceased spouse, Alice, who died in ____ as Elgar tried to carry on, as best as he could. He obviously loved Lady Alice very muchand inspite of the coldness of her family towards their daughter's decision to marry a Catholic, and his affection comes through clearly. This recording, acquired DDD at the Abbey Road studios in October of 2003, features the lovely and rich sonics. The filler, the Lark Ascending, was gathered 2 months later at the same venue. All told, the concerto runs a few seconds under 50 minutes, standard length for this big and long concerto. The Finale, is a quick Allegro molto of 19:26, longer than most 3rd movements. the material allows Hahn to display her skills with vivace speed and virtuoso technique, If one would hear this recording witrhout knowing anything about the life of the soloist, one could easily deduce her to be much older, and fully developed and mature. However, that is not the case with Miss Hahn. She is ___ years old and still establishing her place in the ranks of international violinistsStylistically, there are similarities of this work with that of Barber in this last movement. Both feature rapid scales and a sort of contained wildness, almost gypsy-like in flavor. I imagine trhere are SOME moments in this recoding where Miss Hahn falls short of her pre-conception of this work, but they are likely so unimoortant, I didn't feel compelled tyo mention them here. But, in all the praise I've heaped ion her, the majort fact remains significant and amazing. This is a violinst of a very young age, and considering her virtuosity , this is really quite stunning. She is well worth collecting and, while you'e at it, pick up Sitkovestsky and Menuhin as well, for an alternate viewpoint. It is rewarding to hear the two back to back, as I have done a few times. Personally, I prefer the Sitkovetsky to Hahn's only because I believe this concerto is bedst played as an example of his blazing and grand romantric flair, but owning them both is undoubtedly a wise thing to do. Overall, then, a very well deserved 4.5 stars and a high recommendation from me.Now, for the "filler." Ralph Vaughan Williams wrote his poem, The Lark Ascending, in 1906,and since then, it has been a relatively under played work, as I rarely see it being programed. Ordinarily, I type my review while listeningand with the pause button, I can edit and be specific in my opinions. But, in this Lark, i couldn't do that. It was simply too beautiful, so I juast listened and then jotted down my comments and remarks. One of this work's reviewers said he thought this perhaps THE finest Lark to ate, and I can't disagreealthough for myself, The old Bean/Boult on EMI is still my gold standard, but it's ound is somewhat distorted in the louder passages, just when one craves clarity. Not so here, and the soloist's grogeous closing will perhaps lift ytouy out of your recliner with extasy and haunting beauty. V.W. who wrote this "romance for violin and orchestra" in 1906 and ever since I memorized it back in the 1970s, I have been swept away by it's rapturewhich Bedan and Boult captured so eloquently in 2003, Hahn, however, is a strong competitor with this 12/2003 recording, amde two months after the concerto. For those in the crowd who haven't learned thia piece, no even heard it played, boy, are you in for a treat, IF you buy this disk, athat is. Highly, very highly recommended with a solid 5 star rating, this concluding work makes this DGG CD a justified 4>75, easil\y, or ewven a n even 5,0. Much happy listening and Godbless you, Tony.

Reading through the many reviews of this recording submitted over the past months, I can't help wonder if all the writers were listening to the same release: The best... The worst... Ravishing... Flat... and on and on. I bought a full orchestral score and redd through the recording a number of times to try to sort it all out.Stepping back for a fresh look at the whole thing:This concerto by Elgar is one of the most emotionally intense compositions of the 20th century. At a time when many composers were churning out dry academic experiments in arhythmia and atonality, Elgar poured out his cold, sterile English heart into a passionate melodic outburst that reaches both back into pre-Renaissance English folk forms and forward into post-modern sensibilities. Any accurate and complete description must take into account both the emotional fluidity and the formal structure. We don't have space or time here for the formal structure--just a few words on the emotional.The dynamic and tempo changes written into the score are almost dizzying. For example, in one section I read more than 80 changes within the space of about 30 bars--terms like espressivo, grazioso, animato, lento, appassionato, con fuoco, ritardando molto pile almost on top of each other--poco marcato, poco largando, a tempo, cantabile in three adjacent bars--markings such as dolcissimo and espressivo in the same measure followed closely by animato; a tempo con pasione followed closely by maestoso and strepitoso--often with different sections of the orchestra going in different expressive directions at the same time, and quite apart from the markings for the solo. Such as ad lib. or tenudo or espressivo appears frequently in the solo line even where the orchestra is marked a tempo.In such a musical environment it would be easy to get carried away into emotional gushing. Hilary handles this with admirable and elegant restraint. She has obviously thought this piece through and decided what she wants to do with it, as a coherent whole, and she arrived at conclusions quite different from some other artists. That is her artistic prerogative. And she carries it off very well. Others may come to different conclusions. That is their artistic prerogative, both as performers and listeners, but a piece of music as complex and intense and varied as this can survive more than one interpretive approach.Giving Yehudi his due (I knew him personally and admired his work back in the 50s), I also admire Hilary for her interpretation here--not the less for her technical excellence. It wouldn't hurt for anyone to own both versions and to go back and forth between them, relishing their differences.Above all, please don't scorn those who refuse to climb into your own narrow little musical box.While I also appreciate the quite different interpretations offered by some artists, I am sorry I can't give this particular recording at least seven or eight stars.

I heard this performance of The Lark Ascending for the first time on the local classical music station in my area. Tears came to my eyes. I have never heard anything more beautiful. The depth of feeling expressed in the music is exquisite. I have since purchased the CD and often find myself home after a long day and an hour's worth of fighting grid lock traffic, sitting in my own driveway listening, car still running, reluctant to exit. Hilary Hahn plays in such a way as to transport you beyond what is tangible. The ease at which you can close your eyes and imagine the lark in flight, hovering, dashing. She paints a musical picture that at times is nearly breath taking. The Elgar pieces are magnificent as well. The absolute immeasurable talent demonstrated by Hahn, The London Symphony Orchestra and Davis brings joy near perfection. I am not schooled in classical music but I can recognize something so beautiful that just the act of listening somehow improves your mere existence. These exquisite pieces of music accomplish just that.

What a fabulous collaboration between Hilary Hahn and the London Symphony Orchestra! I might not have purchased the CD had I put my faith in other reviewers. A truly heartfelt performance by Ms. Hahn of an exquisitely beautiful concerto by Elgar. What did the naysayers want, blood! Wise beyond her years, Hilary channels a violinist deity. What passion and technical prowess! I actually purchased the CD for IMHO the definitive recording of Vaughan -Williams " The Lark Ascending". Playing of the highest caliber. Beauty personified. Brava, Hilary!

CD is in perfect condition. Highly recommend this seller!

To the tee

CD arrived but the case was cracked .Obviously it was not checked before being shipped .A minor issue but still an issue .

Wonderful orchestration, Hilary Hahn is the successor to the great Heifez. She has a talent which is beyond definition.

Item recd as described in just 2 days . CD plays well . Would recommend seller.

Ich gebe zu, ich ein bißchen enttäuscht. Ich schätze Colin Davis als Dirigenten ganz außerordentlich und kam so jetzt zu dieser CD. Sie ist sicherlich "in Ordnung". Aber wer etwa die 1982er Aufnahme des Elgar-Konzerts durch I. Perlman mit den CSO unter Barenboim im Ohr hat und somit weiß, wie dieses Konzert klingen kann, wird mutmaßlich eher enttäuscht sein. Die besondere, tiefgründige Noblesse dieses Werks kommt bei H. Hahn und LSO/Davis nicht wirklich durch. Das Werk ist eben mehr "Traum des Gerontius" als "Pomp and Circumstance". H. Hahn konnte da jedenfalls damals (2004) nicht mithalten, vielleicht noch nicht. Selbst die Aufnahme von Kyung Wha Chung von 1977 mit dem LPO unter Solti würde ich vorziehen. Vielleicht sollte H. Hahn das Werk jetzt als gereifte Persönlichkeit nochmal neu einspielen. Es wäre sicherlich ein interessanter Vergleich.

Ausgewogen warme harmonische Aufnahme. Seitens Hilary Hahn perfekte Darbietung. Jedoch hat die Aufnahmetechnik im Tonstudio einen sehr stärken Weichzeichnereffekt womit Transparenz und Akzentuierung verloren gehen. Für die Vorstellung der aufsteigenden Lerche braucht es da schon sehr viel Fantasie. Von der deutschen Grammophon könnte man an und für sich mehr erwarten. Aufnahme liegt ungefähr auf MP3 Niveau.

Cualidades presentes en toda la obra de Elgar y que quizá también reflejen la percepción del compositor sobre sí mismo y la Inglaterra, su imperio, de entonces.De las versiones que tengo del concierto para violín son dos mis preferidas: esta, con Hahn/Davis/ LSO en el sello amarillo, es soberbia en su interpretación y sonido. Y la Campoli/Boult/ LPO para Decca en sonido mono, maravillosa también y de la que como curiosidad comentaré que me gusta escucharla en un radio-Cd portátil de poca potencia que tengo junto a la cama.Exquisita, hiperromántica pero más conocida la otra obra del disco: " The Lark Ascending" de Vaughan Williams.