Bloch : Violin Sonatas

MORDKOVITCH / MILFORD

Contents:

1. Ernest Bloch : Nigun
2. Ernest Bloch : Poème Mystique : Sonata for Violin and Piano No.2
3. Ernest Bloch : Nuit Exotique
4. Ernest Bloch : Sonata for Violin and Piano No.1

Lydia Mordkovitch (violin), Julian Milford (piano)

 

Notes:

• Recorded May, 1995 at Forde Abbey, Dorset, England
• DDD
• Released 1998

Review:

Strongly Recommended
Just listening the beginning of NIGUN, I can find that it is never ordinary performance. Mordkovitch's violin shows us really large-scale and substantial music. And the piano is really great, too. It shows us natural, large-scale and delicate performance, and is not only a accompaniment, but gives a great contribution to the quality of the performance.

The highlight of the disc is POEME MYSTIQUE, it is extraordinary great performance what any other performances can never surpassed it. Generally, the length of this piece is 20-23 minutes, but this performance lasts 27'26"! From the beginning, the violin starts to play with very slow tempo which may be limit. Generally, if the music like this were played with such a very slow tempo, player's concentration is never kept and the music may become dull. But in this performance, there is never such a thing. I feel that meaning of each tone can be seen very clear. And entering piano is really delicate and beautiful. I feel the short cadenza at the beginning as if Bach's unaccompanied works. And tranquil beauty and loneliness at the middle-part of Gregorian chant is excellent. Anyhow, this recording shows us tremendous concentration and is wonderful performance which never bores listener. There are not so much of good recording of this composition, but this is extraordinary great performance with no objection.

I preferred to listen the Weilerstein Duo's recording before. But after listening Mordkovitch's recording I feel I cannot be satisfied by other recordings. However, It is so high density performance that beginner may not understand. Other recordings of the disc are high-level performance and you can see the core of Bloch's chamber music.

I long all the rest of the works played by Mordkovitch. Especially, unaccompanied suites will be extraordinary great performance. Despite such a great performance, it is very pity that this recording is very few noticed. Recently, this CD may become hard to get and disappeared from Catalogue. It may be still on the market a little and if you are interested I recommend getting early.

6, November, 2001

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