Edward Elgar - Music for Violin & Piano (Nigel Kennedy; Peter Pettinger)

Information

Composer: Edward Elgar

1. Salut d'Amour, Op. 12
2. Mot d'Amour, Op. 13 No. 1
3. Canto Popolare (from "In the South", Op. 50)
4. Sospiri, Op. 70
5. Chanson de Nuit, Op. 15 No. 1
6. Chanson de Martin, Op. 15 No. 2
7. 6 Very Easy Melodious Exercises in the First Position, Op. 22
8. Violin Sonata in E minor, Op. 82: I. Allegro
9. Violin Sonata in E minor, Op. 82: II. Romance. Andante
10. Violin Sonata in E minor, Op. 82: III. Allegro Non Troppo

Nigel Kennedy, violin

Peter Pettinger, piano

Steven Isserlis, cello (1)

Date: 1984

Label: Chandos

https://www.chandos.net/products/catalogue/CHAN%208380

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Review

An account of the parent sessions for this record was given in ''News & Views'' in April (page 1141). Everything in studio routine seems to have gone right first time, as it were, which is certainly a promising start. Even better is to be able to report now that not only did the studio routine go right, but so did the music: this is something like a stunningly beautiful performance of the Elgar sonata. Every phrase is winningly shaped by the two players; and shaped, too, in total sympathy, one of the advantages of being a regular duo, especially when the partners are of like musical mind (as is obviously the case here). Often the wartime chamber music of Elgar seems pale, dull even; more certainly it is different in apparent outlook from much of the earlier more extrovert music. This duo have the knack of not trying to turn the sonata into a reflection of one of those earlier works, but to let it flow naturally in its own somewhat reserved style. In just about every respect at once, I never hope to hear a better performance of the sonata than this. Kennedy himself, I am sure, would promptly say, ''Ah, but you should have heard Sammons.'' Which I did, and with similar admiration. But never, I think, in this particular work; now I can feel that the omission has been made good.

Sammons would also have done marvellously with the smaller pieces on the reverse of the LP; so does Kennedy, perhaps unexpectedly. Unexpectedly, because light music usually lies outside the understanding of today's young players; educated and brought up under stress, a sense of relaxation (listen to today's jazz!) is seldom achieved. But this duo achieve it; the sometimes very simple pieces, technically, again go absolutely right. In Salut d'amour the addition of a cellist completes the Cadena Cafe sound, with one material difference: in those cafes the trio concerned was seldom a patch on this one. Similarly, with the other pieces, quite often used as teaching material; here few pupils can be expected to make, yet, the sound of Kennedy and Pettinger. But all of them will benefit greatly from hearing their repertoire played thus.

The recorded sound is good without having quite the presence of the best; and it keeps the two players in very good balance. An Elgar record to treasure.'

-- Gramophone

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Edward Elgar (2 June 1857 – 23 February 1934) was an English composer, whose works have entered the British and international classical concert repertoire. Among his best-known compositions are orchestral works including the Enigma Variations, the Pomp and Circumstance Marches, concertos for violin and cello, and two symphonies. He also composed choral works, including The Dream of Gerontius, chamber music and songs. Elgar has been described as the first composer to take the gramophone seriously. Between 1914 and 1925, he conducted a series of acoustic recordings of his own works.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edward_Elgar

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Nigel Kennedy (born 28 December 1956) is an English violinist and violist. A child prodigy, he became a pupil at the Yehudi Menuhin School of Music at the age of 7, and later studied at the Juilliard School in New York City with Dorothy DeLay. He made his recording debut in 1984 with Elgar's Violin Concerto (under Vernon Handley). His subsequent recording of Vivaldi's The Four Seasons with the English Chamber Orchestra in 1989 sold over two million copies and earned a place as one of the best-selling of all classical recordings. Since 1992, Kennedy has expanded into jazz, klezmer, and other music genres.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nigel_Kennedy

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