Jenő Hubay - Scènes de la Csárda; Poèmes hongrois (Hagai Shaham; Arnon Erez)

Information

Composer: Jenő Hubay

• Scènes de la Csárda Nos. 1-14
• Poèmes hongrois, Op. 27
• Nouveaux poèmes hongrois, Op. 76

Hagai Shaham, violin

Arnon Erez, piano

Date: 2004

Label: Hyperion

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Review

Of these two issues, the Scènes de la csárda is brand-new in terms of release-date – and extraordinary. What fabulous music! Many of these tunes are indigenous and will be familiar from Liszt’s Hungarian Rhapsodies. But while Liszt made these national melodies part of the virtuoso piano tradition, Jenö Hubay (1858-1937) is truer to root-earth gypsy tradition. Hagai Shaham’s playing is pretty fabulous too, so too from the pianist Arnon Erez who certainly knows all about cimbalom imitation! And how pleasurable to have an exact recorded balance between the violin and the piano; the piano is, after all, a partner, not an accompanist.

Hubay’s music is really a celebration of Hungary – its folklore and its folk music, which is of earthy emotions, with fire and heart, plenty of passion, fantasy and pathos. By no means a limited world – these two CDs sustain continuous audition very happily. As for the Shaham’s playing, well, it is quite superb – gutsy, colourful, passionate and sensitive – but not overdone. Shaham’s inimitable, innate and absolutely secure playing is totally inside this vibrant music. Fireworks and pathos there are a-plenty, but there’s nothing from Shaham that detracts in the sense of him being demonstrative for its own sake. His belief in the music shines through, and his technical bravura, while secondary, is a joy in itself. A wonderful set, then, of exhilarating and moving music, fantastically performed – with intrinsic generosity.

After this, one just has to hear the melodic and dramatic concertos – and one is not disappointed! The writing for the violin is consummate – not surprising given Hubay was a violinist himself, a pupil of Joachim. Hubay’s own teaching produced a long line of distinguished pupils.

The G minor concerto begins with an introductory fantasia that segues into a scintillating scherzo, one with a macabre touch, which yields to a sweetly lyrical Adagio and then to a fiery finale. It’s a really good piece, full of invention. The baroque-influenced A minor work sustains Hubay’s melodic gifts and includes a perky ’Corrente e Musette’ and a rapturous slow movement. The Variations, while full of dash and vigour, are quite introspective at times. Add in a vivid, blooming recording, very sympathetic conducting from Martyn Brabbins – there’s plenty for the orchestra to do – for a CD of music all too easy to enjoy and return to.

Ultimately, though, one salutes Hagai Shaham’s fabulous playing and his identity with this impressive music. Scènes de la csárda could certainly be one of the records of the year. The booklet note is exemplary.

— Colin Anderson

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Jenö Hubay (September 15, 1858 – March 12, 1937) was a Hungarian violinist, teacher, and composer. He studied with his father Károly Hubay, a professor of violin at the Budapest Conservatory, and with Joseph Joachim in Berlin. Hubay was also a close friend Henry Vieuxtemps, whom he succeeded as professor of violin at the Brussels Conservatory in 1882. From 1919 to 1934 he was director of the Budapest Conservatory. As a composer, Hubay composed four violin concertos and a very large number of encore pieces. His output also contains several operas, some of which were written in Hungarian.

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Hagai Shaham (born July 8, 1966) is an Israeli violin virtuoso. He began studying the violin at the age of six and was the last student of the late Professor Ilona Feher. In September 1990, Shaham and his duo partner Arnon Erez won the first prize at the ARD International Music Competition in Munich. As a soloist he has performed with many of the world's major orchestras, as well as in recitals and chamber music performances. Shaham regularly tours throughout Europe, and North and South America, performing at international recital series and festivals. He has recorded for the Biddulph, Hyperion, Avie and Naxos labels.

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Arnon Erez is an acclaimed Israeli pianist. A graduate of the Rubin Academy of Music, Tel Aviv University, he pursued further chamber music studies in the United States with the Guarneri Quartet. His international career began in 1990, after winning—together with his duo partner Hagai Shaham—the ARD International Music Competition in Munich. As a concert pianist, Erez has performed in numerous major concert halls and festivals around the world. He has recorded for several labels such as Hyperion, Biddulph and Nimbus. Erez currently teaches at the Buchmann-Mehta School of Music.

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