Charles Auguste de Bériot - Violin Concertos Nos. 4. 6 & 7 (Ayana Tsuji)

Information

Composer: Charles Auguste de Bériot

• Violin Concerto No. 4 in D minor, Op. 46
• Violin Concerto No. 6 in A major, Op. 70
• Violin Concerto No. 7 in G major, Op. 76
• Air varié No. 4 in B flat major, Op. 5 'Montagnard'
• Scène de ballet, Op. 100

Ayana Tsuji, violin

Czech Chamber Philharmonic Orchestra Pardubice

Michael Halász, conductor

Date: 2017

Label: Naxos

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Review

Like Pierre Rode (1774-1830), Belgian-born Charles-Auguste de Bériot (1802-1870) studied with the celebrated founder of the French violin school, Giovanni Battista Viotti (1755-1824). Charles would become a renowned virtuoso and the toast of Europe, finally settling in Brussels (1843), where he established the Franco-Belgian school of violin playing. His students would include the great violinist-composer Henri Vieuxtemps (1820-1881).

Bériot's oeuvre would subsume ten concertos for his instrument, which are fetching, early romantic creations. Naxos began surveying them some time ago, and have to date released the three albums pictured above, which give us all except the tenth.

The two to the right appeared in the 2003-8 timeframe, and won't be discussed as they've already received glowing reports from several widely available sources. The one to the left is the most recent, and also has a couple of occasional pieces for violin and orchestra. Conjointly these CDs represent the only currently available recordings on disc of the first, third, fifth, sixth and eighth concertos, as well as the two shorter works.

The concertos on the most recent album are at heart similarly conceived, triple movement structures despite their different markings. Written in 1844, the fourth [T-1] is indicated as in a single movement [T-1], and begins with an orchestral preface having an initial somber theme [00:01], bracketing a cheerful, related one (CR) [01:06-01:48]. Then after an anticipatory pause the soloist enters [02:24] for a virtuosic exploration of both ideas.

This bridges into a rhapsodic, developmental episode [07:33] that could be considered an intermediate movement. It's followed by the reappearance of CR [10:17], which introduces a fiddle fireworks finale [11:16], ending the concerto triumphantly.

Then we get Charles' sixth and seventh ones completed sometime in 1845. Although each of these is in two sections separated by a short break, their overall layout is very similar to the one above, and both have equally fetching themes.

The sixth begins with the orchestra playing an initially proud [00:00] and then respectful [00:16] binary idea (PR) that's picked up by the violin [02:42]. PR becomes the subject of a development, which bridges into a melancholy andante [07:40], which is the equivalent of a middle movement. This ends with a stratospheric note for the soloist that ushers in lively concluding rondo based on a jolly PR-related ditty [T-3]. It's full of violin pyrotechnics set to a skittering tutti accompaniment, and ends the work excitedly.

Moving right along we get the seventh concerto that's structurally pretty much a carbon copy of the sixth. Dedicated to William III of the Netherlands (1817-1890), the initial allegro-andante [T-4] opens with an understandably regal subject [00:00] and magnanimous countersubject [01:15] played by the orchestra.

The first section of this two-part movement then becomes a developmental episode for soloist and tutti full of fancy fiddling. The second is a heartfelt lament [08:16] that makes an expeditious transition into a third and final allegro [T-5], which is another rondo, but this time based on a bouncy RM-related tune [00:17]. It concludes the concerto in spirited fashion with antsy, virtuosic displays for the soloist egged on by a frivolous tutti.

In Bériot's day many violinist-composers wrote Airs variés (Airs with Variations) based on popular songs of the time. He would pen some fifteen, the fourth of which, dating from the 1830s, is next [T-6], Titled "Montagnard" ("Mountain Man"), it would seem to portend Vincent d'Indy's (1851-1931) Symphony on a French Mountain Air (1886), and begins with a short martial, drumroll-spiced orchestral preface [00:00], succeeded by a folk-ballad-like main subject (FB) [00:37].

Next there's a busy bridge [01:49] into the first of six variations, the first four of which are sequentially amorous [02:10], cocky [03:37], pining [04:43] and whimsical [05:51]. After that the mood turns Latin with a variation of haughty Spanish temperament [06:49], and one that could pass for a tarantella [07:51]. Then the piece closes decoratively with the soloist virtuosically embellishing a heroic, horn-enhanced reminder of FB [09:04].

Filling out this release we get what we're told is probably the composer's best known work, i.e., his Scène de ballet, dating from around 1845 [T-7]. It starts with a commanding orchestral flourishes [00:00] succeeded by the demure entrance of the soloist [00:20], who launches into a lithe dance (LD) [00:53]. After that we get five more balletic episodes, the first of which is entreating [02:16]. Then the brass announce another of proud Iberian persuasion [03:12] with castanet accents and a graceful midsection [04:10-05:03].

Following a brief pause there's a winsome waltz [05:36] succeeded by a hesitant passage [06:51], leading to a coquettish number [07:03], and the dramatic return of LD [09:09]. Then there's a skittish bridge [09:56] into a frenetic final coda [10:37] with bravura gilding by the soloist. This brings the work to a thrilling conclusion.

The performances on this release by violinist Ayana Tsuji and the Czech Pardubice Chamber Philharmonic Orchestra under Michael Halász are equally as commendable as those on the previous two discs. The ones there respectively feature soloists Philippe Quint accompanied by the Slovak Radio Symphony Orchestra with Kirk Trevor on the podium, and Takao Nishizaki along with the Belgian Radio & Television of the French Community (RTBF) Brussels Symphony Orchestra lead by Alfred Walter.

The recordings on this most recent release were done last year in Pardubice, Czech Republic, some sixty miles east of Prague at the House of Music's Joseph Suk Hall (no photos readily available). Those on the other discs were made in 2006, and 1989 at sites in Bratislava, Slovak Republic, and Brussels, Belgium, respectively. Despite all these differing circumstances, the three albums project amazingly consistent, generally good sounding sonic images in warm accommodating venues.

As for the instrumental timbre, the highs are pleasant, if a tad tinkly, and the midrange pleasing. Beriot's conservative scoring precludes any heavy bass, but what's here is lean and clean with no low string hangover. In closing, all three soloists are technically accomplished virtuosos with superb tone, and this showy music would have probably come off as even more dazzling had they been a bit more highlighted.

— Bob McQuiston

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Charles-Auguste de Bériot (20 February 1802 – 8 April 1870) was a Belgian violin virtuoso, composer and teacher who helped establish the Franco-Belgian school of violin playing. Renowned for combining technical brilliance with elegance and expressive sensitivity, he influenced generations of violinists. A prodigy, he performed internationally and later served as head of the violin department at the Royal Conservatory of Brussels. Bériot was married to the celebrated opera singer Maria Malibran. His compositions, particularly violin concertos and pedagogical works, remain significant in violin education.

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Ayana Tsuji (born 1997) is a Japanese violinist. She gained worldwide acclaim after winning First Prize at the Montreal International Musical Competition, along with five special awards. Tsuji has appeared as a soloist with major orchestras in Japan, Europe and Canada, including the NHK Symphony Orchestra and the Orchestre de la Suisse Romande. A graduate of Tokyo College of Music, she is also active in chamber music and recitals. Her recordings include violin concertos by Charles-Auguste de Bériot, and she received the Idemitsu Music Award in 2018. She performs on a 1748 Guadagnini violin.

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