Henri Vieuxtemps - Violin Concertos Nos. 1 & 4 (Misha Keylin)

Information

Composer: Henri Vieuxtemps

• Violin Concerto No. 1 in E major, Op. 10
• Violin Concerto No. 4 in D minor, Op. 31

Misha Keylin, violin

Janáček Philharmonic Orchestra / Dennis Burkh, conductor

Arnhem Philharmonic Orchestra / Takuo Yuasa, conductor

Date: 2000

Label: Naxos

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Review

Panache, vision and a delight for repertoire too often relegated to the back burner makes a Naxos release of the Vieuxtemps concertos nos. 1 and 4 particularly delectable. The Russian-born New Yorker Misha Keyln has a lot to be exuberant about: his first-rate technique, appealing sense of sonority and keen focus on the orchestral score are as commendable as the compositions he interprets.

In his performance of that conservatory war-horse, the Concerto no.4 in D minor, Keylin takes a noble approach, emphasising melody lines over instrumental pyrotechnics. His pianissimo entrance in the opening Andante movement is exquisitely timed to contrast boldly with the double-stop passages that soon erupt.

Keylin's second movement shows an understanding of the term 'religioso' and is followed by a Scherzo that is devilish both in articulation and in choice of tempo. The young violinist's commitment to the lesser-known Concerto no.1 in E major, a symphonic work stretched over 40 minutes, leads to a brilliant offering. The G string recapitulation of the theme from the slow movement is given skilful emphasis in the final Rondo.

— Heather Kurzbauer

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Henry Vieuxtemps (17 February 1820 – 6 June 1881) was a Belgian violinist and composer. A prodigy, he studied with Charles Auguste de Bériot in Brussels, Simon Sechter in Vienna and Anton Reicha in Paris before touring extensively across Europe and the United States. He held teaching positions in St. Petersburg and Brussels. Renowned for his exceptional technical precision and rich tone, Vieuxtemps became one of the leading virtuosos of the 19th century, and his style was widely emulated. As a composer, he was equally innovative, with his violin concertos making important contributions to the development of the form.

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Misha Keylin (born 1970 in St. Petersburg, Russia) is a Russian-American violinist. After immigrating to the United States at nine, he studied under Dorothy DeLay at Juilliard. Keylin made his Carnegie Hall debut at age 11 and later performed there as a soloist with the New York String Orchestra under Alexander Schneider. He has won numerous competition prizes and performed in over 40 countries. Widely recognized for his recordings of Henri Vieuxtemps' works for Naxos, Keylin also maintains a broad repertoire spanning Baroque to contemporary music, including major violin concertos by leading composers.

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