Mieczysław Karłowicz; Moritz Moszkowski - Violin Concertos (Tasmin Little)

Information

Composer: Mieczysław Karłowicz; Moritz Moszkowski

• Karłowicz - Violin Concerto in A major, Op. 8
• Moszkowski - Ballade No. 1 in G minor, Op. 16
• Moszkowski - Violin Concerto in C major, Op. 30

Tasmin Little, violin

BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra

Martyn Brabbins, conductor

Date: 2003

Label: Hyperion

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Review

It makes sense for Hyperion to couple these two violin concertos together as though Karłowicz was not strictly Polish (he was born in Lithuania), his connections to that land began at a very early age and as thus both of these composers are seen as being representative of the Polish musical establishment.

Karłowicz's Violin Concerto Op. 8 is an early work but is strikingly beautiful, having a deep-seated romantic timbre to it although the virtuoso passages are also quite pronounced. Tasmin Little produces a sweet tone for the work and she brings a wonderful sense of momentum to the craggy opening Allegro moderato whilst the concluding Vivace assai is also pretty much safe in her hands with Brabbins providing sympathetic and colourful accompaniment. This is surely a work that deserves better exposure in the concerto repertoire.

Moszkowski's Ballade in G minor is a fine work although the music fails to get off the ground at times and one is left feeling rather disoriented towards its end. The Violin Concerto is rather loosely based on the Brahms counterpart but there is more Polish nationalism in the opening movement's main theme. Again, Little provides an excellent interpretation of this work, bringing a sweet toned hue to the haunting Andante whilst exploding into a veritable cacophony of technical brilliance in the concluding Vivace.

After Saint-Saëns, Hubay and Stanford, this Polish-Lithuanian coupling is definitely another collector's gem and with the usual informative notes and excellent recorded sound, have no doubt that there will be many takers, especially those who specialize in such rare repertoire.

— Gerald Fenech

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Mieczysław Karłowicz (11 December 1876 – 8 February 1909) was a Polish late-Romantic composer and conductor. He studied violin and composition in Warsaw and Berlin, later studying conducting with Arthur Nikisch. His music reflects the influence of Tchaikovsky and Wagner while demonstrating a distinctive harmonic language and exceptional orchestral color. His major works include the Symphony "Rebirth", Violin Concerto and six tone poems. He also composed songs and chamber works. Karłowicz spent his later years in Zakopane and died tragically at age 32 in a skiing avalanche in the Tatra Mountains.

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Moritz Moszkowski (23 August 1854 – 4 March 1925) was a German composer. Born in Breslau to a Polish Jewish family, he studied in Dresden and Berlin before establishing himself as a successful pianist. His Spanish Dances Op. 12, concertos and orchestral works earned recognition across Europe. Based in Berlin for much of his career, he later moved to Paris, where he taught notable musicians including Thomas Beecham, Joseph Hofmann and Wanda Landowska. From around 1908, illness, personal tragedies and changing musical tastes caused his career and finances to decline. He died in poverty in Paris in 1925.

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Tasmin Little (born 13 May 1965) is an English violinist. Educated at the Yehudi Menuhin School and Guildhall School of Music and Drama, she has performed with leading orchestras and at major venues worldwide. Her extensive repertoire includes contemporary works and numerous world premieres, alongside acclaimed recordings of Elgar, Britten, Beethoven and others for Chandos Records. In 2008, she launched The Naked Violin, an innovative outreach project that brought classical music to wider audiences and won a Gramophone Award for Audience Innovation. She plays a 1757 Giovanni Battista Guadagnini violin.

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