Mieczysław Weinberg - Chamber Works; Violin Concertino; Symphony No. 10 (Gidon Kremer; Kremerata Baltica)

Information

Composer: Mieczysław Weinberg

CD1

• Sonata for violin solo No. 3, Op. 126
• Trio for violin, viola & cello, Op. 48
• Sonatina for violin & piano in D major, Op. 46

CD2

• Concertino for violin & string orchestra, Op. 42
• Symphony No. 10 for string orchestra, Op. 98

Gidon Kremer, violin

Daniil Grishin, viola

Giedrė Dirvanauskaitė, cello

Daniil Trifonov, piano

Kremerata Baltica

Date: 2014

Label: ECM

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Review

The recent explosion of interest in the music of Mieczysaw Weinberg has resulted in a number of important recording projects. This latest release from Gidon Kremer and the Kremerata Baltica must be counted among the most enterprising. It opens with a stunning performance of the Third Sonata for unaccompanied violin, arguably the strongest work on the disc. Kremer describes it as a masterpiece that’s on a par with Bartók’s great Solo Sonata, and his comparison seems perfectly justified given the striking quality of the musical ideas, which, in their unbroken sequence lasting over 20 minutes, embrace a huge variety of emotions and textures.

Following that is a series of more modestly proportioned chamber works which were composed during the difficult final years of Stalinism in the late 1940s when Weinberg was faced with censure from the Stalinist authorities and felt compelled to write works that were closely allied to the principles of Socialist Realism. That explains the folk-inflected idiom of the String Trio, the Sonatina for Violin and Piano and the Violin Concertino. None of these works is quite top-drawer, but once again Kremer and his associates deliver incisive, committed performances.

The Tenth Symphony, composed for Rudolf Barshai and the Moscow Chamber Orchestra in 1968, is made of much sterner stuff and demonstrates Weinberg’s growing awareness of the music of Berg and that of his more radical younger Soviet contemporaries. There are some dazzling passages, including a surprisingly anarchic collage of different textures near the end. It’s a fascinating piece, performed here with great brilliance.

— Erik Levi

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Mieczysław Weinberg (8 December 1919 – 26 February 1996) was a Polish-born Soviet and Russian composer and pianist. Born in Warsaw to a family connected with Yiddish theatre, he fled Poland in 1939 following the German invasion and settled in the Soviet Union, where he gained the support of Dmitri Shostakovich. Weinberg became a prolific and respected composer, particularly during the 1960s, when his concert and film music achieved considerable recognition. His later years were marked by declining health and reduced official support. International appreciation of his music grew significantly in the 1990s.

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Gidon Kremer (born 27 February 1947) is a Latvian violinist. Studied under David Oistrakh at the Moscow Conservatory, he won major international awards, including prizes at the Queen Elisabeth and the Tchaikovsky Competitions. Renowned for his artistic originality, Kremer has performed worldwide and championed contemporary composers such as Alfred Schnittke and Arvo Pärt. An exceptionally prolific recording artist, he has recorded over 120 albums and received numerous honors. In 1997, he founded the Kremerata Baltica, further strengthening his influence as performer, mentor and advocate for modern music.

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Founded in 1997 by violinist Gidon Kremer, Kremerata Baltica is now recognized as one of Europe's leading chamber orchestras. Comprising young, enthusiastic musicians, it is distinguished by its innovative programming, commitment to contemporary composers and diverse repertoire. The orchestra has performed over 1,000 concerts across more than 50 countries and 600 cities, earning international acclaim for its recordings and awards, including a Gramophone Award in 2020. The orchestra also serves as a medium to nurture young talent and share artistic expertise, enriching the Baltic region's cultural life.

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