Mieczysław Weinberg - Violin Concerto; Sonata for 2 Violins (Gidon Kremer)

Information

Composer: Mieczysław Weinberg

• Violin Concerto in G minor, Op. 67
• Sonata for 2 Violins, Op. 69

Gidon Kremer, violin

Leipzig Gewandhaus Orchestra

Daniele Gatti, conductor

Madara Pētersone, violin II

Date: 2021

Label: Accentus

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Review

Mieczysław Weinberg’s Violin Concerto was composed for the great violinist Leonid Kogan in 1959, when the Polish-born composer was beginning to achieve much greater recognition from the Soviet music establishment. Cast in the four-movement symphonic structure used by Shostakovich in his First Violin Concerto, it follows a rather different trajectory, but like its great predecessor makes formidable technical and musical demands on both soloist and orchestra.

In recent years, the concerto has been championed on disc by such distinguished violinists as Ilya Gringolts, Benjamin Schmid and Linus Roth. Gidon Kremer has become the work’s strongest advocate, having performed it frequently throughout Europe and America over the past few years. This performance, recorded live in Leipzig during February 2020, undoubtedly benefits from Kremer’s passionate commitment, but also offers a distinct advantage over rival recordings through its vivid recorded sound and the superbly compelling contribution from the Leipzig Gewandhausorchester under Daniele Gatti. Kremer’s approach differs significantly from all other recorded interpreters in adopting far more expansive tempos throughout the concerto. This is particularly noticeable in the opening Allegro molto where Kremer’s steadier pulse allows the music to breathe more effectively particularly in the contemplative and mysterious sections of the movement.

The Sonata for Two Violins, composed around the same period, is an equally demanding but more emotionally elusive work that only reveals its undoubted strengths after repeated listening. Kremer and Latvian violinist Madara Pētersone deliver a riveting performance with near perfect ensemble and great variety of tone.

— 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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