BERNSTEIN; GÁL; KAMINSKI Violin Concertos (Erez Ofer)
View record and artist detailsRecord and Artist Details
Composer or Director: Joseph Kaminski, Hans Gál, Leonard Bernstein
Genre:
Orchestral
Label: Hänssler
Magazine Review Date: AW2019
Media Format: CD or Download
Media Runtime: 75
Mastering:
DDD
Catalogue Number: HC19020
Tracks:
Composition | Artist Credit |
---|---|
Concertino for Violin and String Orchestra |
Hans Gál, Composer
Berlin Radio Symphony Orchestra Erez Ofer, Violin Frank Beermann, Conductor Hans Gál, Composer |
Concerto for Violin and Symphony Orchestra |
Joseph Kaminski, Composer
Berlin Radio Symphony Orchestra Erez Ofer, Violin Frank Beermann, Conductor Joseph Kaminski, Composer |
Serenade |
Leonard Bernstein, Composer
Berlin Radio Symphony Orchestra Erez Ofer, Violin Leonard Bernstein, Composer Omer Meir Wellber, Conductor |
Author: Guy Rickards
Ten years later, Joseph Kaminski (1903 72) – a pupil of Gál in the mid-1920s who had emigrated to Palestine in 1937 and was concertmaster of the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra – completed his three-movement Violin Concerto and premiered it himself. The concerto received much praise and won the Engel Prize in 1950. A more dramatic work, the opening Moderato and central Adagio comme una elegia (the latter curiously omitted from the booklet commentary) may reflect the momentous political events during its composition: Israel’s independence and first war against its Arab neighbours. The Molto vivo finale, however, is lighter, built on a Jewish melody and Sephardic rhythms. It deserves to be much better known and Ofer plays it with great panache, accompanied – as in the Gál – with élan by the Berlin Radio Symphony Orchestra under Frank Beermann.
Omer Meir Wellber takes up the baton for the final work, a sparkling rendition of Bernstein’s brilliant Serenade after Plato’s ‘Symposium’. The benchmark recordings are the composer’s own with Francescatti, originally welcomed in these pages half a century ago, and – as per David Gutman’s Gramophone Collection piece (8/18) – Hilary Hahn’s brilliant account with Zinman 30 years later. Ofer’s stands up very well indeed; if not first choice then close to the top. With superb sound, strongly recommended.
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