All three of these concertos benefit from Aaron Rosand’s generous, big hearted tone and songlike phrasing. The Arensky, a pleasantly lyrical work with occasional hints of “oriental color” is, like the Glazunov concerto, in one movement. Rosand’s emotive playing of the first movement’s cloying second theme makes it linger in the mind. Tchaikovsky’s concerto receives a far warmer reading than is the fashion of late, and Rosand refreshingly avoids the temptation to turn it into a double-stop rhapsody. Even his finale flows along smoothly, but worry not, Rosand has plenty of fireworks in his bow, and he enlivens the rapid rhythms with his dead-on accuracy. The disc closes with yet another performance of Mendelssohn’s endlessly recorded concerto. But, much to our good fortune, Rosand’s playing is so fresh and unhackneyed that it’s actually pleasurable to hear it once again–and that’s quite an accomplishment! No small factor in the appeal of these performances is Louis de Froment’s symbiotic accompaniment with the Orchestra of Radio Luxembourg. Kudos to Vox for recording the violinist in a natural perspective with the orchestra.
