It’s much easier to perform music that’s close to our time; the further into the past you go, the more difficult it becomes… says violinist Ilya Gringolts in the booklet notes for this new CD. This statement perhaps explains his emotional distance from the Tchaikovsky concerto, which he plays so gingerly and with so small a tone that it sounds like a carefree serenade rather than a full-blown romantic concerto. Gringolts certainly has the technical ability (rarely have the notes in Tchaikovsky’s rapid runs been so clearly delineated), and perhaps his “easy” virtuosity is an attempt to distinguish himself from the more electric and vigorous playing style found in compelling recordings by Hudecek, Milstein, Heifetz, and Perlman himself (who on this occasion takes the conductorial role). Admittedly, Gringolts brings a certain grace and élan to the first two movements, making the work sound more “feminine” than usual. But the finale calls for real cajones, and save for Gringolts’ deliciously raw, rustic tone in the folksong second theme, his reading rarely inspires.
Gringolts’ detachment is better suited to Shostakovich’s concerto, with its gloomily serene first movement. But there’s even greater emotional depth here than in the Tchaikovsky, and Gringolts’ light style sounds timid next to the robust tone and impassioned playing of Oistrakh and Mordkovitch. This is especially the case in the great third-movement cadenza, though again Gringolts’ accuracy and clarity are impressive.
The biggest drawback in this performance is the bland orchestral accompaniment–a stiff scherzo, a prosaic opening to the passacaglia, and a quite pedestrian finale. It’s clear that Perlman, though he may have been able to get by with directing traffic in the Tchaikovsky, is way out of his league in the Shostakovich, which requires more musical imagination and daring than he’s able to muster. Then there’s the dry, close recording, made in the acoustically unfriendly Mann Auditorium, which may or may not be a factor in the actual sound and tonal quality of Gringolts’ instrument. So, despite the handsome CD booklet (which does a substantial job of promoting the artist), this new DG release is not your first choice in either work.
