Dux’s new Wieniawski album showcases the prodigious talent of Vadim Brodski, who offers sterling performances of both the popular Violin Concerto No. 2 and the lesser-known First Concerto. Brodski’s firm, sinewy tone and astonishing pitch accuracy and rhythmic control make for some breathtaking moments in some of the music’s more challenging virtuoso passages, of which there are plenty (especially in Concerto No. 2). But it’s not all muscle, as Brodski layers his playing with an endearing sweetness that gives an overall impression of effortless execution–a remarkable deception even considering today’s high technical standards.
Fine as the concerto performances are, perhaps the most interesting item on the disc is the Faust Fantasy, based on themes from Gounod’s opera. Wieniawski cleverly weaves some of the opera’s most prominent melodies into a compelling narrative, with the violin featured as the protagonist. Brodski perfectly projects the music’s vibrant spirit, especially in Mephistopheles’ waltzing aria. He’s just as brilliant in the delightful Kujawiak, and in Obertas No. 1, which fill out this generous collection. Conductors Antoni Wit and Tomasz Michalak (Concerto No. 2) lead persuasive accompaniments with The National Polish Radio Symphony. The recording is a bit on the bright side, and the soloist is certainly more prominent than you would experience in a concert hall, but such is the infectiousness of Brodski’s playing that listeners, and especially violin aficionados, shouldn’t mind very much at all.
