This disc begins promisingly with Sonoko Miriam Welde’s very fine rendition of the Bruch Violin Concerto where her bright yet full tone ideally conveys both tension and tenderness. Welde’s is a taut and sinewy rendition, very different from Kyung-Wha Chung’s darker approach with its more emphatic rubato and articulation. Tabita Berglund is of one mind with Welde, leading the Oslo Philharmonic in a vibrant accompaniment. Lawo’s recording is one of the best for this work as it places the violinist in a realistic and natural perspective with the orchestra.
For Vaughan Williams’ The Lark Ascending I was prepared to set my snooze alarm, expecting another typical British “reverential” reading. But I was pleasantly surprised by Welde’s refreshingly lithe and spirited performance, with quicker tempos and crisp phrasing.
Alas, the concluding Barber Violin Concerto is a letdown, mainly due to Joshua Weilerstein’s lackluster accompaniment. He and the orchestra seem unsure what to make of the composer’s American style, and sound positively flat-footed in the first movement’s jazzy syncopated passages. For her part Welde mostly delivers the goods due to her engaging curiosity and sterling musicianship, and her note-perfect moto perpetuo Finale sounds fine enough until you hear Hilary Hahn’s blisteringly fast rendition with Hugh Wolff and the St. Paul Chamber Orchestra, which points up the difference between players who know the work and those who inhabit it.
So, this disc appeals primarily due to its unusual combination of works. But you’ll experience greater engagement going à la carte with Chung for the Bruch and Hahn for the Barber.
