Naturally, artists making initial ventures into the busy marketplace of audio releases want to stand out from the crowd, and there are two options open to them: offer fresh perspectives on well-known works, or shed light on undiscovered repertoire. In her debut release, Norwegian violinist Eldbjørg Hemsing has attempted to do both, by pairing her compatriot Hjalmar Borgstrøm’s rarely-performed violin concerto with Shostakovich’s warhorse First concerto. The result shows that Hemsing is an accomplished player with a distinctive sound, but never quite achieves the big impact she might have hoped for.
The problem is partly with the repertoire. Borgstrøm’s work receives spirited playing from Hemsing, and the Vienna Symphony communicates excitable rapture in the opening movement; conductor Olari Elts draws smoldering energy from his players in the dusky slow movement (the most convincing of the three) as Hemsing soars above. But, while pleasing on the ear, the music provides little substance, little sign of individuality or distinctive ideas to more deeply engage a listener. Presenting it alongside the heavyweight Shostakovich surely does Borgstrøm few favors.
And with so much illustrious recording competition around, the Shostakovich was never going to be an easy sell. Hemsing plays voluptuously but her tone is too sweet in what should be a harrowingly soul-searching opening movement; and while the violinist is impressively precise in the madcap second-movement Scherzo, she never sounds demonic. Things get better later on: orchestra and violinist lace the desolate Passacaglia with pathos and build to a grief-stricken climax, before a final vigorous, barnstorming Burlesque. But to experience the sheer depth of feeling this work can generate you need to look elsewhere.
