György Ligeti’s Violin Concerto gets maximum timbral mileage from 10 wind players, 11 solo strings, and a wide array of percussion instruments. Some participants are required to adapt novel tunings, or, more accurately speaking, de-tunings, while others double on novelty instruments like ocarinas or slide whistles. The difficult solo violin part flirts between cutting flamboyance and gaunt lyricism, culminating in a cadenza. The composer supplied his own, but allows others if so desired. Christina Astrand opts for the cadenza devised by Sachko Sawriloff, the violinist who premiered the work in concert and on disc. The latter, with Pierre Boulez conducting the Ensemble Intercontemporain, is played with breathtaking panache and suave elegance on both the orchestra and soloist’s part. Yet I prefer Astrand’s darker tone color and sheer dramatic intensity, as well as Chandos’ impactive, vividly detailed sound. Per Nørgård’s Helle Nacht (Light Night) from 1986/87 also is a substantial concerto whose four movements weave long-lined tapestries from deceptively simple melodic threads. The Danish National Radio Symphony plays staggeringly well under Thomas Dausgaard’s meticulous, impassioned leadership. To close the disc, Nørgård’s five-movement solo sonata The Secret Melody (originally written for viola) is heard in its premiere recording. Recast for violin, Astrand makes an eloquent case for the work’s undemonstrative strength and veiled, wistful qualities. As you probably gather, this is a very special release. [8/20/2000]
