Pentatone Classics has staked its very young reputation (and its name, literally) on the surround-sound medium, so its initial releases come with high expectations. In this case, the label has succeeded in every way, producing a multi-channel hybrid SACD that boasts lustrous string sound, weighty but clear bass, and excellent performances of these violin concertos. The surround channels seamlessly integrate with the more dominant front speakers, and while the soloist is located firmly in the center channel, there is enough “leakage” into left and right channels to broaden the sound. Immediately in the opening measures of the Mozart concerto listeners will hear how dynamic this recording is, from the well-defined basses and cellos to the natural-sounding violins and winds. Of course, it helps that we are dealing with an orchestra whose members occupy chairs in the larger Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra, the qualities of which are heard repeatedly in the stunning clarity of their unison playing and tonal beauty.
Vesko Eschkenazy, first leader of the Concertgebouw Orchestra itself since 2000, graces these works with his warm, well-rounded tone and holds his own against any of his more famous competitors on disc. He attacks the Mozart with exuberance, the Schubert with poised phrasing (note the way he holds back on the upbeats in the Allegro giusto), and turns the “other” Mendelssohn into a work whose relative neglect should be called into question. Conductor Marco Boni provides bouncy accompaniment, keeps the action moving, and achieves nice balances in the orchestra. An auspicious start for this new label. [5/31/2003]
