Sibelius - Music for Violin and Piano, Volume 2

2010

“No one listening to this music would doubt that Sibelius had a special feeling for the violin.
Whether he's composing lighter music such as the captivating 'Rondino' from the Op 81 set or the more substantial later pieces, such as the first of the Danses champêtres, which comes close to the world of The Tempest. Neither the Op 115 nor the Op 116 set contains great music but they're much finer than they have been given credit for. Both 'On the heath' and the 'Ballade', Nos 1 and 2 of Op 115, have an innocence that calls to mind the wonderful Humoresques for violin and orchestra. In particular 'The Bells', Op 115 No 4 is a rather cryptic miniature and the 'Scène de danse' of Op 116, with its striking tonal juxtapositions, is a kind of Finnish equivalent of the Bartók Romanian Dances. Nils-Erik Sparf and Bengt Forsberg are dedicated and sensitive exponents who make the most of the opportunities this repertoire provides. One small reservation: the piano tone sounds a little thick at the bottom end, and the violin is by no means the dominant partner. Enthusiastically recommended.”