Tchaikovsky & Mendelssohn: Violin Concertos

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Chen's debut CDs were a real tonic, marrying effortless virtuosity with musicianship of the highest order, and I'm delighted to report that his first concerto recording maintains his high standards.... — BBC Music Magazine, June 2012 More…

Release Date: 6th Feb 2012
Catalogue No: 88697984102
Label: Sony
Length: 63 minutes

Gramophone Magazine

June 2012

Disc of the Month

Tchaikovsky: Violin Concerto in D major, Op. 35

Work length36:06

Album only

Ray Chen (violin)
Swedish Radio Symphony Orchestra
Daniel Harding

I. Allegro moderato

Track length18:51

Album only

II. Canzonetta. Andante

Track length6:45

$1.30

$1.70

III. Finale. Allegro vivacissimo

Track length10:30

Album only

Mendelssohn: Violin Concerto in E minor, Op. 64

Work length27:44

Album only

Ray Chen (violin)
Swedish Radio Symphony Orchestra
Daniel Harding

I. Allegro molto appassionata

Track length13:09

Album only

II. Andante

Track length8:05

$1.30

$1.70

III. Allegretto non troppo - Allegro molto vivace

Track length6:30

$1.30

$1.70

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About

Following the critical success of his solo album “Virtuoso„ for which Ray Chen received the prestigious German Echo Klassik Award 2011 and outstanding reviews, Sony Classical releases the young violinist’s first concerto-recording on the label.

On this release Ray combines the Tchaikovsky and Mendelssohn violin concertos. Both works have played a significant role in Ray’s career so far. His superb interpretation of these works led to his triumph at two major violin competitions – in 2008 he won the Yehudi Menuhin Competition performing the Mendelssohn Concerto, followed by first prize in the prestigious Queen Elisabeth Competition in Brussels a year later, with the Tchaikovsky Concerto.

Ray brings a fresh interpretation to these cornerstones of the violin repertoire and finds a kindred spirit in Daniel Harding and the Swedish Radio Symphony Orchestra – their youthful performance displaying zest and energy.

Reviews

June 2012

Chen's debut CDs were a real tonic, marrying effortless virtuosity with musicianship of the highest order, and I'm delighted to report that his first concerto recording maintains his high standards. Both he and Daniel Harding understand the differences between these two masterpieces...A completely captivating issue.

June 2012

Magnificent technique, of course; the trickiest passages can seem like child's play to him. But what impresses most is Chen's musicianship - he's able to make the listener aware of the emotional import of each phrase, apparently spontaneously, as though he's only just considered playing it that way...In his hands, the music is like a living thing; one senses that each performance will have its own individual character...All in all, a most impressive release.

4th March 2012

It's easy to see why Sony have snapped [Chen] up for star treatment. His tone is silken, his technique faultless, his musicianship persuasive as well as controlled and poetic. He can also handle the grand, febrile romanticism of these two mainstream works...We'll hear a lot more of Ray Chen.

Tchaikovsky & Mendelssohn: Violin Concertos

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