Nielsen: Violin Concerto, Op. 33 (FS61)

In her third release for EMI Classics the energetic young Norwegian violinist continues the idea of Nordic and Russian concerto pairings established with Sibelius and Prokofiev Concertos on her first album. Here the famous romance of Tchaikovsky’s well-loved violin concerto and Scandinavian poise and unique colouring of Nielsen’s concerto are presented in a rare coupling together on disc.

Danish composer Carl Nielsen wrote his violin concerto during the summer of 1911, in a small Norwegian lakeside hut belonging to fellow composer Edvard Grieg. The concerto is very close to Vilde’s heart, being written in her homeland Norway and premiered in Scandinavia by Danish violinist Peder Møller and the Royal Danish Orchestra. It is a work she is very keen to record and champion. The concerto is unashamedly developed around enticing melodies, giving it a delicacy and simplicity and conjuring up that sense of spaciousness which is so much a part of Scandinavia’s musical and physical landscape.

Tchaikovsky’s Violin Concerto needs little introduction and is perhaps the most famous of all violin compositions. It is also regarded as one of the most technically difficult pieces in the repertoire and so is a brilliant showcase for Vilde’s hugely assured virtuosity.

Vilde recorded her debut album with EMI at the age of 22. The recording of Violin Concertos by Sibelius and Prokofiev released in January 2010 was enthusiastically reviewed “rarely has this music sounded so tender, so intimate or so lyrical” (Financial Times) and Independent Record Review called her “prodigiously gifted”. The disc won Best Classical Release at the Norwegian Grammy Awards.

She has been compared to a young Anne-Sophie Mutter, with whom she often performs.

This is the fourth and last issue in the enterprising Danish series Scandinavian Classics from the leading Danish label, Danacord. An interesting feature on this volume is that it is the only one to feature any Swedish music and the reason is that The Danish State Broadcasting Orchestra only ever recorded the two sinfonias by Roman.

An American musicologist once noted that compared to its population, no other country has as many symphonists as Denmark. This fourth release of violin concertos continues this 2CD set series. The complete series will be available in five 2 CD sets each one priced as a single CD, offering excellent value for money to explore these delightful and little known concertos.

Recorded in 1952 and 1957