Julia Fischer, Netherlands Chamber Orchestra, Yakov Kreizberg - Mozart - Violin Concertos Nos. 3 and 4 / Adagio K.261 / Rondo K.269 (2005) Hi-Res

It takes a lot of guts to write your own cadenzas. After all, most of the concertos in the standard repertoire already have their standard cadenzas, usually supplied by either the composer or some exceedingly well-known soloist, and the chance of any current soloist touching the same celestial heights is doubtful at best. Nevertheless, on this disc of Mozart's Third and Fourth violin concertos coupled with his Adagio K. 261 and Rondo K. 269 for violin and orchestra, Julia Fischer not only writes most of her own cadenzas, she touches the same celestial heights as the greatest masters of the bow. Fischer has a pure tone, an impeccable intonation, and an immaculate technique, but she also has a warm heart and a radiant soul, and her performances of Mozart's concertos are as clear and luminous as the music. Beyond that, Fischer has the rare talent of writing cadenzas that partake of the substance of the music but transfuse it with the joy of Fischer's soul, and the result not only touches the heart, it touches the infinite. Yakov Kreizberg leads the Netherlands Chamber Orchestra in stylishly polished performances and provides the cadenza for the central Adagio of the Third concerto, but this is Fischer's show and she proves herself a star. PentaTone's 2005 sound is warm, deep, and full. --James Leonard