Nicola Benedetti - Vaughan-Williams &Tavener (2007)

At less than 20 years of age at the time of its recording, this third album of Scottish-born violinist Nicola Benedetti marks her continuing maturation and seeming desire to perform works still in the classical tradition yet slightly apart from the core repertoire. Recognizing that Benedetti's bright, ethereal, scintillating sound is among her many strengths, the program for this album is perfectly suited for her. Opening with Vaughan Williams' The Lark Ascending, Benedetti immediately sets the tone that will prevail throughout the entire album; tone production and emotive output -- not technique or power -- are the driving forces here. Benedetti's sound in The Lark is completely hypnotic; supported by the warm, velvety tone of the London Philharmonic Orchestra and Andrew Litton, this reading of Vaughan Williams' masterpiece is the most evocative of the poem's text in recollection. The remainder of the album is devoted to the works of John Tavener. Benedetti's first album featured a markedly short work written for her by Tavener, Fragment for the Virgin. Tavener was so taken with her performance and sound that he has since written several works (included on this album) for her. The first, and probably most recognizable, is Song for Athene, who many listeners will recognize from the conclusion of the funeral for Princess Diana. Tavener arranged the work for violin (specifically, for Benedetti) and strings. The remainder of the album contains additional works Tavener composed for Benedetti, each of which feature Tavener's trademark ethereal qualities, again playing to the strengths of his favored soloist. Anyone looking for some high-quality violin playing with repertoire a little outside the box will not be disappointed by this offering.