Gidon Kremer, Tatiana Grindenko - Mozart, Paganini, J.S. Bach (1976-78) [2021 SACD The Valued Collection Platinum]

Here, Gidon Kremer (1947-) recorded three concerto albums with the Vienna Symphony Orchestra at a pace of one per year from 1976 to 1978. In 1970, at the age of 23, Kremer won the Tchaikovsky International Competition and started his activities in the West as a young artist representing the former Soviet Union. His first performance in the West was in 1970 at the Vienna Musikvereinsaal with the Vienna Symphony Orchestra under Thomas Schippers. Kremer has been famous for his great technique since the beginning of his career, and he favored the virtuoso pieces of the 19th century. Clearly different from virtuoso, he became a darling of the music world with a new sensation. In 1975, he became a hot topic by playing Beethoven's violin concerto for one night at the Leningrad Philharmonic's Toyama performance as a substitute for Kogan, who was suddenly ill (his official first visit to Japan was in 1977). In 1976, the LP of Brahms' Violin Concerto, which he co-starred with Karajan and the Berliner Philharmoniker, was released and caused a worldwide sensation. In 1980, he left the Soviet Union and emigrated to West Germany in search of freedom. The recording with the Vienna Symphony Orchestra contained here was recorded at exactly this time and reflects the early appearance of Kremer's activities.

In Bach and Mozart, he made full use of his characteristic thin and supple sound lines, and unlike the approach of past masters, he created a light, speedy, but somewhat subdued feeling with a clean form. I'm listening to you play. Co-starring Tatiana Grindenko (1946-) is a Ukrainian-born violinist who was once married to Kremer and was an alumnus of Kremer's Moscow Conservatory. Paganini's Violin Concerto No. 1 is noteworthy for the recording he performed with Heinz Wallberg (1923-2004), a famous German conductor and guest performer with the NHK Symphony Orchestra. At that time, the original version was already the mainstream, but the musical score that Kremer is playing was thoroughly arranged by August Wilhelmi (1845-1908), who is famous for arranging "Aria on the G String" in a late romantic style. This is because it is a one-movement version that has been modified and reorganized. This version was originally created by 19th-century virtuosos, but Kremer succeeded in reviving this modified version in a modern concert hall with a completely original approach.

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Tracks:

Disc 1
1. Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart: Violin Concerto No. 3 in G Major, K. 216
2. Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart: Concertone in C Major, K. 190
3. Niccolò Paganini: Violin Concerto No. 1 in D Major, Op. 6, MS 21 (arr. Wilhelmj)

Disc 2
4. J.S. Bach: Concerto for 2 Violins in D Minor, BWV 1043
5. J.S. Bach: Violin Concerto in A Minor, BWV 1041
6. J.S. Bach: Concerto for 2 Violins in C Minor, BWV 1060
7. Robert Schumann: Phantasie in C Major, Op. 131 (arr. F. Kreisler)
8. Ladislav Kupkovic: Souvenir for violin and string orchestra

Personnel:

Gidon Kremer, violin and conducting (1, 2, 4 & 6)
Tatiana Grindenko, violin (2, 4 & 6)
Wiener Symphoniker
Conducted by Heinz Wallberg (3, 7 & 8)

March 29, 31 & April 1, 1976, Musikvereinssaal, Wien (1 & 2)
February 17-19, 1977, Polyhymnia Studio, Wien (4-6)
June 26-29, 1978, Polyhymnia Studio, Wien (3, 7 & 8)