Lalo/Symphony espagnole Op.21/Saint-Saëns: Concerto for Violin and Orchestra No.3

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Music reviews of Lalo/Symphony espagnole Op.21/Saint-Saëns: Concerto for Violin and Orchestra No.3

Music Review: A Little Inconsistent, But Otherwise A Fine Album
Rating: 4 Stars

The Symphonie Espagnol is definitely the less consistent of the two works on this recording. Perlman's formidable and accomplished technique leaves little to be desired from a technical standpoint (as usual), but his violin's tone is too dark for this Mediterranean-sounding concerto, and his playing is a little ...flat. My ideal interpretation of Symphonie Espagnol is bright, lively, and capricious, whereas Perlman's is dry, dark, and not quite dynamic.

The more dark and melancholy Saint-Saens concerto (which is the only one of four Saint-Saens violin concerti which is popular and regularly performed), on the other hand, is exceptional, and Perlman seems to be much more in his element. All three movements are riveting, moving, and utterly beautiful- the Saint-Saens is much better suited to his style.

I am a big vinyl enthusiast, and though the recording is digital and very clean, compared to the more recent digital recordings it somewhat lacks warmth and transparency. It's a fine performance, but there isn't really anything on this disc to shout from the rooftops about. However, the price is decent, and if you just happen to not own either one of these concerti, Itzhak Perlman's no-nonsense approach will fill in the gap nicely- particularly the Saint-Saens in B minor.

Description of Lalo/Symphony espagnole Op.21/Saint-Saëns: Concerto for Violin and Orchestra No.3

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