Search - Max Bruch, Antonin Dvorak, Vernon Handley :: Bruch, Dvorak: Violin Concertos / Little, Handley

Enchanting

David Saemann | 06/05/2008

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This is an early Tasmin Little album, recorded in 1989, but it fully exhibits her wonderful talents. Both performances are among the best ever recorded. Little's tone is full if not lush, and always deeply expressive. She manages the technical challenges with the greatest of ease. My favorite version of the Dvorak is Nathan Milstein's with William Steinberg, but I don't know if that has ever been on CD. Little's rendition is certainly the best digital version I've heard, and the sound engineering on this disc is very good indeed. Little's Dvorak is lyrical and dynamic, but never cloying or unfeeling. Her sense of rhythm is delightful. For the Bruch, the preferred version probably will always be Heifetz's with Sir Malcolm Sargent, but Little's is beautifully expressive and very satisfying in its own right. Vernon Handley is a wonderful accompanist, especially in the Bruch. His partnership with Little in the Bruch brings out nuances, especially in the finale, that I've never heard before. If you've never heard Tasmin Little, this disc is a splendid way to introduce yourself to a marvelous artist."