Search - Karol Szymanowski, Nicholas Durcan :: Karol Szymanowski: Music for violin & piano

Striking

David Saemann | 05/26/2009

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I was led to this CD by my interest in Szymanowski and by Miriam Kramer's excellent performance on her Bloch CD for Naxos. I was not disappointed. Miriam Kramer is a technically deft violinist, whose tone is rarely sweet but is always communicative. Her pianist, Nicholas Durcan, has a superb technique and a rich tone. These people really know how to play. They have a superb feeling for Szymanowski's various styles. The early Violin Sonata, written when the composer was 22, is somewhat undersold by the booklet annotator. I find it a superb example of late Romanticism, with lush tones and an indulgent development. Mythes is probably the high point of Szymanowski's output for these instruments. From the imitation of fountains in the first movement to the evanescent imagery of the last movement, it is a captivating work. Notturno and Tarentella is a dramatically pleasing concoction, very much exactly as described. The shorter works all are satisfying, not the least violinist Pawel Kochanski's transcription of the Chant de Roxane from the opera King Roger, a luminous and exotic creation for the violinist. Sound engineering throughout this disc is excellent, coming from the well known venue of Potton Hall, Suffolk. If you've been told that Szymanowski's output for violin and piano is a minor part of his oeuvre, this CD will cause you to rethink that."