Search - Felix [1] Mendelssohn, Jean Sibelius, Mariss Jansons :: Mendelssohn, Sibelius: Violin Concertos

Technically brilliant, but not much else

P. Rah | Sion, Switzerland | 02/04/2001

(3 out of 5 stars)

"As much as I love Sarah Chang's playing, this disc is one that disappoints, the Mendelssohn especially. It is beautifully played, but the phrasings are very ordinary. This is the first time where I really discovered that you can play the notes perfectly and have not much musicality behind the playing. Playing by a very great artist of the future like this is not recommendable. I do have to say, though that the reviewr who said "uhg" in not justified in his comment of Sarah Chang not being a remarkable performer. Look at her track record! Not many performers record their debut album at 9 years of age and prove that you are extremely musical as well as being technically brilliant. Even the sceptics admitted that this was quite a special case. Also, she has survived the "Prodigies' Hothouse" unscathed. She has blssomed into a mature artist. Anyway, the Sibelius is an interpretation I like to a better degree than the Mendelssohn, for Chang never relents the intensity of her playing, whih is what is needed in the Sibelious - nervous energy. But for a spot in the top recommendation, this misses by a fair way, as after repeated listenings, this performance can become rather one-dimensional. The sound is too boxy for the Sibelius, relatively resonant but still not open enough in the Mendelssohn. The EMI engineers have had trouble recording in Berlin for some reason (although Mike Hatch - of the Mahler 10 CD with Sir Simon Rattle recently released - bowled me over with his amazingly open sound recorded in the Berlin Philharmonie, a trouble spot for recording), and this is one of the worst examples of the EMI-Berlin sound. But the playing of the Berliner Philharmoniker is superb, as always, and Maestro Jansons is a superb supporter for Sarah Chang in this recording. I would recommend for both the Mendelssohn and Sibelius Kyung-Wha Chung's performances on Decca. The Mendelssohn is not schmaltzy (as is the case in many recordings), but very happy and musically brilliant, and the Sibelius has all the Nordic chill and fire, coupled with impeccable phrasing to give this wonderful work a three-dimensional character The good thing is that Sarah Chang has since matured musically into a fantastic artist of a high order, and has since released many first-class recordings."

Miss Chang could have played better than this.

A music fan | 12/28/1999

(3 out of 5 stars)

"I've been a fan of Miss Chang's since her debut and I've been looking forward to the release of this disc, but this CD is a total disappointment. I can't believe this was recorded by the very artist who played Vieuxtemps so wonderfully. I also can't figure out what Miss Chang was thinking when she was playing Mendelsshon. Her Mendelsshon is filled with emotions, but the articulation isn't good enough. As to Sibelius, Miss Chang's fingering and intonation is awesome, but falis to express the depth of emotions in this concerto. Besides, her playing doesn't sound effortful. I hope she will do better on her next disc. She still seems to be able to do anything with the instrument."

Sentimental Mendelssohn, standard Julliard-type Sibelius

Gilbert Chang (vio1025@mail.ethome. | 01/06/1999

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Sarah Chang opens the Mendelssohn concerto with a big, wide vibrato, making this lightly romantic work sound overtly sentimental. Such was her treatment of the first movement--rendering it heavily romantic. At first I was not used to this kind of interpretation, but then I started to appreciate it, and finally, love it. The third movement is simply flawless, musically and technically.Her Sibelius is of the standard Julliard-type. One cannot really blame her for not giving a personalized interpretation of this work; after all, it's been recorded over 50 times, and it's becoming increasingly difficult to form an individual interpretation, especially when most of today's young players are taught to remain faithful to the score. I did not adore her tone recorded in this live concert--a bit harsh in my opinion. Her technique was near-perfect.I'd like to point out one place in the first movt. of the Sibelius where I thought her rendition was the best ever. It's right before the coda, the twelve measures before no. 11 of the score, this very long trill of an A. The soloist's and orchestra's playing of crescendo and diminuendo are in perfect unity. The soloist's sound nearly disappears when the orchestra plays pianissimo pizzicato. These compelling rise and fall in dynamics are not marked on the score."