Search - Camille Saint-Saens, Pascal Devoyon :: Saint-Saëns: Music for Violin

Saint-Saëns's violin music is performed relatively rarely, except the First Sonata, whose rhythmic and formal originality, dramatic opening, and brilliant perpetual-motion finale have endeared it to virtuoso performers. The Second Sonata is less effective, but contains much passion, songful lyricism, and gracious charm; the opening movement's romantic ardor has some kinship with Schumann; the scherzo is spicily pointed, its trio a three-part canon. Violinists are always looking for short pieces to round out their recital programs, and the six included here should be a welcome addition to anybody's repertoire. Triptyque, Op. 136, consists of three contrasting pieces: one lyrical and singing, one an habanera, one brilliantly exuberant. The two elegies, Opp. 143 and 160, flow, float, sing, and soar; in the Berceuse, Op. 38, the violin and piano alternate playing a lovely, simple melody over a rocking accompaniment. All these works are well worth hearing, but what really makes the record unique is the playing. These two French artists not only have all the elegance characteristic of their native idiom, they are altogether superb in technical polish and brilliance, impeccable phrasing, balance, ensemble, and, perhaps most of all, in sound. Graffin's tone is invariably pure and ravishingly beautiful, warm and glowing in the low register, soaring and radiant up high; he can vary it with infinite colors, nuances, and inflections. His expressiveness flows spontaneously from an innate affinity and feeling for the music and never gets sentimental or exaggerated. This is violin playing of a rare and special quality that makes the record a must for lovers of the instrument and its practitioners. --Edith Eisler