Notes and Editorial Reviews
Among the world's outstanding violinists, Aaron Rosand has captivated audiences and critics throughout the world with his "immaculate technical achievement, beautiful multi-coloured tonal lustre, artful phrasing, stylistic elan and probing musical intellect" (Strad). A true violinist's violinist, Rosand carries on two traditions of playing, directly descending from renowned pupils of Eugene Ysaÿe and Leopold Auer. He studied with both Leon Sametini at the Chicago Musical College, and with Efrem Zimbalist, Sr. at the Curtis Institute of Music in Philadelphia. The violin music of Brahms is perfectly suited to these two schools and this 2 disc set has the added bonus of an original work by Joseph Joachim, the arranger of the
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Hungarian Dances and long term collaborator of Brahms. The exquisite violin playing is more than ably complemented by the wonderful pianist Hugh Sung.
R E V I E W S
The directness, forward momentum, sense of projection, and disciplined freedom characterizing the sonata performances reveal the extent to which Rosand has lived with and through these compositions over the course of a long career. Like Joseph Szigeti, Rosand’s tone is not especially pretty or suavely modulated, yet I’d trade the variety of his expressive palette for the faceless perfection of a thousand young conservatory hotshots any day. The G Major Sonata’s opening pages alone constitute a master class. Both the piano and violin part are marked mezza voce, but only the piano part is marked dolce too. With this is mind, Rosand simply introduces the main theme louder than usually heard. He slightly accelerates the faster notes in order to make an easy transition into the cross-rhythmic phrases up ahead. Notice, too, Rosand’s subtle, unpredictable inflections in the finale that intensify the rhythm while seemingly dispensing with the barlines, or his musicianly control of the D Minor Sonata’s exposed double stops (third and fourth movements). , I can only echo my erstwhile colleague James Methuen-Campbell’s positive assessment where he accurately cites Rosand’s “strengths of poetic insight,” incisive immediacy,” and “impeccable taste.” In all, a worthy and admirable re-release.
-- Jed Distler, Gramophone
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Works on This Recording
1.
Sonata for Violin and Piano no 1 in G major, Op. 78 by Johannes Brahms
Performer:
Hugh Sung (Piano),
Aaron Rosand (Violin)
Period: Romantic
Written: 1878-1879; Austria
Date of Recording: 1993
Venue: Curtis Institute of Music, Philadelphia
Length: 26 Minutes 29 Secs.
2.
Sonata for Violin and Piano no 2 in A major, Op. 100 by Johannes Brahms
Performer:
Hugh Sung (Piano),
Aaron Rosand (Violin)
Period: Romantic
Written: 1886; Austria
Date of Recording: 1993
Venue: Curtis Institute of Music, Philadelphia
Length: 20 Minutes 13 Secs.
3.
Sonata for Violin and Piano no 3 in D minor, Op. 108 by Johannes Brahms
Performer:
Hugh Sung (Piano),
Aaron Rosand (Violin)
Period: Romantic
Written: 1886-1888; Austria
Date of Recording: 1993
Venue: Curtis Institute of Music, Philadelphia
Length: 21 Minutes 05 Secs.
4.
Hungarian Dances (21) for Orchestra, WoO 1 by Johannes Brahms
Performer:
Aaron Rosand (Violin),
Hugh Sung (Piano)
Period: Romantic
Written: 1868-1880; Austria
Date of Recording: 1991
Venue: Curtis Institute of Music, Philadelphia
Length: 55 Minutes 21 Secs.
Notes: Arranged for Violin and Piano by Joseph Joachim
5.
Romance in B flat major by Joseph Joachim
Performer:
Aaron Rosand (Violin),
Hugh Sung (Piano)
Period: Romantic
Written: Germany
Date of Recording: 1991
Venue: Curtis Institute of Music, Philadelphia
Length: 4 Minutes 40 Secs.
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