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Mozart: Violin Concertos Nos 4 & 5 - Nikolaj Szeps-Znaider, London Symphony Orchestra – LSO Live

Mozart: Violin Concertos Nos 4 & 5

  • Release date: 2 March 2018
    LSO0807 | 822231180722

    SACD Hybrid | Jewel case
    Booklet notes in English, French and German
    SACD incl. 2.0 stereo | multi-channel 5.1
    Total playing time: 50m

    Producer: Andrew Cornall
    Engineering: Classic Sound Ltd
    Recorded live in DSD 128FS at the Barbican Hall, London
    18 December 2016 & 14 May 2017

  • Classic FM’s Album of the Week

    The Strad’s Recommended Recording
    ‘Possibly among the most exquisite violin sound ever captured on disc.’

    ★★★★ ‘Highly polished accounts. Znaider and his players nail the characterful ending of the Fifth perfectly.’
    Classical Music Magazine

    ★★★★ ‘[Znaider] is highly persuasive in the slow movements [of the Fifth], where his famous Guarnerius violin sings with the utmost elegance.’
    Yorkshire Post

    ★★★★ ‘Znaider provides a facile and elegant purveyor of Mozart’s two greatest violin concertos.’
    Audiophile Audition

    ★★★★ ‘Youthful works here garbed with more delicacy than usually afforded them, they bloom in the velvet-rich sound of the orchestra’s modern instruments but remain delightfully spry and finessed in adroitly judged period feel.’
    Classical Ear

    ★★★★ ‘There is a convincing combination of sturdiness and sophistication in [Znaider’s] playing.’
    Classical Source

    ‘Znaider delights the ear with playing that mingles his trademark finesse with an impish exuberance so crucial to these works of Mozart.’
    Gramophone

    ‘Znaider’s lovely tone and delicacy of touch are a pleasure.’
    The Sunday Times

    ‘Znaider reaches the height of his artistry as both conductor and virtuoso violinist.’
    Radio Classique

    ‘These performances of Mozart’s fourth and fifth violin concertos are highly competitive, even in a crowded field.’
    Classical CD Choice

    'At this level of instrumental mastery, one can only bow to Nikolaj Znaider - hats off to him!'
    ResMusica

    Concert reviews

    ‘Znaider demonstrated his musical prowess.’
    Bachtrack

    ‘Znaider’s virtuosity [is] obvious.’
    The Guardian

    ‘It was abundantly clear that Znaider is equally at home as a conductor’.
    Classical Source

£8.99

Nikolaj Szeps-Znaider
London Symphony Orchestra


Nikolaj Szeps-Znaider performs at the highest level as both conductor and virtuoso violin soloist, and for this album, the first of two releases exploring all five Mozart violin concertos, he directed the London Symphony Orchestra from his instrument, the ‘Kreisler’ Guarnerius ‘del Gesu’ 1741.

Whilst Mozart’s five violin concertos were all written when he was a teenager, there is no denying that the young composer’s growth in confidence and maturity is audible. A step up from his Third, Mozart’s Fourth violin concerto allows the instrument to take the lead, his orchestra providing a supporting role. Widely considered the most ‘grown up’ of his violin concertos, Mozart’s Fifth finishes with a spirited rondo, its solo’s leaping notes and exotic ornamentation leading to its nickname, ‘Turkish.’

Speaking of his admiration for these works, Szeps-Znaider said: ‘For me Mozart is the greatest composer, because he was able to express everything that Mahler was able to express in one hour and twenty minutes, that Wagner could do in five hours, Bruckner in seventy-two minutes, in twenty-three, twenty-four minutes. He could express the yearning and the desire and the pain of human existence and yet it felt so easy.’

Composer   Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Conductor   Nikolaj Szeps-Znaider
Soloist   Nikolaj Szeps-Znaider
Performers   London Symphony Orchestra

Track list

Violin Concerto No. 4 in D major, K. 218:

  1. I. Allegro
  2. II. Andante cantabile
  3. III. Rondeau: Andante grazioso - Allegro ma non troppo

Violin Concerto No. 5 in A major, K. 219, 'Turkish':

  1. I. Allegro aperto - Adagio - Allegro aperto
  2. II. Adagio
  3. III. Rondeau: Tempo di Menuetto - Allegro - Tempo di Menuetto

 

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