Absolutely Stunning
GEOFF PEARCE listens to Lea Birringer's Sibelius, Szymanowski and Järnefelt
'... beautifully played.'
I was attracted to this disc, firstly, because although she is well established and held in high regard, I do not believe that I have heard any recordings by Lea Birringer, and secondly because of the mix of works on the disc. The Sibelius is one of my favourite works, and has been since I first heard a recording of Heifetz playing it, back when I was a boy. I am also very fond of both the Szymanowski concertos and the other works he has written for the instrument. I do not know much about Armas Järnefelt, other than the fact that he was Sibelius' brother in law, and that an orchestra I played in whilst training used to play his 'Praeludium' which was a favourite of our conductor and was a delightful little piece.
The violinist Lea Birringer provides a stirring and more than competent recording of the Sibelius concerto. She has a beautiful sound, firm technique, can be fiery in temperament when called upon, her sense of phrasing is admirable and she does not overdo her vibrato in the slower sections.
Listen — Sibelius: Allegro moderato (Violin Concerto)
(RCD1193 track 1, 0:02-0:59) ℗ 2025 Rubicon Classics :
The orchestra is fine and responds well to the direction of Benjamin Shwartz. The recorded sound is sumptuous. Sometimes I would like a little more forward presence from the soloist, but that is very subjective, and she is certainly not lost in the passages where she plays with full orchestra. There are odd times when my sense of intonation is different from hers: the opening minute of the third movement is a case in point.
Listen — Sibelius: Allegro, ma non tanto (Violin Concerto)
(RCD1193 track 3, 0:00-0:53) ℗ 2025 Rubicon Classics :
Overall, though, this is a fine account of one of the repertoire's most loved and recorded works.
Listen — Sibelius: Allegro, ma non tanto (Violin Concerto)
(RCD1193 track 2, 6:35-7:22) ℗ 2025 Rubicon Classics :
The little Armas Järnefelt Berceuse was written in 1904, at about the same time as the Sibelius concerto, and was inspired by watching the composer's daughter sleeping. This is a lovely work, and as soon as I heard it, I knew that I had heard it before. It is tender, sentimental and more than a shade wistful. This is beautifully performed by both soloist and orchestra. There is also a lovely section where the opening theme is doubled between solo violin and cello, and this was particularly beautifully played.
Listen — Järnefelt: Berceuse
(RCD1193 track 4, 0:01-0:46) ℗ 2025 Rubicon Classics :
Of Karol Szymanowski's two violin concertos, I know the first one best, and probably this one has been more often performed and recorded, but the second concerto, written for the same soloist as the first - Pawel Kochański - was the composer's last major work. It was completed in about four weeks in 1933, receiving its premiere in October of that year. The work is about twenty-two minutes in length, in four sections and is usually performed as one movement. An extensive cadenza linking the second and third sections was written by Pawel Kochański at the composer's request. The soloist died the year after the premiere and the composer inscribed the dedication to his friend's memory.
Szymanowski was influenced by folk music of the Polish highlands, and the concerto is quite modal.
Listen — Szymanowski: Moderato molto (Violin Concerto No 2)
(RCD1193 track 5, 2:38-3:12) ℗ 2025 Rubicon Classics :
I find that it is harmonically more straightforward than the first concerto. In addition to modes, there are also a lot of tunes inspired by the dances of the Goral people, so there are a lot of flourishes and syncopated rhythms.
Listen — Szymanowski: Allegramente molto (Violin Concerto No 2)
(RCD1193 track 7, 0:00-0:40) ℗ 2025 Rubicon Classics :
This is a work which grows on you with each successive hearing, and both soloist and orchestra work beautifully to produce an absolutely stunning recording of this work. The second section is achingly beautiful, and what an ending to the work!
Listen — Szymanowski: Andantino molto (Violin Concerto No 2)
(RCD1193 track 8, 4:29-5:15) ℗ 2025 Rubicon Classics :
Would I buy this disc? Probably. The first time I heard the Sibelius, I felt underwhelmed and wondered if Lea Birringer brought anything new or special to this work, and I was lukewarm about it, but on hearing it again, I changed my mind and enjoyed it much more. The Järnefelt is a charming little piece and the Szymanowski really needs to be played more often than it is, and the account offered here is exceptional from all concerned. I would buy this album for this work alone, even though there are some great recordings of it out there. The booklet, although not comprehensive, is certainly more than adequate.
Copyright © 25 March 2025
Geoff Pearce,
Sydney, Australia
