Jean Sibelius - Violinkonzert - Finlandia – Tapiola

1. Violin Concerto in D minor, Op.47 - 1. Allegro moderato
2. Violin Concerto in D minor, Op.47 - 2. Adagio di molto
3. Violin Concerto in D minor, Op.47 - 3. Allegro, ma non tanto
4. Tapiola, Op.112
5. Finlandia, Op.26, No.7 - Andante sostenuto - Allegro moderato – Allegro

Christian Ferras – Violin
Berliner Philharmoniker
Herbert von Karajan – conductor

Up until now, I've never heard of Christian Ferras; but this is now my FAVORITE recording of the Sibelius Violin Concerto. In contrast to David Oistrakh who plays the concerto in the sad, soulful Russian style; Ferras brings out a sense of youth and sparkle; indeed, at times this Sibelius concerto sounds as much like the energenic and youthful Bruch concerto #1. That being said, the Sibelius concerto is a hard one to play; I've heard other outstanding violinists, conductors and orchestras make a mess of the concerto; but Ferras and Karajan seem to get things just right as they for-go the "glacial" sound that one often associates with Sibelius; indeed, Mr. Karajan's crack Berlin Philharmonic accents the soloist with a crisp and clean northern air, as opposed to a wintery "slushiness".

If this recording is any indication of Christian Ferras as a violinist of some merit, than I would like to get to his music better. I read on Wikipedia that he led a sad life where clinical depression resulted in an untimely suicide. You wouldn't guess that by listening to this bright and crisp recording. --- Joe Anthony "Joe Anthony", amazon.com

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