REWIND
Great artists talk about their past recordings This month: Arabella Steinbacher violinist
MY FINEST MOMENT Britten • Hindemith
Violin Concertos
Arabella Steinbacher (violin); Berlin Radio Symphony Orchestra/vladimir Jurowski Pentatone PTC 5186625 (2017)
I wanted to record the hindemith concerto because it’s not played that o en. Then I found out that Britten and hindemith composed their violin concertos in the same year and they had very similar stories. They both le Europe to spend time in America, and you can hear a lot of loneliness in the music. The composers are so di erent from each other, but they bring it out in their way; so it’s really interesting to play both concertos, and record them, at the same time. It was a challenge, not only musically but also physically, because we had to record both concertos in a very short time – we had three
days – and, of course, not whole days. I remember it felt like a marathon, because you have to repeat things so o en. Sometimes when I was very happy with my performance, something with the orchestra was not so good.
I’d have to give everything again, not only the energy but all the emotion – the Britten is especially emotional. I felt entranced, like I was almost not there. This is one recording I would say I’m glad to have done; not only that, it turned out quite well. I’m never really proud, but on the other hand every recording is a bit like a baby.
MY FONDEST MEMORY Aber der Richtige...
Works by Richard Strauss
Arabella Steinbacher (violin); WDR Symphony Orchestra/lawrence Foster Pentatone PTC 5186653 (2018)
Almost every recording has a special memory for me; this one actually has two special stories... I grew up in a family with a lot of singers – my mum and dad were singers together at the opera house in Munich. So, when I was a child I always heard these songs, and the opera Arabella – that’s why my parents gave me that name. I thought it would be nice to record it, even though I’m not a singer – I played the singer’s part and some variations on it. I studied the Violin Concerto especially for the recording because it is never played; it’s a very early work by Richard Strauss – he was only 16 or 17 years old when he composed it. It’s not his strongest work so I never actually thought to study it, but since I was doing the recording I had to get the music score to learn it. That’s how I met my husband – he works for the company where Richard Strauss’s music is published. A er I did the recording, we got married; so even though I didn’t really enjoy playing the concerto so much, I did at least meet my husband. That’s probably not the best promotion for the recording, but I think it’s a beautiful moment! I’D LIKE ANOTHER GO AT…
Brahms Violin Sonatas Nos 1-3 Arabella Steinbacher (violin),
Robert Kulek (piano) Pentatone PTC 5186367 (2011) I must say, almost every piece I’ve recorded I would play again di erently. Not completely di erently, but this is the thing about recordings, it’s just a recording of that moment. I don’t regret any of them, but maybe I’d return to one of the older ones, like the Brahms Sonatas; I’ve played them so many times with Robert Kulek since then.
In concert, you will always play it in a di erent way because you only have that moment and you play it for the audience. Now when Robert and I listen back to the recording we realise we played it so much slower than we do in concert. It’s interesting, because you know you can repeat it as much as you want when you’re recording it, but this special moment and the adrenaline that you have on stage is missing. I need the public, I need the adrenaline and the excitement; you never know what’s going to happen in that moment. When you make music together you’re not completely alone on stage, especially with the Brahms Sonatas of course, because there’s a pianist. Then with an orchestra there are so many other people involved; there can be something new every time – new inspiration, which brings new ideas. I would actually prefer to record live concerts; this makes much more sense to me. I think it would give the recording a di erent energy.
Arabella Steinbacher’s album of Richard Strauss works is out now on Pentatone and is reviewed on p79