Beethoven • Sibelius

Beethoven: Violin Concerto in D, Op. 61; Sibelius: Violin Concerto in D minor, Op. 47

Christian Tetzlaff (violin);

Deutsches Symphonie-orchester Berlin/robin Ticciati

Ondine ODE 1334-2 71:22 mins

A fresh approach to core repertoire pieces is always welcome, and I found this one genuinely thought-provoking and sometimes quite invigorating. But convincing overall? That’s another matter.

One problem with this performance of the Beethoven, at least, is that it’s not so much one fresh approach as two. On the one hand we have a modern orchestra – the Deutsches Symphonieorchester Berlin under the very capable Robin Ticciati – playing period style, with what sounds like early 19th-century trumpets and drums (the timpani in the opening solo are delicious). On the other we have a highly individual soloist who, though keenly responsive to the orchestra, has a markedly different expressive approach – much more vibrato and rubato for instance. It can feel as though you’re listening to Beethoven speaking from two different historical time zones.

Christian Tetzlaff’s arrangement of the cadenza Beethoven composed for the piano arrangement of this concerto, famously featuring the timpani, is effective. But what a strange, quirky flight of fantasy it is! And violin-plus-drums sounds a lot weirder than piano-plus-drums, however skilfully the recording places them – towards the end it’s almost like being stuck between two practice rooms in a music college.

There’s far less disparity of style between soloist and orchestra in the Sibelius, but here I found myself swinging constantly between admiration and irritation. One minute it’s thrilling (the climax of the slow movement for instance), the next self-consciously clever.

For all the reservations above, this album really is worth hearing, perhaps even more than once; but if consistency of insight is important, then this probably isn’t for you. Stephen Johnson

PERFORMANCE

RECORDING