Hilary Hahn - Barber & Meyer: Violin Concertos

Editorial Reviews
Amazon.com
These two American violin concertos, written 60 years apart, were both commissioned for a young virtuoso but are basically songful and lyrical; indeed, though the Barber is now a staple of the repertoire, its beautiful first two movements were originally rejected as not effective enough, the brilliantly motoric Finale as too difficult. Meyer's was written in 1999 for Hilary Hahn, who premiered it last summer, and for whom nothing is too difficult. She seems equally at home in all the various styles Meyer combines with his usual inventiveness, making the lovely folksong-like melody, which opens the piece and reappears later, sing and soar, then turning into a bluegrass fiddler, swinging along and trading riffs with the orchestra, using drones to produce astonishing double stops, holding the listener's interest even when the music gets repetitious and static. She is a superb violinist, brilliant but not showy; her tone is strikingly beautiful, warm, pure, focused--and she can vary and intensify it with bow and vibrato. Her concentrated expressiveness never flags; she changes moods on a dime. The Barber has controlled passion and ecstasy, and a pensive, contemplative inwardness remarkable in a 19-year-old. --Edith Eisler

Tracks:

Concerto For Violin And Orchestra, Op. 14: I. Allegro
Concerto For Violin And Orchestra, Op. 14: II. Andante
Concerto For Violin And Orchestra, Op. 14: III. Presto in moto
Violin Concerto: Movement I
Violin Concerto: Movement II

Amazon.com

These two American violin concertos, written 60 years apart, were both commissioned for a young virtuoso but are basically songful and lyrical; indeed, though the Barber is now a staple of the repertoire, its beautiful first two movements were originally rejected as not effective enough, the brilliantly motoric Finale as too difficult. Meyer's was written in 1999 for Hilary Hahn, who premiered it last summer, and for whom nothing is too difficult. She seems equally at home in all the various styles Meyer combines with his usual inventiveness, making the lovely folksong-like melody, which opens the piece and reappears later, sing and soar, then turning into a bluegrass fiddler, swinging along and trading riffs with the orchestra, using drones to produce astonishing double stops, holding the listener's interest even when the music gets repetitious and static. She is a superb violinist, brilliant but not showy; her tone is strikingly beautiful, warm, pure, focused--and she can vary and intensify it with bow and vibrato. Her concentrated expressiveness never flags; she changes moods on a dime. The Barber has controlled passion and ecstasy, and a pensive, contemplative inwardness remarkable in a 19-year-old. --Edith Eisler

Customer Reviews:

The Barber is a classic, the Meyer is forgettable crossover piffle.......2007-01-10

It's a bit shocking that almost every reviewer here equates these two works. The Barber concerto has become a classic, with four or five major recordings since it returned to popularity thanks to Gil Shaham's DG recording that paired it with the even more lush, ar more neglected Korngold concerto. The Meyer work has no chance of reaching such a status. It is quasi-minimalist piffle with overtones of Copland, bluegrass, and anonyous folksiness. I heard Play the work--she is its dedicatee--with the Boston Sym., and I was embarrassed for the musicians. Asking a major symphony orchestra to play a work whose challenges wouldn't frighten a junior high band was shameful.

But Sony has commerical savvy on its side. Hahn sells better than almost anyone except Joshua Bell, and they wanted to attract the same audience that Meyer pleas3ed with his Appalachian Journey CD and other crossover bestsellers with Yo-Yo Ma and Bell. Even so, his attempt at Philip glass For Dummies strikes me as quite poor, and even Hahan's charismatic presence can't salvage it. Thank goodness for the Barber, a lovely account that belong with the best, especially because Ms. Hahn plays the Presto finale as fast as lightning. By comparison everyone else seem to be dawdling.

Meyer and Hahn Score Big.......2006-07-06

I first heard this piece (the Meyer concerto) on the radio about a month and a half ago and was so immediately struck by it that I ordered my own copy right then and there. I can't believe that this recording has not received more air play and is so little known. But then I notice that a lot of fine recent compositions don't receive much attention.

I have been aware of Hahn for a few years now, but was not especially impressed with her. Her recording of the Brahms concerto, which I ordered at the same time, confirms my impression that she was a capable but not yet mature musician at the time she recorded it.

However, I must say that the Meyer piece suits her right down to the ground and she responds to it with everything she's got, and it turns out to be quite a lot. She is of course immaculately precise with not a wrong note. But that's the minimum we expect of professionals. What impresses is the range of moods and energies that she encompasses here, and fearlessly too. She alternately sweet, gay, introspective, and ferocious, as the composition demands. Meyer wrote this piece expressly for her, beginning when she was only 16 and completing it three years later, and I think he read his subject well.

This is a virtuoso piece and technically demanding. But it is not merely showy. Everything in it is there for a solid musical reason, and it works on that level as well. It is a well balanced work. Although the soloist is front and center though virtually the entire performance, the orchestra is not relegated to the role of mere spear carriers. There is a true dialogue between the soloist and the members of the orchestra, both individually and tutti. And the St. Paul Chamber Orchestra performs extremely well here.

My all time favorite violin concertos are the Brahms, Sibelius, Beethoven, and Tchaikovsky in more or less that order. Whether the Meyer belongs in that august company it is much too soon to say. Perhaps not. It will be interesting to see if other soloists take it up, and if so, what they make of it. But I must confess to a present infatuation with it. I played this recording six times in the first two days I had it. You must understand that this is something I never do. I generally make it a practice not to listen to a piece more than once a day so as not to make it stale. An exceptional recording I might listen to twice in a day. But I could not seem to get enough of the Meyer-Hahn collaboration here. You go, Girl!

A personal but thoughtful pairing of Concerti.......2006-06-09

You all know Hilary. This purchase for me was going back to her late childhood after enjoing the Mozart recently. This album is personal because Meyer wrote the work commisioned for her, as Hilary notes (and I liked to see her write the notes for this recording). Never fear Mr. Meyer. You may better know him as a daddy bass player. But he plays keyboard and strings as well, so he has good grounding for arrangement of this nice little composition. Definitely more modern, it is a bit of Delius' melodic summer, but with the tinge of fall (it is a small matter but the fall treatment of the album is appropriate). This is not earthshaking composition, but it is intelligent, honest, competent and quite enjoyable.
But the Barber is what you came for, and that Mr. Wolff and Ms. Hahn deliver. The orchestra is technically perfect in timing and tone, and perfectly balanced to the violin. No child left here, we get Barber as he would have hoped for so long ago.

Fantastic recording.......2006-02-21

Sound quality is fabulous, and Hahn's playing is very impressive. I didn't realize what a gem this Barber Concerto was until I found this cd.

BOTH CONCERTOS ARE BEAUTIFUL and HILARY, just perfect.......2005-02-05

What a superb recording !
Hilary plays a very clean and expressive violin. The Barber is THE reference for me, now (I used to hear Shaham's version before).
The Meyer is a very nice piece. I suppose that people who don't like it don't like many "new" things in life ! I won't say more... It's better !
For me, the Meyer concerto has many lovely themes and this is a piece that I would like to add to my repertory (I am solo violin !) as this is a great piece (with no comparison with Barber, OF COURSE !!! but why to compare ? there is no sense to do it...)

So I advice to buy this recording... Hilary is a talented performer and the music is beautiful... What can we ask more ?