Refreshingly straightforward and deliciously songful

The market is currently flooded with many recordings of the Tchaikovsky concerto. Recent recordings, such as Joshua Bell’s with Michael Tilson Thomas and the Berlin Philharmonic or Julia Fischer’s with Yakov Kreizberg and the Russian National Orchestra, have received rave reviews from critics and fans alike. Perhaps under such circumstances, Gil Shaham’s latest traversal of the Tchaikovsky on CD has not received its due attention. While Bell and MTT’s recording breathes new life into the concerto with new and fresh ideas, Shaham’s sticks to a straightforward, yet personal interpretation. With each successive performance and recording, Gil seems to be adding more and more beautiful layers to his already rich and multi-faceted tone. Gil Shaham plays with such a big sound that the listener is left in amazement that it is never harsh. For those looking for a straightforward and less idiosyncratic interpretation that has many fresh ideas, this recording of the Tchaikovsky will certainly impress.

Gil pairs this oft-recorded concerto with a less frequently recorded concerto—the Butterfly Lover’s Concerto. Gil Shaham, in a 2002 interview with Gramophone Magazine, said “ I think the writing is brilliant and violinistic.” The sensuous and soaring melodies of this concerto are woven together quite inventively to reflect the plot of a quite well known Chinese mythical tale. The sound of the erhu—a Chinese stringed instrument—is imitated throughout the work. Upon learning this piece, Gil consulted several erhuists for advice and help to learn some of the distinctive characteristics of the erhu. In the same interview, Gil said,

“A whole world opened up to me. It was amazing to discover this concerto, the beautiful ancient legend on which it is based, a tiny bit of Chinese musical culture and even aspects of violin playing I had not known before.”

In Asia, the work has enjoyed immense popularity which is now contagiously spreading to the west. However, this recording is a landmark. This is the first time this work has received a recording by a violinist of such extraordinary ability. After one of Shaham’s Avery Hall performances, the New York Times review read as follows:

“The Butterfly Lovers has as its only ambition a single songfulness, a character on which Mr. Shaham’s gorgeous tone could feed endlessly.”

This disc will be a very welcome addition to any music lover’s library.