Sunday 22 February 2009

There is no shortage of hot-shot violinists in the 21st century, but Mengla Huang is a pretty remarkable virtuoso never the less. On a CD sent to me by Lee he makes even Paganini's "Moses" variations sound like something to be tossed off casually on a Sunday afternoon. Remarkable violin playing, with a slightly husky, dry sound that becomes oddly attractive and distinctive after a while. I must dig out from the archives another CD of his that I have somewhere.

Bought entirely on a whim (thanks to some reviewer) I nevertheless find myself greatly enjoying a CD of the orchestral music of Philippe Gaubert (1879-1941). Strains of Vaughan Williams, Chausson, Wagner, Korngold, et al. Well written, easy to listen to, and most enjoyable. It is ridiculous that such music languishes pretty well unknown. All praise to the Timpani label for the recordings with the Orchestre Philharmonique du Luxembourg.


5 comments:

Anonymous said...

I think it is the sound of his Storioni violin, right? Do the 2 CDRs sound similar - in terms of violin tone?

Regards - Lee

Anonymous said...

Mengla Huang - wrong spelling Harry.
Thanks, Lee

Harry Collier said...

Sorry about "Mengla". Now corrected. As for "sound of his Storioni violin": violins have sounds, but so do violinists. It is difficult to identify whether Heifetz is playing his old Storioni, his Strad or his del Gesù. He always sounds like Heifetz. Huang has a husky sound, to me. No bad thing; American violinists such as Stern and Perlman made popular the idea that a violin should always sound rich and café crème, but that can become boring. The violin can have an interesting sound repertoire.

Anonymous said...

Storioni violins are nice. My Polish teacher in London has a fine specimen that Charles Beare likes very much.

Harry Collier said...

Before someone jumps in and corrects me: Heifetz played a Tononi violin early on (he bequeathed it to Sherry Kloss). Not Storioni. Right nationality, wrong man. Mea culpa