Vikingur Olafsson, and Johann Sebastian Bach

Right from my pre-teen years, I learned to revere the music of Johann Sebastian Bach, and to regard him as Number One in the league of composers. Over the past 70 years or so, heroes and heroines have come and gone; but Bach is still there in pole position. In an interesting sleeve note to a recent CD, the Icelandic pianist Vikingur Olafsson recounts his exposure to Bach's keyboard music via Edwin Fischer, Rosalyn Tureck, Dinu Lipatti, Glenn Gould, and Martha Argerich, pointing out that there are many valid ways of playing Bach's music. Within reason, anything works with Bach and the music comes through fresh and invigorating.

Olafsson's CD is somewhat unusual in consisting of a couple of dozen short works -- mainly preludes, fugues and inventions. Some of the pieces last for less than two minutes. The longest work is the Aria Varieta BWV 989. The whole hour or so gives a kaleidoscopic view of Bach's genius and endless powers of invention and I found it extremely impressive. Olafsson has a magnificent technique and this is used with gusto in many of the whirlwind pieces on the CD. This is music, and playing, I shall return to frequently. Olafsson is releasing a new CD featuring the keyboard music of Couperin and Debussy; an interesting juxtaposition. I'll buy it when it comes out since he seems to be an excellent and thoughtful musician as well as a superb pianist.

Beethoven's Sonatas for Violin and Piano

It turns out that I have no less than twelve sets of the complete sonatas for violin & piano by Beethoven. The ten sonatas do not feature among the very greatest of Beethoven's oeuvre, but they are by no means negligible and all deserve a regular hearing. The twelve violinists in my complete sets include Kreisler, Grumiaux, Capuçon, Dumay, Ibragimova, Suk, Barati, and Kavakos. I've never included Heifetz in my collection of the complete sonatas since the works rely mainly 60% on the pianist, and 40% on the violinist, much like most of the violin and piano sonatas of Mozart. Heifetz always preferred accompanists, never equal partners, let alone a dominant partner. Although recordings usually feature star violinists, they rarely feature star pianists. The classic Fritz Kreisler set from 1935 was originally intended to feature Rachmaninov as Kreisler's partner, but apparently EMI chickened out over the expense of two stars, and the highly competent Franz Rupp was engaged instead. That set is still well worth hearing. Arthur Grumiaux in 1956 was fortunate in having Clara Haskil as the pianist, and 64 years later this set is probably still the best all-round recommendation.

To listen to the sonatas again, I took down the recent (2009) set from Renaud Capuçon and Frank Braley. There is a lot to be said for it. Violin and piano are well balanced, and Braley proves to be an excellent partner in the all-important piano part. There is a transparency and delicacy about the playing that makes a welcome change from the often-heard Sturm und Drang. Capuçon and Braley are not really “star” names internationally, but these sonatas do not need stars so much as first-class instrumentalists who love the music and identify with Beethoven's musical language. Capuçon does not try to hog the limelight and gives way to Braley whenever necessary. I don't really need twelve sets. But I do need Kreisler, Grumiaux, Kavakos .... and Capuçon / Braley.

Ginette Neveu

Ginette Neveu was born in Paris in 1919 and was one of the 20^th century's very greatest violinists. She had a most unfortunate career. In 1935 she won fame and the Wieniawski Competition at the age of 15. Four years later, she was marooned in Paris by the second world war until 1945. Her career re-started in 1946; in October 1949 she died in a plane crash, aged just 30. Her playing is marked by a passionate conviction; she is one of the few 20^th century's great violinists whose voice can be recognised immediately.

She made few commercial recordings but, even given the turbulent and unfriendly times in which she lived, quite a few off-air and radio station recordings preserve her playing. I treasure her in Brahms – the violin concerto, and the third violin & piano sonata. Her 1949 off-air recording of the Beethoven violin concerto is one of the greatest. We can admire her playing in Suk, in Debussy, in Chausson, in Strauss, and in Ravel. Her recording in 1945 (already) of the Sibelius violin concerto remains essential listening for lovers of fine violin playing. Ever since my teenage years, I have been deeply moved by her recording of a C sharp minor nocturne by Chopin (arranged by Rodionov); the music just sweeps forward in beautifully phrased arches. The passion and conviction in her playing made her a natural for the Romantics; there is no record of her playing the music of Bach, Vivaldi or Mozart. The recordings that we have, are eternal classics. Busy weeding out my over-weight CD collection, Ginette Neveu will never be in the discard bag.

Oysters

Over the past forty years I must have eaten well over one thousand oysters, either with French friends at their homes, or in restaurants. But until yesterday I had never bought an oyster and carried it home to eat. I had an oyster-opening set (Laguiole) that I bought optimistically many years ago, but never an oyster. One of my local supermarkets  -- Morrison's --  introduced an Anglo-Irish oyster special offer (oysters are still pretty rare in English supermarkets). I bought a dozen and carried them home in triumph. They have now been opened and eaten. Delicious. No stopping me now (as long as I can find the oysters for sale).

Jiyoon Lee plays Ravel's Tzigane

Maurice Ravel's gypsy pastiche Tzigane was written in 1924 for the Hungarian violinist Jelly d'Aranyi (great niece of Joseph Joachim). I have 87 recordings of the piece and I no longer look forward to listening to it. It's a piece of music entirely at the mercy of the violinist. So this evening I was surprised, and delighted, to find myself enjoying it immensely as played on a new CD by the young Korean violinist Jiyoon Lee. Lee brings variety and intelligence to the music (as well as an impeccable technique) and I sat back and enjoyed every note. When it comes to admirable young violinists, the world today is completely swamped and I am forever thankful that I am not an aspiring young violin virtuoso.

George Enescu, Violinist

I re-listened to the few recordings that exist of the playing of George Enescu in his prime; the recordings date from 1929. He was born in 1881 (and died in 1955) so he was 48 years old when these recordings were made. There are later recordings from around 1950, but they were made in Enescu's old age when he was crippled with arthritis and badly in need of money. He thus belongs to the era of Sarasate, Ysaÿe, and Kreisler rather than to the great 20^th century violinists. Listening to Enescu is listening to violin playing of a by-gone age.

On an Opus Kura CD he plays Chausson's Poème (with piano), Corelli's La Folia, a Largo from a Pugnani sonata, Handel's Op 1 No.13 sonata, plus a 1950 recording of his third violin & piano sonata (private recording). A few Kreisler bits and pieces were also available on the defunct Biddulph label; Opus Kura just gives us Kreisler's Tempo di Menuetto. The Chausson is played as it should be; the Corelli is an object lesson in bowing technique; the Pugnani shows just how a Largo movement should be played. Throughout one marvels at Enescu's miraculous bowing technique, and at his crisp, fast trills. They don't play trills that good nowadays. One can only regret that Enescu was not too interested in recording, and that he was born a little too early to take full advantage of the recording medium. He could have recorded many pieces from 1926 to 1939; but he didn't. And the recording companies preferred his pupils such as Menuhin and Neveu. Our loss, but at least an hour or so of Enescu in his prime survives.

Ning Feng plays Bach

Back home from Asia, with the wind howling and the rain pouring, it is a good occasion to sit back and listen to old favourites. This evening it was Ning Feng (who better?) playing unaccompanied Bach. The music is wonderful, as is Ning Feng's playing. Technically he is immaculate, of course, but he also varies his bowing and dynamics to hold the interest and vary the sound. The chaconne of the second partita as presented here is a rare treat for lovers of Johann Sebastian Bach, chaconnes, and superb violin playing.

Ning Feng is now 38 years old and, presumably, at the height of his career. Formidable violinists proliferate at the moment; interesting violinists are rarer, and Mr Feng's violin playing is both subtle and interesting. I greatly enjoyed his Bach playing this evening, for the music, for the playing, and for the absence of “cult of personality” in the violin playing. Modern Bach at its best.

Mozart, Clara Haskil, and Asian Food

No quiet music listening recently, since life was occupied by a two-week trip to Asia: Luang Prabang, and Kuala Lumpur. On my return, I immediately turned to Mozart played by Clara Haskil; the two-piano concerto (with Geza Anda), the K 491 concerto, and the K 330 sonata. There is something about Mozart and Clara Haskil that is always completely and utterly satisfying. I have come to Mozart big time in my later life, and find his music eternally moving.

Also completely and utterly satisfying was the food in Laos and Kuala Lumpur. Asian food suits me down to the ground, especially the Chinese food (mainly shellfish, and fresh mangos) that I had in Kuala Lumpur with a good friend (who also gave me the Mozart-Haskil CD). If I could spend my life sitting beside the Mekong, eating Chinese food and listening to Clara Haskil playing Mozart, with a glass of whisky, I would be eternally and supremely happy.