More Vieuxtemps from Naxos and Reto Kuppel

My personal catalogue of recorded music that I possess lists no less than 147 pieces of music by Henri Vieuxtemps; probably par for the course for a lover of violin music. A friend added six pieces with a new CD from Naxos on which Reto Kuppel plays a selection of works for violin and orchestra. Most of the works are highly lyrical and not overtly virtuosic, except for the Hommage à Paganini, and the variations on a theme by Bellini. Agreeable music, not challenging, and good for sitting back for enjoyable listening. Kuppel is an excellent violinist – stylish and sophisticated, as befits this 19^th century Franco-Belgian composer. There is an interesting mini- double concerto for violin and cello (duo brillant) in which Kuppel is joined by cellist Kirill Bogatyrev. Two of the pieces on the CD — the Souvenir de Russie, and Old England — are something of pot-boilers, however.

The orchestra, recorded in Doha, is the Qatar Philharmonic, a new one to me; one does not readily associate Arabs with the music of Vieuxtemps; the orchestra here plays a very subservient part to the solo violin. However, all goes well and the orchestra acquits itself impeccably. The recording is good, and Naxos once again puts lovers of violin music in its debt (despite it renaming Vieuxtemps as "Henry"). Despite my 147 pieces of music by Vieuxtemps, the six pieces here have no duplicate recordings in my collection. Never tired of listening to the music of Henri Vieuxtemps