The Violin Concertos of Camille Saint-Saëns. And Fanny Clamagirand

Prompted by a remark by a friend, I took down my CD of the three violin concertos by Camille Saint-Saëns, played by the French violinist Fanny Clamagirand. I have always had a soft spot for the music of Saint-Saëns, with the second violin concerto being a particular favourite. I first got to know the concerto in a recording by Ivry Gitlis, where the beautiful andante espressivo second movement was subjected to a highly inappropriate vibrato, phrasing and portamenti that were entirely inappropriate. No such problems with Ms. Clamagirand; her playing in all three concertos is an object lesson in how they should sound. The Naxos CD has the Sinfonia Finlandia conducted by Patrick Gallois. Admirably balanced and recorded; the orchestral parts in the three concertos are not mere accompaniments.

It is difficult to understand the comparative neglect of Saint-Saëns' music. Yes, he wrote volumes of music in his long life and, yes, it is not music that reaches for the spheres (as does not most classical music). But the music is melodic, well-written and makes enjoyable listening. Not many violinists see fit to play the three concertos; the third concerto is the most popular; the second concerto the most enjoyable (unless played by Ivry Gitlis). I have no less than 26 different recordings of the third concerto, played by almost every violinist one can think of. But only three of the second concerto, and seven of the first. Anyway, all praise here to Naxos, and to Fanny Clamagirand.

Leila Josefowicz

I had more or less forgotten about the American violinist, Leila Josefowicz. She was well thought of fifteen or twenty years ago but appears to have faded from my sight. I listened to her recently in two recordings of Shostakovich's A minor violin concerto, both with the Birmingham Symphony Orchestra conducted by Sakari Oramo. The January 2006 recording was in a studio; a good recording at a somewhat low level of recorded sound. The second was an off-air recording in July the same year at the Proms in London. The two serve as an excellent summary of the advantages and disadvantages of live versus studio recordings. The studio performance is excellent, though perhaps not completely three star. The live recording has an extra dose of woompf and adrenalin from both soloist and orchestra that moves it into a higher class. The live recording comes off well, but is severely marred by audience coughs and sneezes and, in the long cadenza (that Josefowicz plays wonderfully) by the constant sound of a foot tapping on the platform; presumably Josefowicz's tiny foot, since it doesn't sound like Oramo's. In both recordings, I like the players' tempo for the brooding moderato opening movement; Josefowicz and Oramo take 11 minutes, whereas Alina Ibragimova in a recently admired recording takes 12.5 minutes. As every schoolboy knows, moderatos need to be kept moving.

Josefowicz appears to have faded from view (at least, from my view). My impression is that she had joined the band of would-be pop violinists who are also entertainment personalities attracting higher earnings. Pop and classical do not really mix, and those trying to bridge the two worlds end up being great successes in neither. For violinists, one thinks of Nigel Kennedy, Gilles Apap, Nemanja Radulovic, and Pavel Sporcl; all excellent violinists who aspired to be cross-over artists.