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CD Review

Pierre Rode

Violin Concertos, Volume III

  • Concerto for Violin #1 in D minor, Op. 3
  • Concerto for Violin #5 in D Major, Op. 7
  • Concerto for Violin #9 in C Major, Op. 17
Friedemann Eichhorn, violin
Jena Philharmonic Orchestra/Nicolás Pasquet
Naxos 8.572755 76:27
Find it at AmazonFind it at Amazon UKFind it at Amazon GermanyFind it at Amazon CanadaFind it at Amazon FranceFind it at Amazon JapanOrder Now from ArkivMusic.comFind it at CD Universe Find it at JPC
Also available Volume I - Naxos 8.570469:
Amazon - UK - Germany - Canada - France - Japan - ArkivMusic - CD Universe - JPC
And Volume II - Naxos 8.570767:
Amazon - UK - Germany - Canada - France - Japan - ArkivMusic - CD Universe - JPC

This is the third installment in Naxos' ongoing series devoted to the 13 violin concertos of Pierre Rode, and an installment of the label's "19th Century Violinist Composers" line. I can't imagine people lining up in stores for such a thing, but you'll want to know about this if you're camping outside your local record shop for that very reason. The music is tuneful and charming without being masterful or overly innovative. In short, Rode sounds exactly like you would expect a 19th-century violinist/composer to sound like.

Mind you, none of this music is bad. Indeed, the orchestral parts are unusually detailed, and the sound is very "French". The solo line is almost always engaging, and Friedemann Eichhorn provides tasteful and intelligent cadenzas (not that he exactly had a choice, given that they appear lost, or missing at the very least). The program is varied, from the very youthful Concerto #1 to the more complex Concerto #9. Each finale is charming and full of tunes to enjoy. This isn't music for deep study; rather it's a treat for violin fans and makes terrific background sound for a snowy evening. Rode was Viotti's star pupil, and one can only imagine what a fine player he was. The technical demands are daunting, and these pieces must have been great crowd pleasers.

Conductor Nicolás Pasquet has been working with Eichhorn throughout this entire project, and the final two volumes should appear soon enough. While we who write about music are generally looking to provide you with the finest performances we can find, there's nothing wrong – at least for me – with a disc that simply provides an hour and a quarter of beautiful music. The Jena Philharmonic Orchestra plays well, and Pasquet clearly cares as much for his duties as Eichhorn does about his. The sound is very good, and the notes are informative, making this a series worth exploring.

Copyright © 2015, Brian Wigman

Trumpet

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