More labels join free classical downloads on Slipped Disc

More labels join free classical downloads on Slipped Disc

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norman lebrecht

December 22, 2010

Another two indy labels, impressed by the download rush here over the past two days, have asked me to put up free tracks for your leisure and pleasure over the holiday period.

Before they roll out, here’s free classical download #3 featuring British violinist Matthew Trusler in the concerto that matters more to him at the moment than any other – Erich Wolfgang Korngold’s intricate and subtly anguished interweaving of movie themes into a Heifetz showpiece.
This is the glorious finale, played by Matt with the Dusseldorf Symphony Orchestra (Schumann’s old band) under conductor Yasuo Shinozaki. Unlike some starrier recordings, this one is played with much forethought and deep feeling.
http://www.orchidclassics.com/downloads/ORC100005-Korngold.mp3.zip

Here’s my original www.scena.org review:

Korngold violin concerto
(Virgin/Orchid)
***/****

Like London buses, you can wait years for a Korngold concerto and then four turn up in a row. Nikolai Znaider (RCA) was sulky and Philippe Quint (Naxos) I haven’t heard, but both Renaud Capucon on Virgin and Matthew Trusler on Orchid bring fresh qualities to the work and good reason to reconsider its virtues. Capucon pitches the opening sweetness to perfection and underplays the finale’s recycled movie themes. Trusler takes a more nostalgic route, finding exquisite love and pain in Korngold’s yearnings for a vanished Vienna.

Both are thoughtful, distinctive and engagingly personal. Capucon is disadvantaged by his paring – a solid account of the Beethoven concerto, conducted in Rotterdam by Yannick Nezet-Seguin – while Trusler in Dusseldorf (cond. Yasuo Shinozaki) offers the stunning and apt concerto by another film composer, Miklos Rozsa, as well two prime Heifetz encores. In Korngold, though, I cannot choose one over the other: I’m keeping them both.

And here’s Jessica Duchen’s lyrical biography of the composer:

Downloads #1 and #2 are live and running. Enjoy.

Comments

  • Marie Lamb says:

    This is beautiful, of course, as the previous shares have been. What I’m especially pleased to hear, though, is the news that more indie classical labels are joining this party! Thanks again, and keep ’em coming, Norman!

  • mangofantasy says:

    #1 and #2 are both pointing to the same link.

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