Mayuko Kamio in Recital = BIZET-WAXMAN: Carmen Fantasie; TCHAIKOVSKY: Valse-Scherzo Op. 34; Méditation Op. 42; SZYMANOWSKI: Mythes Op. 30; CHAUSSON: Poème Op. 25; STRAVINSKY: Suite Italienne – Mayuko Kamio, violin – Sony/BMG 88697301002, 78:36 ****:
In terms of choices of music and the way in which they are performed, this début CD from 22-year-old violinist Mayuko Kamio shows a real individuality and maturity. It was an interesting program well-suited to her polished technique and excellent tone, which she intuitively adapted to suit each of the works. For those out there who did not have the opportunity to encounter the name Mayuko Kamio, this début was certainly a welcoming introduction.
As the youngest winner of the 1998 Menuhin International Violin Competition, Ms. Kamio reached the international spotlight when she captured the Gold Medal at the International Tchaikovsky Competition nine years later. Like her co-patriots Akiko Suwanai and Midori Goto, Ms. Kamio studied under the famed pedagoguge Dorothy Delay at the Juilliard School of Music. At present, she has enrolled at the Hochschule für Musik und Theater in Zurich to continue her studies under the instruction of Zakhar Bron. Over the past decade, she made extensive concert tours working with some of the world’s most esteemed orchestras, including the Israel Philharmonic (with Zubin Mehta), Russian National Orchestra (with Vladimir Spiakov) and the Boston Pops (with Keith Lockhart), to name but a few.
To begin, the Fantasy from Bizet’s Carmen arranged by Franz Waxman opened Ms. Kamio’s recording of the violin’s greatest showpieces. Incidentally, this Waxman Carmen-Fantasie was one of the required pieces that Ms. Kamio had under her fingers at the Tchaikovsky Competition in 2007. Once again, this arrangement started off beautifully under the hands of the young Mayuko, an energetic and polished reading, technically flawless. Her soaring lines reminisce the glorious moments from the opera, displaying her well-developed sense of drama and flair. For those who saw Ms. Kamio’s live performance on stage, her stupendous left-hand security and spectacular bow-arm technique were critical factors in securing her sound production, and here, she admirably created that very same impression of light serenity and cheerfulness. Her accompanist Vadim Gladkov likewise drew detail from the vivid and colourful score.
Tchaikovsky’s Valse-Scherzo Op. 34 was heard here in its violin and piano version, recorded surprisingly frequently in the latter part of the 20th century. This knotty Valse-Scherzo – incidentally a noted specialty of Nathan Milstein’s – received a bravura reading from Ms. Kamio, arched and idiomatic at once. Sweet midrange adjustments by recording engineers Will Brown and Tim Adam-Smith have captured Kaio’s velvet or pungent Stradivarius 1727 instrument in high definition. Even those long sated by the market’s offerings of this Valse-Scherzo may gravitate to this handsomely-mounted recording.
The Polish composer Karol Szymanowski’s unique hallmark of expressive lyric modernism was one of his keys to attract fond admirers of his music in recent years. During the turning decade of the 1900s, Szymanowski was introduced to the beautiful productions of Pelléas, Firebird and Petrushka, and it was under their enriching influences that Szymanowski found the inspiration for his composition output of this period. The Mythes for Violin and Piano, a series of three pieces, was a by-product, and like other compositions of this time, Mythes drew from classical inspirations. A musician with a commanding technique (just listen to her impressive double-stops, harmonics, quarter tones and glissandi), Ms. Kamio was equipped with her musical imagination and intelligence to best deploy it. Szymanowski’s Mythes captured Ms. Kamio with her flights of fancy. Granted, at times, her intonation and tonal purity seem a bit lacking in colour and luster – such as in the opening quarter-tone trills of Dryades et Pan that depict the summer wind – but overall, credit should be given to her real poise and control. Vadim Gladkov’s contribution on the other hand had more qualities to cheer about in these gems. While certainly competent, his playing has a sweet awareness that made him sound more than comfortable with this music. Unfortunately, it was difficult to get a firm grip of his contributions here because the recording places him somewhat far in the background, almost in his own acoustic space.
To follow, Tchaikovsky’s celebrated Méditation Op. 42 No.1 from Souvenir d’un lieu cher adopted a dark lingering at the most ruminative and lyrical passages, with a heart-on-the-sleeve sincerity in the Mischa Elman tradition. Best of all, though, was Ms. Kamio’s stunningly mature performance of the Chausson Poème. This piece suited her playing perfectly; she produced fluid phrases one after the other, as good as some of the greats of the past. The disc ended with Stravinsky’s Suite Italienne, where the beauty of Pergolesi’s original melodies and the piquant flavor of Stravinsky’s modification were yielded by Ms. Kamio and Mr. Gladkov in alternately waspish and graceful sounds. The Tarantella had the fingers of both musicians in ceaseless motion, while the Gavotte and Variations surmounted to neo-classical themes that were held in demure balance by both. A shimmering and nervous Scherzino brought the composition to its height in the Menuetto and Finale, at first bold and majestic, but then swiftly facile for the conclusion. In terms of tone and articulation, Ms. Kamio’s performance could be identified by her characteristic vibrancy, delicacy and control.
The close and congenial collaboration of this recital program displays a pair of musicians that enjoy their music-making in every measure. This début disc deserves a recommendation, and at a ripe age of 22, Mayuko Kamio shows all the signs of becoming an accomplished and individual violinist. Together with Vadim Gladkov, this bravura duo should be recommended for more of this kind of repertoire. Finally, an interesting innovation from Sony-BMG was the inclusion of fine caricature-drawings by Ms. Kamio herself of four important contributors of this CD. A most creative achievement to complement a most imaginative musician – excellent!
— Patrick P.L. Lam
