Certainly not just another same old Mozart release for his 250th Anniversary – this is a superb interpretation and recording that easily stands up to any of the competition. Julia Fischer is an extremely talented young (23) violinist who has been doing quite a bit of recording for PentaTone recently. Not only is she an exciting and fresh-sounding performer but she also contributed several of her own original cadenzas to these concertos. Conductor Kreizberg contributed the cadenza to the beautiful slow movement of the Concerto No. 3. The two featured performers make a very striking and great-looking couple in the informal shot on the front cover. It’s pleasing to know that Fischer’s beauty (already revealed in a video DVD that accompanied one of her earlier SACDs) extends to her skilled phrasing and tone.
The two short Mozart works for violin and orchestra which fill out the SACD are rare ones and pleasant listening. Fischer wrote the cadenza for both of them as well. The recording was made in Amsterdam just about a year ago. Its sonics are clean and transparent and the violin is out front but not overly spotlit as on Heifetz’ RCA recordings.
– John Sunier
