Artist Portrait: Maxim Vengerov (2002)

This disc, called Artist Portrait: Maxim Vengerov, shows a deeply expressive, powerfully muscular young violinist at the first peak of his career. Vengerov is tender with the Andantino from Prokofiev's Concerto No. 1, brutal with the "Burlesque" from Shostakovich's Concerto No. 1, sensual in the "Introduction et Rondo Capriccioso" of Saint-Saëns, sentimental in the Finale from Bruch's Concerto No. 1, soulful in the Andante of Mendelssohn's Concerto, robust in the "Praeludium" of Nielsen's Concerto, and vivacious in the ... Read More

This disc, called Artist Portrait: Maxim Vengerov, shows a deeply expressive, powerfully muscular young violinist at the first peak of his career. Vengerov is tender with the Andantino from Prokofiev's Concerto No. 1, brutal with the "Burlesque" from Shostakovich's Concerto No. 1, sensual in the "Introduction et Rondo Capriccioso" of Saint-Saëns, sentimental in the Finale from Bruch's Concerto No. 1, soulful in the Andante of Mendelssohn's Concerto, robust in the "Praeludium" of Nielsen's Concerto, and vivacious in the Finale from Tchaikovsky's Concerto. If Vengerov's Rondo from Beethoven's Spring Sonata is a little too rough for the music and his Allegro from Brahms' Sonata No. 3 is a little too violent, well, Vengerov is still only at the first peak of his career. It will be interesting to see how he handles these works in 25 years. Erato's sound is brisk and efficient. ~ James Leonard, Rovi Read Less