Shaham Delivers Fluid and Imposing Performances
Gil Shaham's new album pairs Samuel Coleridge-Taylor's Violin Concerto with Antonín Dvořák's beloved concerto, a shrewd coupling that allows the lesser-known work to shine. Shaham's plush tone and laser-focused intonation enrich the solo line throughout, while the Virginia Symphony Orchestra under Eric Jacobsen provides light-footed accompaniments.
Coleridge-Taylor's Concerto Holds Its Own
Coleridge-Taylor, a British composer of Sierra Leonean heritage, premiered his Violin Concerto in Connecticut in 1912, despite the original parts going down with the Titanic. Although he does not quote actual spirituals, the harmonies and melodic contours are reminiscent of African folk music. Shaham's performance is more sumptuous than most rival recordings, capturing the work's lyrical depth.
Dvořák's Folk-Inspired Masterpiece
Dvořák's 1883 concerto takes a similarly folk-oriented approach, drawing on Slavonic idioms. The finale incorporates a dumka and a furiant, showcasing the composer's ability to internalize his homeland's music. Shaham is fluid and imposing, especially in the lyrical slow movement, where his expressive phrasing stands out.
Encore and Album Details
The album concludes with Curtis Stewart's The Famous People, a re-composition of one of Dvořák's Slavonic Dances filtered through traditional American slave dances, providing a suitably sultry encore. The recording is released on Canary Classics.
