From Opposite Ends Of The Century

Two 20th century violin concertos given fine committed performances by soloist Anthony Marwood who also directs the Academy of St Martin in the Fields. Kurt Weill's Concerto for Violin and Wind Orchestra is a mid century piece while the Concerto for Violin and String Orchestra, Distant Light, by Latvian Peteris Vasks is from the very end of the century. The Weill concerto has certain influences of neo classicism, from both his teacher Busoni and also Stravinsky. It is in the form of the soloist struggling against the orchestra and the sparse scoring for winds adds to this feel. It may come as a surprise for those who think only of Weil's collaborations with Brecht. Distant Light was written for Gidon Kremer and is in a single span with the various elements of the string orchestra playing in teams that appear and disappear as one behind the main soloist. Geographically situated between the Estonia of Part and Lutoslawski's Poland, there is also a halfway house between these styles in the music but that would be to deny Vasks his own voice which is considerable, based as it is in a spiritual context with the aim of sheer beauty of sound. Marwood is developing into a player to be reckoned with too.