Word: violine
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...pity, because everything else in the program demonstrates lapidary craftsmanship. Producer Jonathan Powell, Adapter Arthur Hopcraft and Director John Irvin are like glypticians bent on chiseling one perfect series for TV. Hopcraft has retained Le Carré's spare style, which is as tightly drawn as a violin string. It can convey almost as many tones, and it is wonderful to hear what talented performers can do with those laconic, loaded sentences...
This is not a gambol for just any dancers. The work is dominated by Mikhail Baryshnikov, who is appearing as a guest artist. Ashton has created unexampled leaps and spins (and combinations of the two), as if he saw in Baryshnikov the spirit of Paganini, who raised violin virtuosity to a demonic level, and of Rachmaninoff, who did much the same for the piano. The charm of the work is that it never becomes the visual equivalent of piano busting, a mere showcase...
Having played the violin and viola in his youth, Cordero fashioned a highly idiomatic solo part. Nevertheless the writing twists fiendishly and Allen plays equal to every demand. His intonation is absolutely secure in huge leaps, and he always maintains control of his bowing arm. He negotiates all the double stops, harmonics, left-hand pizzicati and tricky rhythms without a hitch...
...most substantial work on the disk is the D-major transcription of Brahms' G-major violin sonata, Op. 78, published shortly before the composer's death. Experts still dispute whether this version was written by Brahms himself, Julius Klengel, Paul Klengel, or someone else. Some people denounce the transcription; but Brahms himself loved the mellow low range, which makes this version a valuable alternative...
Schumann's three Fastasiestucke, Op. 73, were composed for clarinet, but the composer authorized performance by violin or cello. Moye imbues the work with proper impetuosity. Moye has also resurrected a pleasant three-movement Sonata in G Major by the little-known Jean-Baptiste Breval (1756-1825), who published many such pieces in the 1780s...