Bach Concertos
Product Details
Editorial Reviews
Amazon.com
Hilary Hahn is certainly one of the best young violinists before the public. Now 23 years old, she has abundantly fulfilled her early promise as a radiantly talented as well as singularly earnest prodigy, and grown into a brilliant violinist and a communicative, arresting performer. On this recording, which features Bach's Violin Concertos in A minor, BWV 1041 and E major, BWV 1042, as well as the Concerto for two violins in D minor, BWV 1043 and the Concerto for violin and oboe in C minor, BWV 1060, her flawless technique and strikingly beautiful, intensely focussed tone are on full display. There is a noble, restrained quality in her playing, so that although her tone-production and vibrato are "modern," her sound has a classical, pristine purity. (By contrast, the orchestral sound, though good, is surprisingly lush - a rather odd discrepancy.) Hahn's interplay with her two excellent partners is close and unanimous in tone and style; the less familiar Concerto for violin and oboe is especially compelling. Unfortunately, Hilary Hahn, despite her serious, thoughtful approach to music, seems to have succumbed to the current trend among today's performers--perhaps symptomatic of the jet-age--to play as fast as their fingers will carry them. The fast movements are taken at such speeds that they lose all their elegance, grace and charm, become prone to false accents, and sound aggressive, hectic and breathless. A performer with less musical integrity might be suspected of just wanting to show off her effortless facility. However, Hahn's musicality, expressiveness and affinity for Bach (she has also recorded the unaccompanied solo violin works on Sony) come through in the slow movements, where the playing is calm, expansive enough for carefully shaped phrases, emotionally concentrated, and simply beautiful. --Edith Eisler
Customer Reviews
an old guy's 2cents
Hilary Hahn comes not only as genius, she's a kind of scholar of the violin; precocious and impeccably able. The sound of her fiddle is indeed something worth pursuing. The instrument she uses here is made by Jean-Baptiste Vuillaume, Paris 1864. Sumptuous sound, and a performance choice made with characteristic elan. I agree with the reviewers who've noted well the atmospherics of this violin. That said, the Bach is fast and scarcely shapely. It's interesting to me that while Hahn is young enough to dare to drive the dance out of Bach, she remains at the same time abundantly musical in all things but tempi. That draws me up short, enough so I'm willing to cede her a true praise and respect even for a recording this unnecessarily tempermental. The protean energy of Bach lies deep within the comely shape of his music; artifice of tempo can neither disguise that forming energy nor supplant it. I long for Hahn to completely find this inner truth of music. But - I'm 57 and if I know music well, perhaps too well sometimes. It's enough to hear wondrous playing like this even in the face of perhaps some musical diminishment, and I say only perhaps. Hahn brings a quite sophisticated joy to music making, and youth and courage, and not a little scholarship - it's a marvel. What's to criticize? I'll listen many times to this Bach, and pray the inordinate sheen never wears away. An extra star for that incredible Vuillaume brings it to 4stars!
One of the best contemporary violinists plays bach
Bach played by Hilary Hahn is indeed one of the finest interpretations of a great composer. Her sound transmits music maturity. This is a good choice if you enjoy Bach and graceful interpretation.
Wait! What just happened?
Maybe I'll catch something if I try to listen to it again. But, do I want to? Great intonation, sound and articulation, though.
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