Nicola Benedetti / London Philharmonic Orchestra

Elgar: Violin Concerto (CD)

Nicola Benedetti's new album on Decca Classics explores music by Britain's best loved composer, Edward Elgar. The centrepiece is his vast Violin Concerto in B minor. Op. 61 coupled with three short works for violin and piano: Salut d'Amour, Sospiri and Chanson de Nuit.

MORE INFORMATION

Elgar's Violin Concerto is considered to be one of the most technically demanding violin concertos and is a marathon for the soloist at just under an hour in length. Premiered in 1910 by Fritz Kreizler, this concerto has a profound effect on those that give it the time it deserves. Benedetti performs the Violin Concerto with theLondon Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by Vladimir Jurowski.

Pianist Petr Liminov joins Benedetti for three short works for violin and piano. The heartfelt adagio Sospiri was written in the lead up to WW1 and was originally intended as a companion piece to Salut d'Amour (Elgar's first published work in 1888) but what emerged was a more intense piece. Both works were originally written for string orchestra but are performed here in the composer's own arrangements for violin and piano alongside the charming Chanson de Nuit.

TRACK LIST

Elgar Violin Concerto in B minor, Op. 61

1. Allegro (17.28)
2. Andante (11.36)
3. Allegro molto (18.42)

Elgar Sospiri, Op. 70 (04.10)

Elgar Salut d'Amour, Op. 12 (03.09)

Elgar Chanson de Nuit, Op. 15, No. 1 (03.41)

Nicola Benedetti violin

Petr Liminov piano
London Philharmonic Orchestra
Vladamir Jurowski conductor Concerto