Henryk Szeryng - Vivaldi: Four Seasons - Spring Op. 8 RV 269. Rec. 1969

Spring Op. 8 RV 269: Allegro - Largo e pianissimo sempre - Allegro Orchestra – Südwestdeutsches Kammerorchester Pforzheim Live recording 07.12.1969 Beethoven Hall, Stuttgart, Germany Digitally remastered from the original SWR tapes SWR Music – SWR19041CD https://www.discogs.com/release/12191476-V... "From the very first note of the two live concert recordings of the Pforzheim Sudwestdeutsches Kammerorchester conducted by the soloist, we feel how Szeryng’s natural authority and straightforward, clearly drawn vision, which directly chisels out the unambiguity and contrasting characters without veiling them, cannot but be transferred to the entire ensemble. The soloist’s idiosyncratic yet by no means unorthodox nuances of tempo can unfold their structuring effect, everything submits to his extroverted, manly energetic playing. In Vivaldi’s indestructible Four Seasons, Szeryng relies on unmistakable, often abrupt contrasts: massive marcato, lively staccato, flawlessly balanced legato and, above all, his consummate tenuto, which seamlessly bridges over every bow change and also thoroughly distinguishes his Mozart from almost anything to which our ears are accustomed today. When it comes to Mozart, we can admire the naturalness of the presentation, which is also mindful not of effect, but of the logic and vividness of the choice of tempo. Generally speaking, Szeryng himself is never interested in demonstrating mere effects in Vivaldi’s popular hit; the intense impact arises rather from his impulsive temperament, which occasionally tends to push impetuously forward without permitting for a moment the least trace of exorbitance. Even in his most heated moments, therefore, we can still learn from Henryk Szeryng that music is concerned throughout with the balancing of opposing forces that are simultaneously present, and with an isometric weighting of the energy flows." -- Christoph Schluren "His musical civility is the opposite of Jascha Heifetz's visceral energy, or Joseph Szigeti's sonic provocation. Mr. Szeryng's precise intonation, tonal sheen and gracious phrasing, can make the knottiest music elegant. Mr. Szeryng's diplomatic ideal matches his musical style: ''I am in favor of conciliation and reconciliation and I am very much against confrontation.'' His playing seems to proclaim the universal perfectability of the world, diplomatically conciliating even the most vexing difficulties. But those musical placations can also be unconvincing. There is another quality to Mr. Szeryng's music that makes it more provocative and less diplomatic - a suggestion perhaps, that to this violinist, who has had homes all over the world, cosmopolitanism is accompanied by a sense of exile, that his sweet description of his idyllic childhood may hide other feelings as well. He speaks of World War II as if it were still taking place; he hints at the enormity of difficulties remaining despite diplomacy. In his best playing, in counterpoint to the tone of conciliation, are overtones of melancholic anxiety. Even in the best of all possible worlds - painted in Mr. Szeryng's conversation and in his playing - there may be disturbing tensions, forces which music can elegantly present but never resolve." -- Edward Rothstein https://www.nytimes.com/1983/02/27/arts/he... https://stringsmagazine.com/a-great-among-... "One of the music's great aristocrats, violinist Henryk Szeryng was a perfectionist in all things. A man of phenomenal intellect, he combined exemplary musical taste with a super-refined technique and ravishing purity of intonation." Julian Haylock – THE STRAD July 2009 http://www.henrykszeryng.net/