Violin Concerto in D major
Scherzo à la russe
Orchestral Suites Nos. 1 and 2
Apollon musagète

To say that Igor Stravinsky's 1931 Violin Concerto in D major is a bit "quirky" could be an understatement. After all, it was written during the composer's very unique, eccentric and idiosyncratic neoclassical period and style, impressed upon him by the Greek classics, and more than likely influenced by Le Groupe des Six during his stay in France. In his efforts to phase down musical structure and distance himself from the Romantics, this is what he had to say about Richard Wagner: "Is not all this comedy of Bayreuth, with its ridiculous formalities, simply an unconscious aping of a religious rite? ... It is high time to put an end, once and for all, to this unseemly and sacrilegious conception of art as religion and the theater as temple." This Violin Concerto very much reminds me of Stravinsky's only other work which made extensive use of the violin, The Soldier's Tale. Angular rhythms, short melodic bursts, reduced orchestration, and oddly enough modelled on Bach using Baroque titles like Toccata, Aria, and Capriccio for its individual movements.

In this new recording the signature viola-like sound of Canadian violinist James Ehnes suits the music very well. Its sharp edges, striking accents and witty turns of phrase are all well projected here. Especially within the emotional core of the work, the gripping slow movement titled Aria II, Ehnes' darker shades and hues well convey the deeply emotive essence of the music. He and conductor Andrew Davis cap the final Capriccio with plenty of rhythmic urgency and panache.

The two light-hearted Orchestral Suites included in this program complement the Concerto very well, and the beautifully inspired scoring for string orchestra of the ballet Apollon musagète, carries your mind to another world and displays yet another side to Stravinsky's genius. As always, the Chandos audio engineering is first class. For those of you only acquainted with the music of Stravinsky through his seminal early ballet scores The Firebird and Le Sacre du Printemps, this release would, without a doubt, introduce you to this composer's tremendous versatility and boundless creative spirit.