ALBUM REVIEWS IN THE AUSTRALIAN
In September, 2017, Eric Myers commenced reviewing jazz albums in the Review supplement of The Weekend Australian. All reviews in this folder are written by Myers. As from October 21, 2025, the magazine Review was replaced by another magazine entitled Culture. From that date reviews by Eric Myers appeared either online in The Weekend Australian or as Album of The Week in the magazine Culture.
CLASSICAL
Beethoven & Brahms Concertos for Violin and Orchestra by Richard Tognetti & Australian Chamber Orchestra
ABC Classic
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Published as ALBUM OF THE WEEK in the Weekend Australian’s Culture magazine on December 27, 2025
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It’s interesting that Beethoven and Brahms were each to write one violin concerto only, and neither was warmly accepted during their lifetimes. Following the first performance of the Beethoven in Vienna in 1806, which was unsuccessful, the work was neglected for decades, and not revived until 1844, well after Beethoven's death in 1827. Similarly the Brahms concerto received a mixed reception, when premiered in Vienna in 1878. While some were enthusiastic, many violinists considered it difficult, or indeed unplayable. It was criticised also for being top-heavy with orchestration, and not highlighting the virtuosity of the violin soloist. Both works however were ultimately embraced and became pillars of the violin concerto repertoire, now frequently performed and recorded. Richard Tognetti and the ACO recorded the Beethoven concerto live in concert at Sydney’s City Recital Hall over three nights in November, 2018. The Brahms concerto was recorded live at the same venue over four nights in February, 2025. The Beethoven became part of Tognetti’s repertoire with the ACO in 1993, and his relationship with the Brahms concerto goes back even further. It's said that over time, he’s made these works his own by recrafting cadenzas and interpretations, informed by history yet shaped by the present. Listening to any musical genre one needs to consider instrumental sound quality and tone. This is important particularly in the case of the concerto which is designed to showcase the soloist’s virtuosity. In a nutshell I found Richard Tognetti’s playing on this album a revelation. Sometimes it’s forgotten that music is only sound, and on this album Tognetti’s is certainly the purest, most beautiful violin sound on record that I’ve ever heard. Even when articulating the most delicate high notes on the instrument or the softest passages at pianissimo, Tognetti’s notes project with clear definition. When power is called for his attack on the strings is strong without ever sounding harsh. Perhaps this sound quality comes down to the two mid-18th century Giuseppe Guarneri del Gesù violins that Tognetti uses. In the Beethoven concerto it’s the “Carrodus” violin, said to have belonged to the celebrated 19th century violinist Niccolò Paganini, an unverified story. The Beethoven and Brahms concertos are perhaps the two greatest orchestral works available for the violin virtuoso, and the augmented ACO complements Tognetti’s playing by triumphantly bringing these works to life with its uniquely full sound. A world of sonic riches is created that rewards repeated listenings. For years I believed that the greatest exponent of these concertos was the Israeli-American Itzhak Perlman. However Perlman’s brilliant versions, readily available on YouTube, are now somewhat dated and one only has to listen to the Tognetti versions for a few minutes to realise that he captures the beauty in these two concertos so well, that previous versions such as Perlman’s are completely transcended. This magnificent album celebrates the 50th anniversary of the ACO’s first concert on November 21, 1975 at the Sydney Opera House, and also honours artistic director Tognetti’s 35 years of leadership.
★★★★★
Eric Myers