Artist: Carolin Widmann, Frankfurt Radio Symphony Orchestra, Emilio Pomarico
Album: Morton Feldman: Violin And Orchestra
Genre: Classical, Jazz
Release Date: 2013
Audio Format:: FLAC (tracks) 24 bit, 44,1 kHz
Duration: 50:39
Total Tracks: 1
Total Size: 443 MB

Tracklist:

01. Carolin Widmann, Frankfurt Radio Symphony Orchestra & Emilio Pomarico – Violin And Orchestra (50:39)

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Carolin Widmann’s widely acclaimed ECM recordings have traversed a broad arc of music – from Schubert to Xenakis. Here she turns her attention to one of the pivotal compositions of Morton Feldman. Violin And Orchestra, composed in 1979, marked a new direction, with an almost painterly attention to detail in slowly unfolding music. It is not a concerto in the strict sense of the term, not soloist with orchestral support. The violinist must move inside the glowing colour-field of sound. In this landmark Feldman recording, Widmann does so with great delicacy and feeling, exploring the subtle orchestral texture, crafted together with conductor Emilio Pomarico and the players of the Frankfurt Radio Symphony Orchestra.For all practical purposes, Morton Feldman’s Violin and Orchestra resembles an anti-concerto, insofar as the soloist’s role is minimized and frequently buried within the heavy textures of the orchestra, rather than featured prominently before it. The violin part consists almost entirely of static, minimal gestures, and short groups of pitches, offering neither displays of technical virtuosity nor soaring melodies in the manner of traditional concertos. Yet despite its apparent lack of any themes and severely restricted activity, it is nonetheless the focus of this piece, and Feldman’s thick and often dark orchestral textures are given a rarefied quality through the violin’s fluctuating presence. Violinist Carolin Widmann demonstrates great stamina and patience in this 50-minute work, and it seems to hang together largely through the strength of her playing. The Frankfurt Radio Symphony Orchestra, led by Emilio Pomàrico, produces a full, rich sound and seems well-rehearsed, though Feldman’s writing is desultory and disconnected from the violin part, so there is a kind of built-in looseness that will frustrate the goal-oriented listener. However, this piece is like many other compositions by Feldman, requiring suspension of expectations to let it flow by and create its fleeting impressions. ECM’s reproduction is clear and palpably close, so everything can be heard clearly at a high enough volume, though because this is a Feldman work, a low setting might contribute to its effectiveness.