Brahms Violin Concerto in D Northern Sinfonia / Zehetmair (vn and direction) Avie AV2125 Among the new favourites of record buyers....and the pet hates of major record companies are orchestra-venue own labels. LSO Live, RCO Live, RPO Live, both consumers and producers get two for the price of one when CDs are issued based on concerts, and on residencies in venues. Northern Sinfonia-Sage are the latest on the list; this is a studio recording featuring Music Director Thomas Zehetmair as both violinist and conductor. The inspired choice has been made to couple the Brahms (an obvious showpiece for Zehetmair) with the rarely-heard original version of the Schumann fourth symphony. In the concerto, Zehetmair plays with full-blooded, romantic sentiment; his full vibrato, unashamed emotionality and obvious delight in the music. He is an accomplished director of the Sinfonia; a more detailed review of his interpretation will follow shortly, in a group comparison with his own earlier version with Dohnanyi and the Clevelands (just re-issued), and the new Julia Fischer version. Jonathan Stokes, an LSO Live veteran, produces a transparent recording with his usual bright detail; this is a fine document of what should be a bright future for label. Altogether this disc provides a very rich diet and should leave all buyers satisfied. Ying Chang
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