When a musician can persuade you to revisit repertoire you thought you had tired of, you take notice. Max Bruch’s Violin Concerto No 1, famous to the extent of ubiquity, fell into that category long ago for me, but here is a player who reminds you, with quiet and compelling eloquence, why it’s a masterpiece. The poetic but strong playing of the German violinist Antje Weithaas has nuance and detail without ever sounding mannered, individuality without indulgence. Her tone is silvery, not with any suggestion of weakness but of gleam and flexibility. Playing a 2001 Stefan-Peter Greiner violin, she puts a convincing case, too, for the substantial Serenade Op 75 and the lovely one-movement In Memoriam – Adagio. This technically dazzling player, a soloist and chamber player best known in the UK as leader of the world-class Arcanto Quartet, goes to the heart of the music. Of the dozens of recordings available, this modestly presented disc has to be a contender.
