The two violin concertos by the Italian-Jewish composer Mario Castelnuovo-Tedesco, though written less than a decade apart, are very different in aims and style. The first, the Concerto Italiano, is from 1924. Castelnuovo-Tedesco called it “almost Vivaldian” – possibly because of occasional similarities with Winter from The Four Seasons at the start of the slow movement – though it turns out to be a grand-manner neo-Romantic display piece, thickly orchestrated and rather saccharine in mood. The second, however, was commissioned by Jascha Heifetz as a vehicle for himself and Toscanini in 1931: written in response to the rise of antisemitism in Europe, its three movements depict the prophets Isaiah, Jeremiah and Elijah in a noble, yet celebratory affirmation of Jewish identity. Chinese violinist Tianwa Yang confirms her growing reputation with playing of great prowess, though her performance of I Profeti is altogether more ebullient than Heifetz’s own introverted account. There are stylish contributions, too, from the Baden-Baden and Freiburg Radio Orchestra under Pieter-Jelle de Boer.
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