Mackenzie: Violin Concerto & Pibroch

The music of Scottish late-Romantic Sir Alexander Mackenzie is now becoming much better known thanks to the earlier Hyperion recording of his orchestral music, the reception of which had the critics scratching their heads wondering why such attractive music remained neglected for so long. 'Another hugely enjoyable Hyperion rescue act' was how Gramophone received this record, issued a year ago.

This new CD presents first recordings of two of Mackenzie's concerted works for violin, the suite Pibroch also being scored for violin and orchestra. The word 'pibroch' is taken from bagpipe music where it denotes a classical style (usually in variation form) rather than the more usual 'strathspey and reel' type of dance music associated with the instrument. The Concerto, written for Sarasate and much played by him, dates from 1885; Pibroch from four years later.

CDH55343 55 minutes 12 seconds

‘As lovely and satisfying a concerto as I've been introduced to in a long while’ (American Record Guide)
‘Stewart is the real red-blooded article, with a big sound and a bow that travels across the strings so fast that it must look like a blur in the concert hall. But not a single note is blurred or slig ...
‘Malcolm Stewart probably learnt both pieces especially for this recording, but he plays them as though he’s known them all his life. Vernon Handley had that miraculous knack of producing committed pe ...