Hubay: Violin Concertos Nos 1 & 2

Israeli-born Hagai Shaham here completes his survey of Hubay’s violin concertos, with these immaculate accounts of Nos 1 & 2 (Nos 3 & 4 appear on volume 3 of The Romantic Violin Concerto series [CDA67367]).

Hubay is widely acknowledged as the founder of the ‘Hungarian school’ of violin playing. His list of protégées includes the virtuoso violinist Ilona Fehér who went on to teach Hagai Shaham. The sonorous, round and broad tone that is the main beauty of the Hubay-school is unmistakable in Shaham’s performance.

Accompanying the two violin concertos we have Hubay’s Suite for violin and orchestra, Op 5; originally written for violin and piano before being revised with orchestral parts it adheres to a more traditional baroque format regarding structure, melody and harmony.

If you want oodles of explosive virtuosity, rich melodies and substantial orchestral passages then this disc is for you.

CDA67498 72 minutes 51 seconds

GRAMOPHONE CRITICS' CHOICE
ORCHESTRAL CHOICE OF THE MONTH - Classic FM Magazine

‘Hagai Shaham is something very special indeed with a sound that reminds me of Heifetz at his most silkily seductive. Both of these blazingly romantic works should be in concert halls the world over’ ...
‘Hagai Shaham does wonders for these neglected scores, playing with beguiling purity throughout the range, and a heart-felt intensity that makes the most of Hubay's penchant for soaring E-string melod ...
‘The performances are uniformly excellent: Hagai Shaham is a supple soloist and gives the music all the support he can’ (The Guardian)