Johan Dalene Plays Mendelssohn, Bruch & Vaughan-Williams

Following his recordings of Tchaikovsky and Barber concertos (BIS2440), honoured with a “Diapason d’or”, Gramophone’s “Editor’s Choice” and BBC Music Magazine’s “Concerto Choice”, and Nielsen and Sibelius (BIS2620), awarded Gramophone’s “Editor’s Choice”, Swedish-Norwegian violinist Johan Dalene now takes on three of the most popular concertante works for violin in the entire repertoire, composed in three different eras. Felix Mendelssohn’s Concerto in E minor needs no introduction: this masterpiece from the composer’s mature period is one of the best known and most beloved works in all of classical music thanks to its freshness, originality of writing, and magnificent themes. Max Bruch’s First Violin Concerto, another pillar of the violin repertoire, is appreciated for its natural lyricism and memorable melodies. In these two works, Johan Dalene is accompanied by the Swedish Radio Symphony Orchestra, conducted by its concertmaster Malin Broman (Mendelssohn) and by Gemma New (Bruch). Imbued with a serene, meditative spirit and a sense of communion with nature, Ralph Vaughan Williams’ The Lark Ascending concludes the program. However, the work is not performed here in its well-known orchestral version, but rather with choir in an arrangement by Paul Drayton. The Swedish Radio Choir is conducted by its director Kaspars Putnins, a musical partnership whose recordings on BIS have earned numerous awards.