James Buswell - Barber: Violin Concerto - Music for a Scene from Shelley - Souvenirs (2014) [Hi-Res]

One of the best loved and most frequently performed American composers of the twentieth century, Samuel Barber developed his own highly individual voice quite independent of the modernist mainstream. Unquestionably one of Barber’s most popular works, the violin concerto is a key work, marking his transition from dreamy neo-romanticism to a more modernist style.

„Marin Alsop with the Royal Scottish National Orchestra backs up the masterly Violin Concerto with the witty and delightfully parodic ballet, Souvenirs, and two early works, the evocative Scene from Shelley and a long-neglected three-movement Serenade, which is based on a string quartet written when Barber was nineteen and which anticipates the Adagio for Strings. James Buswell is a refined, sensitive soloist, warm without being soupy…“ (Penguin Guide)

„This is the best of the Naxos Barber orchestral series. This time Alsop’s structure is secure, she maintains intensity and attention, and the orchestra sound at home. There is plenty of expression, and climaxes are well judged. I especially like the interplay in the orchestra and between orchestra soloist.“ (American Record Guide)

James Buswell, violin
Royal Scottish National Orchestra
Marin Alsop, conductor

Recorded 1999, 2000 and 2001 in the Henry Wood Hall, Glasgow
Engineered by Tony Faulkner
Produced by Andrew Walton

Digitally remastered