Franck, Grieg in Bloomington, MN

The main draw on this
Warner Classics
release, which hit classical best-seller charts in the late summer of 2024, is surely the presence of the violinist
Daniel Lozakovich
in his label debut.
, with its emphasis on both musical and physical charisma, is the right place for this young player, and he delivers both. His
Grieg
"Solveig's Song" is gorgeous and is off to a roaring start, and consider his
Violin Sonata in C minor, Op. 45
, of
, with its heroic introduction and its exciting, coda-heavy finale offering
Lozakovich
a big chance to step into the limelight, one that he largely takes. However, for chamber music lovers, there may be a different attraction here, namely the presence of
Mikhail Pletnev
in the somewhat unfamiliar role of accompanist. The 23-year-old
and the 67-year-old
Pletnev
may seem an odd couple, but they work quite well together in forging an unusual relationship.
said that his great musical model was
Rachmaninov
, who, despite his reputation as the great virtuoso of the age, wrote a good deal of chamber music and vocal music in which he served as accompanist.
manages a modern counterpart here, offering a masterclass in how to invest the accompanimental parts with virtuoso energy without overwhelming the soloist. He is aided in this by the inclusion of the
Violin Sonata in B minor
he co-wrote with
Alexey Shor
, an excellent extension of
's style. This is chamber music as it ought to be, a collaboration between individual musical minds, and it bodes well for the career of the young
. ~ James Manheim