Hot violinist Hahn shows style, grace on new CD

HILARY HAHN, VIOLIN, EIJI OUE, SWEDISH RADIO SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA; Paganini and Spohr: Violin Concertos (Deutsche Grammophon)****

Hilary Hahn is one of the hottest of today's young violin superstars. Her career has skyrocketed in recent years, and there seems to be nothing stopping her from overshadowing her competition in the crowded arena of concert violinists.

It's not difficult to understand why Hahn is where she is today. She possesses an immense technical mastery of her instrument coupled with exceptional musicality and eloquence. She plays with a flashiness that isn't all-consuming but carefully balanced with refined expression and wrapped in polished articulation and execution.

Hahn has several albums out now, and since switching to Deutsche Grammophon has released some significant CDs that display her wide-ranging artistry to the fullest.

Her most recent CD is a wonderful recording that pairs Niccolo Paganini's flamboyant Concerto No. 1 in D major with Louis Spohr's poetic Concerto No. 8 in A minor, a work that Jascha Heifetz favored.

Hahn makes the virtuosity of the Paganini sound easy, maneuvering her way through the bravura writing with style and grace. She plays it with sparkling brilliance but also manages to effortlessly capture the work's inherent Italian lyricism. Hers isn't an excessive interpretation — rather, it's intelligent, sincere and honest in its expressions and feelings.

The Spohr contrasts forcefully with the Paganini. The German contemporary of the great Italian virtuoso eschews virtuosity for its own sake. Instead, he allows the soloist to display her expressive playing to the fullest. And Hahn gives a remarkable performance that brings out the mellifluous character of the work wonderfully.

Conductor Eiji Oue does a superb job accompanying Hahn. He allows her to shine and offers a fine balance between the soloist and the orchestra. And the Swedish Radio Symphony Orchestra plays luminously with clean articulation and polished phrasings.

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