Over to Brussels this week (by way of Madrid) for a concert by The Belgian National Orchestra, guest conducted by Roberto Minczuk and featuring violinist Yossif Ivanov. The Orchestra start off with the overture to La Sfida by Belgian composer Luc Van Hove and then accompany Yossif Ivanov in a very nice performance of the Samuel Barber Violin Concerto (one we don't hear over in the States all the much lately . . hint-hint) followed by an encore by Eugen Ysaye of the second movement from his Sonata Number 2 for Solo Violin. Ending up with a so-so performance of the Tchaikovsky 4th Symphony. The concert was recorded live at The Palace Of Belle Artes in Brussels on May 7th of 2010 and relayed by Radio Nacional Espana.

Minczuk, you may recall, was at the center of a controversy in his native Brazil over the firing of musicians in the orchestra he was Music Director of because they refused to re-audition for him. It created a worldwide musician boycott and Minczuk was forced to relinquish his post earlier this year.

But politics aside, here is the music. It's a little over 90 minutes and so it's broken down into two players. The top player features the Van Hove, Barber and Ysaye works, while the bottom player features the Tchaikovsky. Ivanov is particularly worth listening to. Another up-and-comer on the concert scene, he tackles the Barber Concerto with ease and would have done Sam proud in the process.

Notes:

Concierto celebrado en el Palacio de Bellas Artes de Bruselas,
el 7 de mayo de 2010. Grabación de la RTBF, Bélgica.

Part 1: VAN HOVE:Obertura “La Sfida”, Op. 47 (18’41”).

BARBER: Concierto para violín, Op. 14 (23’). Yossif. Ivanov (vl.).

YSAYE: Finale de “Les Furies” de la sonata nº 2 para violín solo (3’07”). Yossif. Ivanov (vl.).

Part 2: CHAIKOVSKY: Sinfonía nº 4 en Fa menor, Op. 36

(42’07”). Orq. Nacional de Bélgica. Dir.: R. Minczuk.

A contribution to your Anti-Road Rage Wednesday. Enjoy.