This CD centered around the Georgian violinist Lisa Batiashvili does not involve Yannick Nézet-Séguin at all levels, since the program mixes chamber and orchestral works. Above all, it came out at the right time to relay the European tour of the Philadelphia Orchestra which associates the two artists, whose schedules or COVID probably prevented them from burning a complete orchestral disc. Moreover, thematic disc (more or less far-fetched) is fashionable. So go for Secret Love Letterswhich combines the Sonata for violin and piano by Franck (with pianist Giorgi Gigashvili), the 1er Concerto of Szymanowski and the Poem by Chausson, with the bonus Beautiful evening by Debussy. So, yes, we can see the CD as the portrait of a very fine and pure violinist. But his Franck lacks a bit of flesh, and whoever wants to acquire the sublime Szymanowski will find in Frank Peter Zimmermann’s interpretation a less dreamlike, more expressionist version, ideally coupled with the 2e Concerto and that of Britten.
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To see in video