Nicola Benedetti: Beethoven’s Violin Concerto album review – warm and deliciously playful throughout

Benedetti/Aurora Orchestra/Collon(Decca)Benedetti and the Aurora, who play from memory, have fun and freedom here, augmenting the role of the drum in an ebullient recordingWe tend to have an unhealthy reverence towards Beethoven, says Nicola Benedetti in the notes to her new recording of his Violin Concerto. He did, after all, write this now-venerated concerto largely on the fly, for a soloist whose party piece was playing the violin upside down.So it’s apt that Benedetti, Aurora and their conductor Nicholas Collon have recorded an interpretation that’s buoyant, warmly affectionate and at times just a little tongue-in-cheek. You’d expect playfulness in the last movement, but it’s there to some extent throughout, even in Benedetti’s weightless playing of the slow movement. There are striking moments nodding to historical authenticity – the drum, with sticks hard as nails, at the very start, and the vibrato-less strings in the introduction to the slow movement. The drum becomes unusually important, announcing the first-movement cadenza with a huge roll and then joining Benedetti in a rollicking cadenza adapted from Beethoven’s piano version. Continue reading...

Comments

Culture

Emily Mortimer reflects on seeing her son Sam Nivola kiss his onscreen brother on The White Lotus: ‘It was a bit bizarre’

‘You’ is a classic Netflix has-been... but in 2021, it had one chance to be great

Comments

Similar News

Circa/LPO/Gardner review – Exhilarating, exquisite and extraordinary as Ravel melds with acrobatics

Pink Floyd at Pompeii MCMLXXII review – mesmerically peculiar portrait of band on cusp of greatness

‘It is trance-like’: pianist Igor Levit performs Erik Satie’s Vexations 840 times

Self Esteem: A Complicated Woman review | Alexis Petridis's album of the week

Paradise Logic by Sophie Kemp review – wild, absurd and wickedly funny

All Fours by Miranda July audiobook review – the frank, sexy novel everyone’s been talking about

Alice Snedden at Soho Theatre review: a wonderfully witty turn from the versatile Kiwi comic

‘Magic Farm’ Review: A Droll Delight

Étoile review – a ballet show that’s absolutely not on pointe

5 Classical Music Albums You Can Listen to in April 2025

‘Hold Me in the Water’ Review: Smitten, and Primed to Flirt

‘On Swift Horses’ Review: Putting It All on the Line

Amy Sherman-Palladino’s lush ballet drama Étoile needs some room to breathe

Book Review: ‘The Rebel Romanov,’ by Helen Rappaport

Open, Heaven by Seán Hewitt review – an exquisite tale of first love

How to Fight Loneliness review – death hovers over impossibly awkward social gathering

‘The Accountant 2’ Review: Ben Affleck’s Revenge of the Killer Nerd

‘The Trouble with Jessica’ Review: Dinner Party or Crime Scene?

The delightfully analog art of letter-writing

Culture

Kehlani performance at Cornell University canceled over singer’s explicit anti-Israel comments

Stagecoach 2025: Who is performing and how to watch

Taylor Swift and Hugh Jackman ‘could be subpoenaed’ in Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni legal fight

Justin Bieber speaks out against ‘gossip’ and ‘lies’ after sparking concern at Coachella

Former child star Sophie Nyweide was pregnant when she died her death certificate reveals

Kendrick Lamar is on top of the world right now... but he can still never win

Race Across the World fans convinced one team has already made huge mistake

Paltrow eating bread and pasta after 'hardcore' food regime

No burgers but plenty of crawfish at this iconic New Orleans music festival

The Accountant 2 teeters on the edge of making autism a punchline

The Conners producers reveal John Goodman’s surprising series finale moment was his idea

Glastonbury 2025 ticket resale live: Last chance for fans to get coach tickets for this year’s festival

Kehlani performance at Cornell University canceled over singer’s explicit anti-Israel comments

White House hits back at ‘talentless’ Jimmy Kimmel after Hegseth roast: ‘Severe case of Trump Derangement Syndrome’

The Union flag is an object of sexual desire, is it? Don't be absurd

'I feel affection for myself not shame for being a drunk back then,' says Scots star

Poldark fans – get ready for your next period drama binge 10 years later

Malcolm in the Middle fans ‘crying’ after Frankie Muniz reunites with 00s co-stars

Race Across the World strengthens sisterly bond

George MacKay picks his hidden movie gem that deserves more love

Go to Bat with Leila Farzad: Kaos star on their TV credit that deserves more love

Alicia Vikander picks the most underrated film from her career

Go to Bat with Jared Harris: My screen credits that deserve more love

This City Is Ours star James Nelson-Joyce: ‘I thought kids like me don’t act’

Patsy Palmer gives blunt response to Lorraine Kelly when asked about Mickey Rourke

Alternative pop star Lorde has returned for her crown on new single ‘What Was That’

Disney’s Snow White starring Gal Gadot banned in Lebanon due to ‘Israel boycott list’

John Mulaney jokes about Gene Hackman’s death investigation in Netflix show

‘Masterful’ painting by Scottish colourist to go under the hammer

Much-loved comedy club to move to new venue after 25 years

JoJo Siwa’s queer realisation on Celebrity Big Brother has nothing to do with Chris Hughes

Jedward hit back at Celebrity Big Brother housemate’s ‘wild’ complaints

WWE star, 43, open to first match in 13 years after forced retirement

K-pop idol Bain of JUST B comes out during US tour: ‘Proud to be part of LGBT community’

Will Poulter on ‘ironic’ reason his most underrated film didn’t get the love it deserved

Alicia Vikander on starring opposite Jude Law and her favourite work | Binge Watch

Alternative pop star Lorde has returned for her crown on new single What Was That

Jared Harris says ‘no’ to playing father’s role in new Harry Potter reboot

Sneak peek: Scotland's Home of the Year heads to Orkney

‘I’m doing this for The Vivienne – I want to make something right’

New Netflix show watched more than 12,000,000 times in a week

You’s ridiculous ending proves Joe Goldberg was never worth our time

Tina Knowles gets choked up on Loose Women over ‘difficult’ breast cancer diagnosis

Police watchdog complains to Ofcom over BBC's Panorama on Chris Kaba

Race Across the World 'much harder than expected'

Netflix quietly adds ‘striking’ movie about beloved author

Emily Mortimer reflects on seeing her son Sam Nivola kiss his onscreen brother on The White Lotus: ‘It was a bit bizarre’

‘You’ is a classic Netflix has-been... but in 2021, it had one chance to be great

Race Across the World’s Fin opens up about insecurity over partner discovering health condition

BBC Proms 2025: Full line-up revealed, including first-time Traitors Prom

Race Across the World fans celebrate return of ‘best show on TV’

A’ Hobat: Professor translates fantasy classic into Gaelic

How BBC is keeping Celebrity Traitors secret after rumoured line-up ‘leaks’

Netflix fans have just hours to binge ‘funniest British TV show ever’

Hollywood must learn this one lesson from The Hunger Games’ bold announcement

Demi Moore opens up for first time about ‘disappointment’ of losing best actress Oscar

Paddington musical: Tom Fletcher reveals new details of West End show

Race Across the World’s Fin opens up about insecurity over partner discovering health condition