Jack Liebeck
Ysaÿe
(Orchard Classics)
 

EUGENE YSAYE (1858-1931) was a virtuoso Belgian violinist and composer. Each of his sonatas was written for friends who were also violinists. He captured what many leading violin teachers believed to be the soul and spirit of each violinist to perfection.

His style Gothic Wagnerian in its ambition and swagger, juxtaposed with delicate and fragile inner moments reminiscent of the finest Debussy.

Another hallmark was his use of open strings, something he learnt and took from his teacher, Henri Vieuxtemps. A new album and re-evaluation of his work by leading English violinist Jack Liebeck is much welcomed.

Liebeck has long been fascinated by the work of Ysaye and he has created a hugely sympathetic, bold interpretation. Having worked with some of the world’s leading conductors including Andrew Litton, Sir Mark Elder and Sakari Oramo, and major orchestras across the globe including Royal Stockholm Philharmonic, Swedish Radio, Oslo Philharmonic, Moscow State Symphony, and most of the UK orchestras, Liebeck brings a rich pedigree to the album.

Six Sonatas for Solo Violin, OP27, first published in 1924 make up the album, a major pinnacle of harmonic and technical challenge for the violin, tailored to the strength and sonority of the instrument.

Exploiting what Liebeck most values in violin playing, beautiful technical and physical motion that in turn creates music of equal beauty. Recorded at Henry Wood Hall, South London the sound is rich and warm, detailed across the frequency spectrum.

The album opens up with Sonata No 1 Joseph Szigeti setting the courage and ambition for the recording. A slow tempo arches around sections of fast paced high octane melodic intent. Another highlight is Sonata No 3 Ballade, influences ranging from Bach to Bartok. Over the course of a single movement, the writing is bold and animated as it leads into a complex, technically demanding allegro.

Sonata No 12 Gabriele Faure was composed earlier in the composer’s career, in 1892-93. It includes the virtuosic staple of scordatura, an alternative tuning technique, in this case with the G string tuned to an F to create a dark, woody timbre. Originally for violin and piano, Ysaye went on to arrange the piece for violin and orchestra. Sonata No 4 was his favourite, dedicated to the Austrian violinist-composer Fritz Kreisler.

Sonata No 5 is dedicated to Ysaye’s most devoted disciple and a member of the Ysaye Quartet, the Belgian violinist Mathieu Crickboom. An ethereal opening movement, L’aurore, evokes the dawn, followed by folk-like open harmonies. The use of whole-tones and quarter-tones, as well as contrapuntal devices such as sustained notes are interrupted by pizzicato interjections.

An album that is a jewel in the crown of violin composition. Liebeck delivers a deep, vigorous and philosophical approach.