For those interested, and it seems that I am developing a real attachment to Ms Janen’s work, her next CD release, according to a Facebook source, will be her playing the Beethoven and Britten violin concertos. Now, Hilary Hahn’s version of Beethoven’s only concerto with Zinman is brilliant. That has a lot to do with Zinman as well. It is a fresh, energetic reading so far from the pondering performances of some earlier Beethoven interpretations. It would be hard to top this. Jansen may add more flair to a concerto I never really liked. The Britten concerto I do like. It is one of his earlier pieces combining neoclassicism with a touch of English pastoral writing not too far from William Walton (who also wrote a beautiful violin concerto). I am really curious to hear that. She also recently performed the Dvorak concerto live with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra. I hope she records this underrated concerto at some point too.
