Violinist Gil Shaham needs little introduction. His constant output has been widely celebrated and has won numerous awards in the past. So a new release on Canary Classics, pairing the romantic Dvořák Violin Concerto with the Coleridge-Taylor, immediately catches our attention. The short piece by Curtis Stewart adds even more curiosity.
This coupling of Coleridge-Taylor with the grand Czech master is not new in the CD world. It has been proposed before, and there is certainly a reason for this. On many occasions, Coleridge-Taylor’s admiration for Dvořák has been noted. There are even similarities in their styles, particularly in the lush orchestration and harmonic solutions.
Samuel Coleridge-Taylor’s Violin Concerto in G minor, Op. 80 (1912) is a pillar of late-Romantic instrumental music, celebrated for its “grandeur of cantabile spirit” and melodic richness. Completed shortly before the composer’s death, it was dedicated to and premiered by the American virtuoso Maud Powell, who called it “Taylor-made” for her style.
It has the classical three movements, starting with “Allegro maestoso.” The movement is defined by a horn figure and restless energy. It transitions between a solemn, soulful march and a more intimate, rhapsodic solo violin part. Gil Shaham has chosen a softer approach, never exaggerating the dynamics and preferring restraint over drama—a well-chosen attitude that continues into the second movement, called “Andante semplice.” It is the “heart” of the concerto: a lyrical, almost sentimental nocturne. Conductor Eric Jacobsen and his Virginia Symphony Orchestra are ideal partners for this soft approach……
