Hidden Treasure – Viola Masterpieces
Rivka Golani; Michael Hampton
Hungaroton HCD 32721-22
I well remember riveting Toronto performances by now London-based violist Rivka Golani, and cherish this disc. York Bowen’s Phantasy is flamboyant English post-romanticism, with a rich harmonic palette and ecstatic climaxes. Golani’s trademark fiery style and Michael Hampton’s mastery of the florid piano part mark this performance. George Enescu’s Concert Piece is also a knockout; Golani’s virtuosity shows in both expressive double-stopped passages and rapid filigree work. In the masterly In Memoriam (1949) by her teacher Ödön Pártos (1907–1977), dedicated to victims of the Holocaust, the duo captures evocatively the sense of an anguished funeral procession.
Golani is noble in the opening and fleet of finger in the ensuing Allegro of Henri Vieuxtemps’ Sonata in B-Flat Major. The duo projects a remarkable Barcarolla as though from a distance, and paces it extremely well. This is a very fine performance of an undeservedly neglected work. Anton Rubinstein’s Sonata in F Minor is a weaker piece, with uninspired melodies and tedious sequences in the first two movements. Things improve with Rubinstein’s third movement, a Scherzo, with Hampton producing delicious double-thirds in its Turkish-style trio section.
Mendelssohn’s precocious Sonata in C Minor composed at age 15 is notable as the earliest sonata for viola and piano, and a delightful rendition of Efrem Zimbalist’s Sarasateana suite of Spanish dances rounds out the recording.
