Of Russian heritage, French-born Jean-Jacques Kantorow received all his training as a violinist in the Franco-Belgian tradition at the Conservatoires of Nice and Paris: his teacher at Paris was René Benedetti, who had learnt at the École César Franck. This is reflected in his discography of over 130 recordings, which leans strongly towards the virtuoso repertoire often favoured by French and Italian players throughout history. Within five years of graduating with a premier prix aged thirteen, Kantorow started winning prizes at major international competitions, including the London Carl Flesch, Genoa Paganini and Geneva International.

Combining the careers of soloist and conductor does not always work especially well. Some (for example Yehudi Menuhin) had notably effective solo careers but made conductors of indifferent abilities; others (such as Bruno Walter) proved to be architecturally strong but stylistically heavy-handed soloists. Kantorow appears to be one of the exceptions, and has appeared to critical acclaim in both rôles at all the major musical centres of Europe, North America, India, the Far East and Africa. He has held residencies with the Orchestre de l’Auvergne, the Helsinki Chamber Orchestra, the Ensemble Orchestrale de Paris, the Tapiola Sinfonietta and the Lausanne Chamber Orchestra, and made guest appearances with ensembles including the Orchestre National de Lille, the Orchestre de Lyon, the Hallé Orchestra and the Bamberg Symphony. Teaching (notably in Paris and Rotterdam) is another important activity for Kantorow, along with chamber music, in which he has perhaps given his most successful performances in a piano trio with pianist Jacques Rouvier and cellist Philippe Muller.

The strength of his personality shows through in his recordings, here of mainly virtuoso violin music, and this is very much to his credit. His tonal aesthetic is very much in the twentieth-century post-war mould, but there is a depth and richness to his approach that is exceptional. He uses a quite strong vibrato (which can at times be rather wide, resulting in the flaccid sound heard in the finale of his Lalo Symphonie Espagnole) and a depth of intention and tone that is immediately arresting, making his performances strongly communicated. Kantorow seems at home in the language of Saint-Saëns, with a powerful and committed Introduction et Rondo Capriccioso (1998) and a fine Violin Concerto No. 3 (2004), both with the Tapiola Sinfonietta which he has also conducted. His Lalo (2007) is rather mixed, although the charismatic opening—pushing his instrument to its very limits—is exceptionally fine, as is Paganini’s Concerto No. 7 (recorded live at Paris’s 1982 Paganini bi-centenary celebrations), with a vivid stylistic approach. Not always technically perfect, Kantorow’s ‘on-the-edge’ musicianship sometimes pushes a little beyond his control; he can also be guilty of idiosyncrasies that some would undoubtedly find in bad taste, such as an exaggerated vibrato. Nonetheless, as a rich and powerful (if unadventurous) 1995 Beethoven Triple Concerto with Wallfisch and Roll shows, his playing admits variety according to stylistic context in a way that shows considerable thought.

Whilst there are, certainly, more accurate violinists in this modern age of astonishingly high technical standards, there are few who communicate more powerfully and directly (whether or not the stylistic decisions suit everybody). Kantorow is a fiery and impassioned player, truly in the spirit of the best of violin virtuosity.

© Naxos Rights International Ltd. — David Milsom (A–Z of String Players, Naxos 8.558081-84)

Born in 1962, Pierre-Alain Volondat studied at the Orleans Conservatoire and the Conservatoire National Superior de Musique in Paris. In 1982 he won the Queen Fabiola prize and the Audience prize at the Queen Elisabeth of the Belgians Competition. He has since enjoyed a concert career that has taken him through Europe and to the Far East.

The Tapiola Sinfonietta has established itself as Finland’s premier chamber orchestra. Founded as the Espoo City Orchestra in 1987, it currently has 44 members. The orchestra is known for its adventurous repertoire planning and has been widely acclaimed for nuanced performances across a wide range of eras and styles.

The Tapiola Sinfonietta often performs without a conductor, placing an emphasis on ensemble playing and the personal responsibility of each musician.

In 2000, the orchestra introduced a management model where artistic planning is handled by a management team formed of the General Manager and two orchestra members. Dialogue and a cross-sector approach are characteristic of the orchestra’s work with its Artists in Association, Artists in Residence and visiting conductors and soloists.

The orchestra’s home base is the Espoo Cultural Centre, located in the district of Tapiola, world famous for its garden city architecture. Engaging in exceptionally broad-based audience outreach work, the orchestra addresses all age groups in the City of Espoo, from unborn babies to senior citizens, and gives performances away from conventional concert venues.

The Tapiola Sinfonietta appears regularly at music festivals in Finland, and tours abroad have boosted its international reputation along with its award-winning discography.

www.tapiolasinfonietta.fi

Kees Bakels was born in Amsterdam beginning his musical career as a violinist. He studied conducting at the Amsterdam Conservatory and at the Academy Chigiana in Siena. During his studies he became assistant conductor of the Amsterdam Philharmonic Orchestra and subsequently held the position of associate conductor with the orchestra. At the same time he became principal guest conductor of the Netherlands Chamber Orchestra which he has directed in festivals in Finland, Belgium and Spain.

Kees Bakels has conducted all the major Dutch orchestras, as well as orchestras in Europe and Russia. He has also directed many concerts with the Warsaw Philharmonic Orchestra and in 1985 conducted his first London Promenade concert with the National Youth Orchestra of Great Britain.

From the beginning of his career, Kees Bakels has concentrated as much on opera as on the symphonic repertoire and has conducted English National Opera productions of Aida and Fidelio and productions by the Welsh National Opera of La Bohème and Die Zauberflöte. He has also specialised in the performance of lesser-known operas by Mascagni and Leoncavallo and earlier works by Verdi in the concert hall, broadcasting studio and opera house.

He became principal guest conductor of the Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra in September 1988. In 1998 he was appointed music director of the Malaysian Philharmonic Orchestra, with an inaugural concert under his direction in August 1998 in the new Petronas Hall in Kuala Lumpur.

Born in Lille in 1823 into a family of Spanish origin that had long been settled in France, Lalo was trained as a violinist and made an early career as member of a string quartet. It was not until he was 50 that he made any great impression as a composer, particularly with a series of orchestral works; it is on these that his international reputation chiefly depends, in spite of his other compositions—operas, chamber music and songs.

Orchestral Music

Lalo’s Symphonie espagnole is in fact a violin concerto of Spanish flavour, in five movements. Written in 1874, and first performed by the Spanish violinist Pablo Sarasate, it is a popular part of current violin repertoire. His Cello Concerto in D minor, written in 1877, enjoys less popularity but is perhaps of greater musical interest.

Chamber Music

Lalo’s varied chamber music includes string quartets, piano trios, works for violin and piano, a Cello Sonata, and Chants russes for cello and piano.