The Violin

by Blair Sanderson Considering Nicola Benedetti's phenomenal success with her performances of concertos, which give her ample room to stretch out and show all of her talents, it's a little perplexing to see this album of short pieces and excerpts, which, while attractive, do not fully satisfy. Benedetti is one of the world's leading violinists, and her impeccable technique and lustrous tone bring out the best in anything she plays, even on a fairly predictable album of violin favorites. However, the drama she brings to her playing is best appreciated in full-length concertos, which provide contrasts of expression and the interpretive possibilities that allow Benedetti to present herself to best advantage. Yet this album not only reprises single movements from her recordings of concertos by Vivaldi, Tchaikovsky, and Bruch, but it also offers Vaughan Williams' The Lark Ascending, Massenet's Meditation from Thaïs, and Pärt's Spiegel im Spiegel, found on her album Fantasie, as well as Hess' Ladies in Lavender, Williams' Main Theme from Schindler's List, and Gardel's Por una cabeza, which were included on The Silver Violin. Only three tracks are new recordings, Brahms' Hungarian Dance No. 5, Chopin's Nocturne No. 20, and Monti's Czárdás. This CD is really a compilation of Benedetti's greatest hits, and fans who already own her previous albums will be disappointed that this collection overlaps them so much.