Reviewing Christian Tetzlaff’s recording of the Concerto with the Helsinki Philharmonic under John Storgårds I made reference to ‘an exceptionally wide range of colours and nuances, from fragility to full-on passion’, as well as the fact that Tetzlaff is very much his own man. Post-war recordings of this engaging work have tended to take on the influence of violinist Josef Suk, whose recorded performances are both stylistically distinctive and indelibly memorable. Jan Mráček definitely takes the Suk route, which is all well and good, save for some occasional mannerisms, such as the broadened descent for the second set at 3'21" and the affected rubato a minute or so later, which I would find difficult to take on repetition. Also James Judd’s conducting is rather foursquare: too often you get the feeling that both Mráček and Judd are ploughing on regardless, going through the motions, so to speak, rather than enjoying the concerto’s propensity to dance, which Tetzlaff and Storgårds manage seemingly without the least effort. The slow movement is lyrically turned and warmly phrased but, come the finale, and while the spirit is fairly genial, a feeling of flat-footedness returns.

Like Tetzlaff, Mráček adds the lovely Romance, though I prefer Tetzlaff’s subtly expressed approach and certainly prefer Storgårds’s more delicate Helsinki accompaniment. Tetzlaff further treats us to Josef Suk’s fiery Fantasy in G minor for violin and orchestra, whereas Mráček offers a lusty performance of the infrequently performed Mazurek, Op 49 – both violinist and conductor score maximum points here – then switches from an orchestral accompaniment to a duo partnership with pianist Lukáš Klánský for the Four Romantic Pieces, Op 75, the first of which is as seductive as anything Dvořák composed, the last a haunting Larghetto. Nothing to complain about in terms of either player until you consult Suk and Holeček (Supraphon) or James Ehnes with Eduard Laurel (Analekta) for comparisons, and then the inevitable dampener ‘good but not that good’ tends to bar a wholehearted recommendation. Generally good sound, with some lack of inner detail in the Concerto.