This is the first international recording made by the Florida Philharmonic, one of the impressive orchestras that various cities and communities have built up over the last few decades in the United States. In performances under its British Music Director, James Judd, it is good to welcome an unusual coupling of Walton works. One can hardly imagine a comparable British orchestra—if indeed there is an exact parallel—setting off on a recording career with American music. Not surprisingly, Judd—whose work training international orchestras, mainly of young players, has brought us a handful of impressive recordings—draws warmly idiomatic playing from the orchestra in the colourful pieces based on wartime film music, for Henry V and The First of the few (from which Spitfire comes), while the Capriccio burlesco is aptly witty and spiky.
It is good, too, to welcome the return of Aaron Rosand to the recording studio. He made a number of recordings for Vox in the early days of LP, including a complete set of the Beethoven violin sonatas (6/52—nla), and here in this formidable concerto written for Heifetz he shows that his virtuosity is as impressive as ever. Since Heifetz made his pioneer recordings (the first with the Cincinnati under Eugene Goossens on HMV, 1/42—nla; the second, made with Walton in 1950 and now available on CD), the tendency—not surprisingly—has been for violinists to choose slower, more expansive and less taxing speeds, not least Lydia Mordkovitch on her fine recent Chandos disc. Salvatore Accardo on his recent Collins Classics version justifiably turned the process in the opposite direction, with brisker speeds again, but Rosand goes even further, coming near to matching the formidable drive and agility of Heifetz himself, and without sounding over-stressed.
Sadly, there is a snag, for the recording balances the soloist so close that orchestral detail is dim, and tuttis lack the bite and thrust which they need, and which I imagine the interpreters actually gave. The contrast in the orchestral sound between the concerto and the other items is made the more extreme, when all but the Capriccio burlesco have a more helpful, more atmospheric acoustic. As it is, the dryness of sound in the concerto gives an acid edge to the violin, and also brings with it a lightness in bass, which again diminishes the impact of the playing. Yet the bite and thrust of Rosand's performance are most refreshing, particularly for anyone brought up on Heifetz. And as I say, the Henry V and Spitfire music are treated with great warmth, with the oboe solo in the Bailero theme after the Agincourt music achingly beautiful, and with the brass consistently ripe and resonant.'