The Bach recital that Viktoria Mullova gave at the Wigmore Hall last week was simply terrific. Up there with my all-time great concerts, including some Brendel, Holzmair singing Die Schöne Müllerin, and the Lindsays (often). Mullova finished up playing the great Chaconne from the second Partita. And she didn’t attack it as some do. As a reviewer said, “… many violinists try to match its immensity with a heroic sound. But Mullova often went the other way, becoming light and dancing where most violinists would be losing bow-hairs in an effort to wring a bigger sound from the instrument … totally convincing.” Certainly, she stunned the audience who sat in silence for some moments after she finished.
But the revelation for me was the two sonatas she played with Octavio Dantone. I didn’t know their recording of the sonatas on Onyx (I like Rachel Podger’s recording quite a bit, and hadn’t sought out another). But their performances last week bowled me over too, and so I sent off for the discs. And yes, hugely recommended!