Powerful impression from violinist Sophia Jaffé playing Shostakovich at the Radio Autumn Festival
It doesn't happen very often that a symphonic evening begins with an instrumental concerto yet, in the case of the festival performance by the Prague Radio Symphony Orchestra headed by Vladimír Válek (Dvořák Hall, 30. 9.), it was entirely appropriate, since we couldn't envisage a short repertoire number alongside almost forty minutes of Shostakovich's sturdy Mahleresque Violin Concerto No. 1 in A minor, Op. 77.
The young German violinist Sophia Jaffé was electrifying in the Shostakovich. Just the way in which, after the opening unison in the cellos and double basses, she submerged herself in the expressive depths of "unending" lyricism, was highly suggestive, the main theme filled with breathtaking warmth and developed with emphasis on the lowest violin string. A detailed perspective on the overall sound, for instance in the very introduction, with that ascending and descending bassoon melody weaving contrapuntally with the solo part, however, intimated that the orchestra under Válek would prove a sensitive partner. Particularly masterful was the passage where the even values became triplets, and the solitary tuba announced its arrival out of the blue.
In the sarcastically mischievous Scherzo, with perfect precision, the flute acquitted itself flawlessly in tandem with the bass clarinet, while the soloist never forced her staccato figurations nor the prudently accented syncopation in the second part of the movement. Thus the result was initially a noticeably plumped up, perhaps only "gently wild" image of a scherzoso dash, gradually intensified into a state of euphoria.
The entry into the Passacaglia as well, moving from the rhythmically succinct horn passage and wonderfully balanced woodwind chorus, to the true espressivo in the violins, was stirring indeed, and if I sensed that the pressure of sound which the violin part conveyed to us at certain points (the octave passage) was a shade weaker in comparison with the way Oistrach would have played it, then the soloist's rousing cadenza more than compensated for it.
In fact, the degree of rich tone colour and honed rhythmicity that this subtle young violinist was capable of, in collaboration with the wonderfully vibrant orchestra (horns, pulsating bass lines), was eloquently demonstrated in the closing Burlesque, which coursed in a single powerful surge towards the ecstatic Presto.
An exquisite performance which left a lasting impression.
