As artistic director of the Camerata Bern, Antje Weithaas was responsible for the musical profile of the ensemble for almost ten years, with whom she continues to work regularly. From the podium of the concertmaster, she has even conducted large-scale works such as Beethoven's symphonies and released recordings of works by Tchaikovsky, Brahms, Mendelssohn and Beethoven.
This series is now complemented by an eagerly awaited new recording: Dvořák's only violin concerto and his string serenade can be regarded as prime examples of his work, which is characterised by dance-like gestures, melancholy and poetry, even if they express different facets of his compositional style. While the Serenade, composed in 1875 and premiered on 10 December 1876, is one of Dvořák's most popular and best-known works, the violin concerto, composed in 1879, is much less popular.
Antje Weithaas believes this is unjustified: “It’s a gorgeous piece, but difficult to play. Tricky passages await the soloist right at the beginning. No violinist feels at ease when going onstage to play this concerto! But the musical content is magnificent, and we should all do justice to this work by rising to the challenge.”
Dvořák, Violin Concerto & String Serenade
Antje Weithaas & Camerata Bern
CAvi, AVI 4867795
UPC 0028948677955
