Benjamin Schmid / Pannon Philharmonic Orchestra / Tibor Bogányi BÉLA BARTÓK Die Violinkonzerte

Austrian star violinist Benjamin Schmid has a great reputation for his extraordinarily broad repertoire, which besides lesser known works for violin also includes the jazz genre. In cooperation with the Pannonic Philharmonic Orchestra under the baton of Tibor Boganyi, Schmid now releases a recording of both violin concertos by Bela Bartok. Written in 1908, the first concerto Op. posth. Sz 36 remained lost due to his unfortunate admiration of, and the handing over of the manuscript to, a violinist until late after Bartoks death, and only was published in 1956. The violin concerto No. 2 Sz 112 was composed in 1937/38 and should become the last completed solo concerto before Bartok’s emigration to the United States. Here, the listener can from listening alone hardly tell that in addition to the typical “Hungarian” melodies, twelve-tone motives and even quarter tones can be found in the solo part. Bejamin Schmid is one of today’s most versatile violinists. He has recorded around 50 albums which have received various awards such as the German Record Prize, the Gramophone Editor’s Choice, and the Strad Selection. He performs in about 80 concerts a year worldwide, and is professor of violin at the Mozarteum in Salzburg. (Arkiv Music)