SILVIA
MARCOVICI
2CDs+1DVD
DHR-7942-4
Tchaikovsky: Concerto for
Violin and Orchestra in D major, Op.35
SWR Sinfonieorchester, Freiburg, Cristian Mandeal, conductor
Live performance: May 1996
Brahms: Concerto for
Violin and Orchestra in D major, Op.77
Südfunk Sinfonieorchester, Stuttgart, Garcia Navarro, conductor
Live performance, February 12, 1988
Beethoven: Concerto for
Violin and Orchestra in D major, Op.61
Hessicher Rundfunk Orchester, Frankfurt, Eliahu Inbal, conductor
Live performance, October 1979
Saint-Saëns: Concerto
for Violin and Orchestra No.3 in B minor, Op.61
Saarländischer Rundfunk Orchester, Saarbrücken, Marcello
Viotti, conductor
Live performance, June 27, 1993
DVD
Lalo: Symphonie Espagnole for
Violin and Orchestra, Op.21
Bucharest George Enescu Philharmonic Orchestra, Cristian Mandeal,
conductor
Live performance, 1994
Bruch: Concerto for Violin
and Orchestra No.1 in G minor, Op.26
Bucharest George Enescu Philharmonic Orchestra, Horia Andreescu.
conductor
Live performance, 1990. Conductor unknown
Bartok: Concerto for Violin
and Orchestra No.2
Budapest Radio Orchestra, Erich Bergel, conductor
Live performance, 1991
Regarded as the most important violinist to come from Romania
since George Enescu, Silvia Marcovici was born in Bacau
on January 30, 1952 and started violin lessons at the local music
school. Later she studied at the Bucharest Conservatory with Stefan
Gheorghiu (himself a pupil of David Oistrakh), whose influence
was essential in the shaping of her technique and style. Her concert
career began at 13, when she appeared in several concerts and
on Romanian State Television. Her international career was launched
at the of age 16 when she was invited to play with The Hague Philharmonic
under Bruno Maderna.
In 1969 she won the first prize in the International Long-Thibaud
Competition held in Paris. Also in1969, she was awarded the Special
Prize for the interpretation of a contemporary work at the Prince
Rainier Competition in Monaco. The following year she was awarded
the first prize at the George Enescu International Competition.
In 1971, following a solo engagement with the London Symphony
Orchestra, she was invited by Claudio Abbado to play the Bartok's
second Violin Concerto with the La Scala Orchestra. That concerto
became closely associated with her.
Following her first American tour in 1972, Leopold Stokowski chose
her to be the soloist for his farewell concert with the London
Symphony Orchestra at The Royal Albert Hall, London. This historic
live performance was recorded and released by Decca.
She has since toured extensively, appearing as soloist with almost
every major orchestra in the world and collaborating with the
likes of Eugene Ormandy, Erich Leinsdorf, Bernard Haitink, Andre
Previn, Klaus Tennstedt, Claudio Abbado, Simon Rattle, David Zinman,
Eliahu Inbal, Riccardo Muti, Kurt Mazur, Daniel Barenboim, Zubin
Mehta, Neeme Jarvi, Sergiu Comissiona, Jesus Lopez-Cobos, Michael
Gielen, and Mstislav Rostropovitch. Her partners include pianists
Valentin Gheorghiu (with whom she recorded the Beethoven sonatas),
François-René Duchable, Pascal Rogé, Boris
Berezovsky, Bruno Rigutto, Itamar Golan, Dominique Merlet and
recently her son, Aimo Pagin, and cellists Lynn Harell, David
Geringas, Antonio Meneses, and Boris Pergmaentshikov.
Ms Marcovici's repertoire ranges from Bach to contemporary music,
with a predilection for the Romantic and post-Romantic. She has
premiered several concertos, among them by Hans Kox and by Antonio
Perez-Ramirez. Friedrich Gulda also wrote a concerto for her.
She belongs with the handful of great women violinists who have
left a deep impression on the musical world of the 20th century,
alongside Ginette Neveu, Erica Morini, Johanna Martzy and Ida
Haendel. Together with her absolutely impeccable technique, she
displays a warm sonority ranging from powerful to the most intimate
and meditative. The London's Daily Telegraph described her playing
as "Beautiful, perfect, with genuine eloquence and feeling."
She has been a member of the jury of several international competitions
and is currently a professor at the Kunst Universität in
Graz, Austria.
Ms Marcovici's extensive recording career began in 1972 in Romania,
with concertos by Bruch (No.1) and Glazunov. Her recent recording
of the Sibelius concerto with Neeme Järvi and the Nielsen
concerto with Yoël Levi have received international acclaim.
Presented here for the first time are several milestones of her
repertoire in live performances.