CD: Weinberg The 3 Violin Solo Sonatas

Just a decade ago, the name Mieczysław Weinberg evoked little to no recognition among music enthusiasts. His works were scarce in record stores, and when present, his name appeared in various spellings. The meteoric rise of Weinberg's music serves as compelling evidence that the past still holds undiscovered geniuses capable of reshaping our understanding of music history. This CD marks Linus Roth's fourth venture into Weinberg's violin compositions for Challenge Classics, following his recordings of the violin sonatas with piano, the violin concerto, and the violin concertino. In doing so, it continues Roth's exploration and revelation of Weinberg's oeuvre, which notably led to the founding of the International Mieczysław Weinberg Society. This, among other reasons, positions him as the foremost interpreter of Weinberg's works today. In this recording, Roth revisits Weinberg's chamber music with the three solo violin sonatas from 1964, 1967, and 1978. These engaging pieces intimately narrate Weinberg's life, akin to Shostakovich's string quartets. They are not for casual listening but reward the listener with their quality and complexity. The last of these, op.123, is both the most challenging and substantial, ranging between 20 and 30 minutes and presenting unparalleled difficulties. Besides the technical demands, its singular movement requires a cohesive performance. It is dedicated to Weinberg's father, Shmil Weinberg, a composer and conductor at the Yiddish Theater in Kishinev. Knowing his father was a victim of the Holocaust, Weinberg's sonata is not an easy listen, presenting challenges for both listener and interpreter alike. It demands and deserves the listener's dedication, rewarding it with a surprising, sheer tenderness behind its thorny veil.