Tchaikovsky Violin Concerto • Arensky Quintet – Philippe Quint (1 Hybrid SACD)

Celebrated American violinist Philippe Quint is back with an outstanding new release in a unique pairing of Tchaikovsky’s popular Violin Concerto in D major, Op. 35 together with Arensky’s seldom recorded String Quartet No. 2 in A minor, Op. 35 dedicated to the memory of Tchaikovsky. To bring out the necessary tonal palette of this masterpiece, Philippe Quint is supported by the superb Slavic blend of the Sofia Philharmonic Orchestra masterfully led by Martin Panteleev and recorded in surround sound by avanticlassic’s team.

For the very first time, the last movement of the Concerto is presented twice on CD: Once in Tchaikovsky’s original scoring and as a bonus track, the controversially condensed version of the third movement by Leopold Auer.

The String Quartet No. 2 in A minor, Op. 35, for violin, viola and two cellos benefits from an incredible line-up of internationally acclaimed soloists. Laureate of the first Pablo Casals Competition – cellist Claudio Bohórquez, a recent BBC’s New Generation Artist – cellist Nicolas Altstaedt and the winner of the Borletti-Buitoni Trust Award as member of the Aronowitz Ensemble – violist Lily Francis.