A very light but very lovely disc of mid-twentieth century violin concertos, this 1996 recording by
Joshua Bell with
David Zinman directing the
Baltimore Symphony Orchestra coupling the concertos of
Samuel Barber and
William Walton along with Baal Shem, the concerto-in-all-but-in-name by
Ernest Bloch, may be for younger listeners a first choice among digital recordings. American virtuoso
Bell possesses the kind of agile technique, sweet tone, and easy elegance that make him an ideal soloist for these works. His
Barber sings, his
Bloch wails, and his
Walton goes beyond the work's achingly glorious lyricism to its melancholic core. And while the
Baltimore Symphony may not be one of the best-known American orchestras, under the astute and alert leadership of
Zinman it has both the polish and power to support
Bell with style and flair. Some older listeners may recall with fondness
Stern's radiant performance of the
Barber concerto and
Heifetz's mercurial performance of
Walton's concerto, but even old timers may concede that
Bell's lighter performances are possibly more lovely -- and perhaps just as successful. Decca's digital sound is close and clear, but deep and full.