A reissue of a 1999 disc of the same name, Berlin Classics' 2010 Reference Gold disc entitled
Spanish Dance: Works for Violin and Piano features pianist
Katrin Scholz and pianist
Gerald Fauth. From a programming perspective, the disc offers listeners pretty much exactly what they'd expect to find: standards like de Falla's Suite Populaire Espagnole,
Ravel's Pièce en forme de Habañera, Sarasate's Habanera and Zapateado. The real standout composition is
Rodion Schtschedrin's In the Style of Albéniz, which momentarily steps away from the more Romantically focused repertoire. What distinguishes this album from others like it is the quality of
Scholz's playing. In nearly every respect,
Scholz delivers in abundance. Most importantly, her interpretation is filled with vitality, panache, sassiness, and fire. She brings magnificent and engaging control over her dynamics, a keen sense of pacing, and an obvious understanding of the score.
Scholz's technical skills are generally quite solid; the one surprising and pesky letdown is a tendency to have difficulty playing double-stops in tune. The piano plays a rather minimal role here, and
Fauth does an admiral job of keeping out of the violin's way while maintaining a solid backdrop. Berlin's sound is clear and warm, allowing listeners to enjoy all of the music's clear nuance and ornamentation.