Homage to Heifetz

María Dueñas fell in love with the musical artistry of Jascha Heifetz in early childhood, her passion ignited by the legendary violinist’s vintage recording of Korngold’s Violin Concerto and Lalo’s Symphonie espagnole. In her early twenties and with a major international career already to her name, Dueñas chose to pay tribute to her hero by recording both works together with a selection of his signature encore pieces. She unleashes demonic powers in the Symphonie espagnole, raising a storm in the first movement before seducing the ear with breathtaking agility and heart-on-sleeve expression. She makes her instrument sing: listen to the “Andante” from the Lalo, or the ravishing opening of Korngold’s concerto, backed to the hilt by Gustavo Dudamel and his Venezuelan band. Beyond her astonishing technical control and sumptuous tone, Dueñas’ music-making comes with a vanishingly rare level of individuality and creative daring, the album’s truest homage to Heifetz.