Shostakovich: Violin Concerto No. 1 - Glazunov: Violin Concerto

This young Scottish violinist has precisely the right stylistic range for Shostakovich’s explosive and mercurial first violin concerto. In “Nocturne”, Benedetti blends her quiet yet powerful sound with the string section of the Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra, reflecting the music’s halting caution. She opts for more strident textures in the opening of “Scherzo”, eventually playing out her solo lines with authority over the rambunctious orchestral writing. Her virtuosity comes out to sterling effect during the double-stop-strewn “Cadenza” and the stomping “Burlesque”.