eMusic Review 0
Simply put: one of the best classical discs of the '00s. Gradually, oh so gradually, audiences are finding that Arnold Schoenberg wasn't the audience sadist he was so widely reputed to be. That's in large measure thanks to a young generation of conductors, Esa-Pekka Salonen among them, who are committed to the modern repertoire. Here, Salonen backs Hahn's interpretation of two 20th century violin concertos.
Schoenberg's 12-tone lines sing like never before in Hahn's lyrical hands. As if looking for a middle ground between the two concertos, she pulls back a bit during the uber-emotive Sibelius. It's an interesting call, and not one you'd want everyone to start making — though it does feel right in the context of this well-thought out release.
