MENDELSSOHN:VIOLIN CONCERTO/TCHAIKOVSKY:VIOLIN CONCERTO:ZINO FRANCESCATTI(vn)/GEORGE SZELL(cond)/CLEVELAND ORCHESTRA/ETC

Defining "wiry," Zino Francescatti's tone is lean, hard but edgy. At the same time, however, Francescatti's close to sentimental interpretations almost imperceptibly but undeniably define "sweet." In these 1961 and 1965 recordings of Mendelssohn and Tchaikovsky's violin concertos, Francescatti's tone just about but not quite changes the meaning of the works while his interpretations just about but not quite bring them all back home. Two of the tenderest and most sentimental of nineteenth century violin concertos, Francescatti's tone nearly transforms them into hard-edged works. In Francescatti's hands, Mendelssohn's opening Allegro molto appassionato sounds almost raw and his closing Allegro molto vivace sounds almost rough, while Tchaikovsky's opening Allegro moderato sounds near to muscular and his closing Allegro vivacissimo sounds near to brutal. But then there's Francescatti's interpretations, which give Mendelssohn's central Andante and Tchaikovsky's central Canzonetta the shine and shimmer of sheer sentiment. Aided by George Szell and the Cleveland Orchestra in the Mendelssohn and by Thomas Schippers and the New York Philharmonic in the Tchaikovsky, Francescatti's performances walk the line between wiry and sweet -- and how well they succeed depends on the listeners' ability to hold these two adjectives in their minds simultaneously. Sony's remastered stereo sound is easily as clear, warm, and honest as the finest super audio digital recordings.