New Delhi, India — Twenty-one-year-old Wolfgang David´s solo violin recital at the IIC Auditorium, presented by the Austrian Embassy, the Delhi Music Society and the Centre was a formidable challenge for it featured Bach´s D Minor Partita. The solo sonata by Sergei Prokofiev and a short solo by Johann Sengstschmid were the other highlights of the evening.
A solo violin recital can only be attempted by artistes of the highest calibre and before the concert began one wondered if the young Austrian was being too ambitious. However, all fears were laid aside when young David touched his bow to his violin and started with an effortless performance of the Allemande from the D Minor Partita. The violinst´s tone has a bright, shining quality which is ideal for Bach´s interweaving lines. The Courante and Gigue among faster dances had the clean, clear texture and were played without a trace of roughness in the bowing.
The stately Sarabande showed David´s fine sense of involvement with the more profound depths of Bach´s music. The collosal Chaconne was built up with an awareness of its structure. Perhaps a more vivid contrast between the major and minor variations would make a greater dramatic impact. Even so it was a marvellous performance for a 21-year-old and one can see the potential of a great player in David.
Prokofiev´s Solo Sonata Op 100 (heard for the first time) in the second half was brilliant and youthful in spirit – though it is a late opus – and was tossed of by the young violinist with real brio. The short piece by the artiste´s father was a charming intermezzo-like movement which had a genuine lyrical flavour. The solo sonata by Ysaye subtitled „Ballade“ was a nineteenth century tour de force by one of the greatest violinists of that period, Eugene Ysaye, who gave the first performance of Cesar Franck’s Sonata in for violin. The Ballade is full of warm romantic overtones and bristles with violinistic tricks of technique of the schools of Vieuxtemps and Sarasate who in turn were the bearers of the great Paganini tradition.
Wolfgang David’s recital showed his complete grasp of the solo violin repertoire encompassing the Baroque, Romantic and contemporary 20th century schools.