Schumann: Violin Concerto, Symphony No. 1

Founded in 1978, the Orchestre de chambre de Paris quickly established its reputation as one of Europe’s leading chamber orchestras and it makes its ECM debut her with Thomas Zehetmair.

In 2012, Thomas Zehetmair was appointed the orchestra’s principal conductor and artistic advisor and on this recording, made at the Théâtre des Champs-Elysées in February 2014, does double duty as both soloist and conductor. Zehetmair’s insightful approach to Robert Schumann has already been demonstrated on ECM New Series with the Zehetmair Quartet, whose recording of the Schumann string quartets (4721692) won many prizes including the Gramophone Award as ‘Album of the Year’ in 2003.

Here the Orchestre de chamber de Paris plays the Symphony No. 1 ‘Spring’ (1841) and the Phantasie for Violin and Orchestra and the Violin Concerto (both 1853). The composition of the First Symphony drew inspiration from Schubert’s Ninth Symphony and from the poetry of Adolf Böttger. The Phantasie and the Violin Concerto had quite different fates. The Phantasie was premiered to huge acclaim after initial performances. The Violin Concerto had to wait more than 80 years for its premiere, and too often since then players have made adjustments to the violin part. Thomas Zehetmair reveals how urgent and convincing the impact of Schuman’s original version can be when the performers enter into its spirit.