The pairing here of Miklós Rózsa's and Béla Bartók's Violin Concertos is both thoughtful and fitting, as the two composers share much in common. Both were deeply rooted in their Hungarian heritage and experienced exile in the United States, driven from their homeland by the rise of fascism in 1930s Europe.

Rózsa’s Violin Concerto is probably the most notable concert work from a composer better known for his outstanding film scores. It was written in 1953 for the incomparable Jascha Heifetz who gave its very successful premier in 1956 with the Dallas Symphony Orchestra conducted by Walter Hendl and a recording by these same artists followed shortly afterwards. It need hardly be said that Heifetz’s interpretation is nonpareil both for its stunning virtuosity and having the imprimatur of the composer. Nevertheless, that benchmark recording has not excluded other performers from offering their alternative interpretations.

Surprisingly this is the first modern recording of this richly romantic work to appear on SACD making it a noteworthy addition to the catalogue. Roman Simovic is probably best known a the leader of the LSO, a post he has held with considerable distinction since 2010. His spacious account of Rózsa’s Concerto has all the technical accomplishment that one could wish for and his thoughtful expressive approach yields considerable dividends, especially in the work’s wistful slow movement. Simon Rattle and the LSO provide a richly textured accompaniment that highlights the vibrancy of Rózsa’s evocative score.

In contrast to the relatively rare recordings of the Rózsa work, Bartók’s Violin Concerto No. 2 is a staple of the repertoire, with numerous excellent recordings available, including two standout SACD versions by Barnabás Kelemen Bartók: Violin Concerto No. 2, Rhapsodies 1 & 2 - Kelemen, Kocsis and Arabella Steinbacher Bartók: Violin Concertos 1 & 2 - Steinbacher, Janowski. Simovic’s interpretation of the concerto is persuasive and vividly characterized. His playing captures the biting energy of the outer movements, while the variations in the central ‘Andante tranquillo’ are thoughtfully articulated and richly expressive. Kevin John Edusei and the LSO provide attentive and nuanced support, resulting in a performance that certainly holds its own among the concerto’s many celebrated recordings.

Despite differing technical formats – Rózsa in DSD 256 (June 17, 2022) and Bartók in 24-bit 96 kHz PCM (October 28, 2022) – the recordings share an equally vivid and engaging sound quality, enhanced by the warm acoustics of Jerwood Hall, LSO St. Luke’s. However, a minor criticism is that, as with many violin concerto recordings, the soloist is placed too prominently in the mix, occasionally overshadowing some orchestral detail.

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