Leila Schayegh completes LeClair violin concerto series
Author: Ralph Graves
This completes Leila Schayegh’s traversal of Jean-Marie Leclair Op. 7 and Op. 10 concertos. LeClair was one of the premier violinists of the early 1700s. He’s credited with founding the French school of violin-playing.
Bottom line: LeClair was a monster player — and he expected anyone performing his concertos to be the same! As with the other two volumes, Leila Schayegh rises to the challenge.
She plays with a beautiful tone throughout. Her execution of harmonics is particularly fine. Schayegh has the dexterity — and accuracy — LeClair’s music demands.
These concertos are full of Leclair’s technical innovation. But Schayegh keeps them in perspective. The goal of Schayegh and La Cetra Barockorchester is to make music. The technical fireworks are kept subordinate to the arc of the melody.
I really like the performances captured in this series. There are other versions of this material available. But these recordings are the ones that most appeal to me.
Jean-Marie Leclair: Concerti per Violino, Vol. 3
Opp. 7 & 10 – Nos. 4 & 5
Leila Schayegh, violin
La Cetra Barockorchester
Glossa
