I wrote earlier about Kyung-wha Chung, and this is another of her early recordings. Much to my surprise, I didn’t find it on Spotify. A pity in my opinion. This is a good recording of one of the more interesting works in the repertoire. I especially like the Walton.
Walton was 37 when he got the commission for a violin concerto from Jascha Heifetz in 1938. He accepted it, even though he felt he was already out of fashion: Today’s white hope is tomorrow’s black sheep. These days it is very sad for a composer to grow old – unless, that is, he grows old enough to witness a revival of his work. I seriously advise all sensitive composers to die at the age of 37. I know: I’ve gone through the first halcyon periods, and am just about ripe for my critical damnation.
During the composition he was bitten by a tarantula, to which he referred in the piece by adding a tarantella. Cheesy, much.