Deutsche Grammophon’s latest darling on the violin is the very young (24) María Dueñas from Granada, Spain. She started professionally at her 17th, and quickly got an exclusive contract with DG. This is her debut album from 2023, followed this year by an album with the Paganini Caprices. This album is better, and what is more, it is the best version of Beethoven’s concerto for violin I’ve heard. Well recorded, sure, but the performance is even more amazing.
I had to pay a ridiculous amount to get the vinyl version though. DG seems to be set on milking this success for all its worth. If you try to find her on Spotify you’ll find her albums split up into different but similar EPs, seemingly exploding her catalogue.
Part of that might also be legitimate: she added five different cadenzas for the Beethoven concerto as an extra to this record. It is interesting to hear and compare what Louis Spohr, Eugène Ysaÿe, Saint-Saëns, Henryk Wieniawski and Fritz Kreisler added to the concerto, along with Dueñas’ own cadenza. To be clear: a cadenza is like an improvisational piece in the middle of the concerto. Since classical musicians are not trained to improvise, there is a whole host of cadenzas the discerning musician can choose from.
Many times the particular cadenza that was chosen is not mentioned at all. And, judging from this record, the differences can be huge. That alone makes this record interesting and worth a try.