In the course of studying the history of the Soviet Union, Canadian violinist
Catherine Manoukian became attracted to the music of its leading composers and took particular interest in
Aram Khachaturian's Violin Concerto and
Dmitry Shostakovich's Violin Concerto No. 1, which she added to her already impressive repertoire. This 2006 release on Marquis presents
Manoukian with the
Armenian Philharmonic Orchestra, led by Eduard Topchjan, in exciting performances that demonstrate both her aptitude for this music and the intensity of her expression, which comes through with great clarity and immediacy at all points in these recordings.
Manoukian's playing is consistently accurate in rhythm and intonation, and her energy is steady in the demanding cadenzas and passages of flashy repartée with the orchestra. But her most affecting playing is found in the Andante sostenuto of
Khachaturian's concerto, and in the brooding Nocturne and Passacaglia of
Shostakovich's work, where her sustained lines and penetrating tone communicate emotions that are mysterious, dark, and profound, especially in the latter two examples. These are unusual vehicles for a young performer to play, far from the popular Romantic concertos that have become de rigueur for others, yet
Manoukian seems to thrive on playing music off the beaten path, and the selections on this album show her to be fully capable and confident in the modern violin literature. Marquis' reproduction is terrific, with clear separation of the violin from the orchestra and with just the right amount of resonance to enhance
Manoukian's presence.