Bloch - Concerto for Violin and Orchestra

Fono Forum: outstanding.

This album features three major orchestral works by Ernest Bloch, performed by violinist Oleh Krysa and the Malmö Symphony Orchestra under conductor Sakari Oramo.

The centerpiece is Bloch’s Violin Concerto, completed in 1938. Though Bloch claimed it was inspired by American and Native American music, many have noted the unmistakable presence of Jewish musical elements—particularly in the rhythmic drive, melodic lines, and expressive intensity. Originally premiered by Josef Szigeti with the Cleveland Orchestra, the concerto is a dramatic and emotionally rich work that balances virtuosic writing with deep lyricism.

Also included is Poems of the Sea, a three-movement suite Bloch originally composed for piano in 1922 and later orchestrated. The music vividly evokes the ocean's many moods—from the restlessness of waves to the songs of seafarers and the vastness of open waters.

The album concludes with the Suite symphonique, composed in 1944. Reflecting a turn toward neo-Baroque form, its three movements—Overture, Passacaglia, and Finale—demonstrate Bloch’s contrapuntal mastery and orchestral sophistication. The Passacaglia is especially notable, bearing resemblance to the Crucifixus from Bach’s Mass in B minor.

This recording offers a powerful overview of Bloch’s late orchestral style, merging spiritual depth, technical brilliance, and a unique cultural voice.