‘A Surefire Winner’
Shanghai-born Australian Lin Jiang is unquestionably a jewel in the crown of OZ concert music. At twenty two, he is already regarded as one of most exciting horn soloists of his generation.
Here he is with a fascinating, uniquely diverse recital; happily brought to us with Melba Recordings' customary artistic and technical flair...
Lin offers comprehensive variety in his hour long display...
At the outset, Schumann's Adagio is a perfect vehicle for Lin's lambent tone and laser-like focus; equally the Allegro spotlights his combination of expressive phrasing and virtuosic agility...
...Nocturne (1943) takes the horn to its upper reaches. It also shows how fortunate Lin is with an accompanist as conspicuously sensitive as Benjamin Martin...
No horn recital should be without some reference to the legendary, heaven-sent British horn player Dennis Brain. He was tragically killed on 1 September 1957 while driving his Triumph TR2 home to London after performing with the Brain Wind Quintet at the Edinburgh Festival. Within a week, Poulenc, who was visiting Britain, began writing his moving memorial Elégie; a special round of applause for including this tribute...
Lin is unfazed by whatever hair-raising technical demands are thrown at him as evidenced in the dazzling arrangement of Bach's 'Gigue' from the 3rd Cello Suite...If you're even slightly taken by the French horn snap 'Good Sir', it's a surefire winner.