Silencio

Violinist Gidon Kremer and his ensemble, Kremerata Baltica, have tackled repertoire that ranges from Baroque to contemporary, but they seem to shine on the newer stuff. The group has an obvious ear for the music of the Baltic region, and Kremer's icy precision and passionate playing are tailor-made for the modern masters. On Silencio, Kremer delivers another stunning recording, this one featuring meditative music by a trio of composing mavericks: Arvo Pärt, Philip Glass, and Vladimir Martynov. Martynov may be the least-known of the three, but his work marks the disc's highlight composition, "Come In!" The moving piece for violin and orchestra--which features plenty of Romantic, lyrical playing (and the occasional sound of a door knocking)--is mystical but also tender and sweet. A string orchestra arrangement of Glass's String Quartet No. 2 ("Company") is almost as intense as the original played by Kronos. A short Pärt world premiere rounds out this disc: "Darf Ich" is a glorious piece for violin and orchestra reminiscent of Pärt's sublime "Summa". This is a gorgeous disc you'll get lost in; another gem from Kremer. --Jason Verlinde