Nicola Benedetti’s fourth album is her first with a title and is designed as a violin showpiece – an aim it fulfils completely. It is, however, something of a play safe recording, the first with no original compositions. This is welcome after the pseudo-Indian music composed by John Taverner, Benedetti’s favourite composer, which was less than successful on her previous album. By returning to the classical tradition, Fantasie is grounded in tried and tested material.
Satisfyingly, the high levels of musicianship never overshadow the actual music. Any fear that Benedetti might be going down the route of crossover into other musical genres is soon dispelled by the repertoire and the quality of the players. She is accompanied by the Liverpool Philharmonic on three tracks, which are all superb. The opening piece, Pablo Sarasate’s “Zigeunerweisen”, sets the tone of an absorbing musical journey.
These are, however, the only new orchestral recordings. Two of the offerings, Vaughan William’s “Lark Ascending” and Jules Massenet’s “Meditation from Thais”, come from previous albums and are both with full orchestra. The last three pieces, by Part, Rachmaninov and Faure, are popular numbers associated with Classic FM. Is it significant that they are accompanied only by solo piano? Is this an artistic choice or did the budget run out?
One turns to the sleeve notes for clues. These are informative and well-written. There is nothing to suggest cost cutting. Yet in a biographical addendum, Andrew Stewart emphasises that Benedetti is following the Shakespearean dictum “to thine own self be true” and has taken on two new violin teachers. She “agreed that the title of this disc should be Fantasie”, as each piece transports the listener. It is an interesting phrase. Benedetti is clearly in control of the project, but what exactly is that project? This is not a “light-hearted” disc, as she suggests. There is a sense in the remark of trying to reach for an audience she have lost with the Taverner stuff on her third record
So Fantasie is a transitional album. There is a contrast between the album cover picture of Benedetti – carefully-posed, sophisticated, hair up – and other images in which she is casually dressed. To what extent is this a reference to the transition from teenage years to adulthood? Benedetti only turned 22 in July.
She has one more album to make under her lucrative contract with Universal and is at something of a crossroads. Her musicianship is unquestionable, but whether she is reaching her full potential is open to doubt. While she has the potential to be a very special musician, she has yet to develop the mass following many expected.
Perhaps predictions that she was going to be the new Yehudi Menuhin were exaggerated. But they were not wholly unrealistic. Somewhere in focusing on technique and repertoire, both of which are vital, Benedetti has lost sight of audience and persona. Every truly great artist develops all these things. Of course, she still has time to connect. Whether this will be with her current record label remains to be seen. Fantaise is a more than satisfactory album, but it is still evidence that Nicola Benedetti herself is still a work in progress.
Trevor Fisher
