The charismatic and innovative violinist Philippe Graffin, described as “today’s quintessential French violinist” and by the The Times as a brilliant musical “conversationalist”, is at the creative heart of a new release of Russian repertoire, “Concertos Parlando”, or “con- certos with a story”, the first in a series of strikingly individual and fascinating projects for Cobra Records.

Tchaikovsky’s famous concerto is heard here with a different cadenza for the first time; a mesmerising cadenza by the great Eugene Ysaÿe which every violinist will surely want to hear. Prokofiev’s own orchestration of the second of his Five Melodies, a wordless song cycle, is recorded for the first time alongside Rodion Shchedrin’s orchestration of the remaining four, a project initiated by Graffin. The violinist’s artistic collaboration with the multi award-winning Russian composer Shchedrin began when he asked Rodion if he would write a concerto in a similar vein to Shostakovich’s first Piano Concerto with trumpet and strings, but for the violin. The resulting Concerto Parlando, a conversation between a free and gypsy-like violin and an authoritative, cynical trumpet, was commissioned by Philippe Graffin and the Association A Tempo and is recorded live from its world première in london with the BBC Symphony.

Perhaps the true story of this CD is how Philippe Graffin’s inquisitive mind and research successes are constantly finding new gems and broadening the repertoire for the instrument.

Philippe Graffin’s extensive and successful discography began with a recording with Yehudi Menuhin and the Royal Philharmonic orchestra and includes many world premières for a number of in- dependent labels and his idea to record the complete Saint-Saëns concertos launched Hyperion’s Romantic violin series. All have been exceptionally praised with his recording of the Elgar Concerto considered by BBC Record Review ‘a unique recording you might want to file alongside Albert Sammons, and the young Yehudi with the composer’.

Cobra Records is delighted Philippe has chosen the label for this unique recording and the compelling performances augur well for the projects to follow.