American violinist Rachel Barton Pine is a powerhouse, in the best possible sense. But her first taste of motherhood reminded her of the appeal of music as a pacifier, not just goosebump-raiser. She channelled that realisation into a wonderful album of 25 lullabies culled from the surprisingly vast repertoire of the 19th and 20th centuries.

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John Terauds

John Terauds, Editor-Emeritus of Ludwig van Toronto, is currently a Divinity student at the University of Toronto and a church music director. He joined the Toronto Star in 1988, was the classical music critic from 2005 to 2012, and continues as a freelance critic for the paper. He is the co-author of Roy Thomson Hall: A Portrait, a book written with Toronto Star Colleague, William Littler.

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Released by Chicago’s Cedille Records, the album includes the clear Wiegenlied/Berceuse/Lullaby hits by Johannes Brahms, Gabriel Fauré, Robert Schumann and Franz Schubert. Pine has even included the Berceuse from Igor Stravinsky’s Firebird.

There are also little-known treats, such as an exquisite Berceuse by American composer Amy Beach and the I-dare-you-not-to-be-seduced Wiegenlied by Max Reger that closes the album.

Pine has unbelievable control over her bow, teasing out impressively subtle dynamic shifts and seamless long phrases. Matthew Hagle’s work at the piano is equally impressive.

Pine writes so eloquently in the album notes — words that are not hyperbole, given the beauty of her playing: “Short and beautifully elegant, these pieces are perfect for a classical music novice of any age. Yet a connoisseur will find this repertoire as compositionally sophisticated as longer works by the same composers. In  each interpretation, I strove to express the love that fills my heart each day I spend with my precious baby.”

No matter how gorgeous, this is one of those albums that quickly begins to wear thin, unless one is actually aiming for sleep. Each one of these little gems deserves to be shuffled into a larger playlist which can only serve to highlight the calm, still beauty of the musicianship on offer.

For all the details, including audio samples, click here.

John Terauds

• Author
• Recent Posts

John Terauds

John Terauds, Editor-Emeritus of Ludwig van Toronto, is currently a Divinity student at the University of Toronto and a church music director. He joined the Toronto Star in 1988, was the classical music critic from 2005 to 2012, and continues as a freelance critic for the paper. He is the co-author of Roy Thomson Hall: A Portrait, a book written with Toronto Star Colleague, William Littler.

Latest posts by John Terauds (see all)

• Classical Music 101: What Does A Conductor Do? - June 17, 2019
• Classical Music 101 | What Does Period Instrument Mean? - May 6, 2019
• CLASSICAL MUSIC 101 | What Does It Mean To Be In Tune? - April 23, 2019