Allan Kozinn on Korngold's Violin Concerto

"The early and late shows at Le Poisson Rouge on Monday evening, though both built around works composed in the 1940s, could hardly have been more different. At the first, David Broome, a pianist and composer, performed what had been billed originally as John Cage’s Sonatas and Interludes for Prepared Piano (1948) but turned out to be more — or less. … Later the violinist Philippe Quint celebrated the release of his new Naxos recording of the Korngold Violin Concerto (1945) with a program of showpieces. … The centerpiece of Mr. Quint’s recital was the first movement of the Korngold Concerto, a work with a leg and a half in the late 19th century, played here with the sumptuous, singing tone it demands, but with a pianist (Min Kwon) instead of an orchestra. Still, you almost felt sorry for Korngold. Known mainly for his brilliant film scores ('The Sea Hawk,' 'The Adventures of Robin Hood'), he craved success in the concert hall. During his American years he found it with relatively few works, this concerto among them. But Mr. Quint pushed the film connection, devoting the rest of his program to composers of both film and concert works" ("Music Review," 7/1/09).