Delightful diversions! Ray Chen won the 2009 Queen Elizabeth Competition and the 2008 Yehudi Menuhin Competition. He has been a student at the Curtis Institute of Music since he was 15.
This is his debut recording but a sign of his prodigious talent is that he has not just one but two Stradivarius fiddles loaned to him. And he makes the violin sing beautifully.
Playing Divertimento, Suite after Pergolesi, the Duo Concertante and three other virtuosic works by Stravinsky for violin and piano, Chen has all the technique required, produces a pure but luminous tone, well partnered by the sympathetic Melbourne pianist.
A romantic tinge to Stravinsky's works is shown off in superb style by this new star.
Highlight: frenetic finale tossed off in the Divertimento.
The bel canto tenor and opera star from Peru provides more than just usual Christmas music here. There are classics and virtuoso pieces: O Holy Night is sung in French and then English, while Adeste Fidelis starts in Latin before changing to German and English.
Other items include the legato of Schubert's Ave Maria, a song from Haydn's Creation in German, Comfort ye, Every Valley from The Messiah, sung in English, and the Kyrie from Ramirez's Misa Criolla.
Surprises are two songs from Bellini's rarely heard Messa Di Gloria. And Florez wrote the title piece Santo that has a Latin American flavour.
Good orchestral accompaniments but Florez's thrilling coloratura will be the main centre of attention for listeners.
Highlights: top note in O Holy Night, nice Messiah extract.
