Joseph Bologne, Chevalier de Saint-Georges, possessed a panoply of talents – leading swordsman, athlete, virtuoso violinist, composer and musical director – so it is not surprising that by the standards of his age he was not especially prolific. Nevertheless, Saint-Georges’s violin concertos demonstrate a gift for writing attractive and engaging music as well as a virtuoso technique with which to dazzle audiences, not least in his own performances. Published in pairs, the concertos recorded here show his originality of expression, his command of structure and a bravura exploitation of the violin’s higher register.

Saint-Georges has become increasingly prominent in the media as a black composer and violinist largely active in France. A major film has been made of his life called Chevalier directed by Stephen Williams – it’s available in the US via Netflix, Hulu, or Amazon Prime Video. It is released in the UK in June 2023.

In 2012 violinist Fumika Mohri won the first prize in the Seoul International Music Competition becoming the youngest ever and very first Japanese first-prize winner in the history of the competition. She was also awarded Second Prize at the International Violin Competition ‘Premio Paganini’ and Sixth Prize at the Queen Elisabeth Competition in 2015, as well as Third Prize at the Montreal International Music Competition in 2019.

Michael Halász’s first engagement as a conductor was at the Staatstheater am Gärtnerplatz, Munich, where, between 1972 and 1975, he directed all operetta productions. In 1975 he moved to Frankfurt to work as principal Kapellmeister with Christoph von Dohnányi, and here he conducted the most important works of the operatic repertoire. Many engagements as a guest conductor followed and in 1977 Dohnányi took him to the Staatsoper Hamburg as principal Kapellmeister. From 1978 to 1991 he was GMD (general music director) of the Hagen Opera House and in 1991 he took up the post of resident conductor at the Wiener Staatsoper for 20 years.

Michael Halász and the Czech Chamber Philharmonic Pardubice have a number of recordings for Naxos including Saint-Georges’s Symphonie Concertantes which can be heard on 8574306: ‘Michael Halász and the Czech Chamber Philharmonic bring grace and vigour to the Symphonies Concertantes while the Symphony bounces along full of charm’ (BBC Music Magazine).