Prokofiev and Vivaldi from Violinist Stoika Milanova

The Bulgarian violinist Stoika Milanova (b. 1945) made a splash after placing second in the Queen Elisabeth Competition and first in the Carl Flesch Competition in her 20s. She produced several excellent LPs about then, but since has mainly been a teacher, for some time at the State Academy of Music of Sofia.

Today we have two superior examples of her art: the Prokofiev Violin Concertos and Vivaldi's The Four Seasons.

Prokofiev Violin Concertos

Prokofiev's two violin concertos could have been purpose-built for Milanova. She was (and presumably still is) a supreme instrumentalist, and her readings of these two works are impeccable - secure, forthright, even and totally in control.

She is backed beautifully by the Symphony Orchestra of the Bulgarian Radio and Television. Milanova and conductor Vassil Stefanov are completely in alignment, making these some of the most satisfying recordings you will hear.

Vassil Stefanov

Prokofiev's first concerto is an impressive work, written in his 20s and premiered in 1923. Milanova's stamina (admittedly, these recordings are likely pieced together) is remarkable, considering that she plays continuously throughout the work.

The second concerto, from 1935, is more lyrical, and it, too, suits Milanova and her accomplices. The recording is a complete success.

The LP was released circa 1972 by Balkanton, and reissued in the US on Monitor, from which this transfer comes. The download includes the garish Balkanton cover along with the usual scans from the Monitor release and a laudatory review.

Vivaldi - The Four Seasons

Stoika Milanova

The Four Seasons are hardly what you would call unusual repertoire, but Milanova and the Sofia Chamber Orchestra manage to make the work fresh, even though there is nothing unusual about their approach.

This LP comes from about 1971, when smaller forces were coming into vogue for classical and baroque music. The Sofia group is excellent, comparable to such ensembles as the Academy of St. Martin-in-the-Fields and I Musici. This was before the dominance of historically informed performances, but there is little that will seem anachronistic about these readings (at least to this older listener).

Vassil Kazandjiev

The conductor is Vassil Kazandjiev, who, like Stefanov, leads performances that seem just right.

As with the Prokofiev, Milanova is well integrated into the ensemble. Here too the recordings are excellent.

The Prokofiev is from my collection; I added a cleaned-up needle drop from Internet Archive of the Vivaldi for a bonus.