Hilary Hahn’s Top Five: Music That Travels With You
In this exclusive playlist, three-time Grammy Award-winning violinist Hilary Hahn shares a selection of her favourite and most cherished recordings that have travelled with her throughout her career, from childhood to present day.
Read more…Tchaikovsky, Piano Concerto No. 1 – Martha Argerich, Royal Philharmonic Orchestra
When I was 10 years old, I discovered this recording. I was home schooling at the time, and I brought my homework with me to my dad’s library job. I had my Walkman and headphones, books, pencils, and paper, and would sit for hours at a long desk in the reference section. I vividly remember the feeling of listening to Argerich’s Tchaikovsky after popping the cassette into the player. My mind was blown, and I felt like I was lifting out of my seat. From the unrelenting, crashing chords to Argerich’s magically contrasting crystalline moments and her dazzlingly brave sweeps of momentum, I was hooked. When the recording ended, I rewound and repeated. I listened all the way through eight times in a row and only stopped when it was time to go home. I still think this is one of the greatest concerto performances of all time, and I rarely listen to it just once.
Jason Vieaux: Bach vol. 1
I came across this album when I was researching Bach’s solo music for all instruments. This album has stuck with me. I listen to it from start to finish in hotels, in airplanes, and at home, almost always in my earbuds because of its intensely personal atmosphere. Jason’s tone is beautiful, as is his phrasing and sense of structured rhythmic freedom. The way the notes hang in the air is something I can only aspire to on violin; it’s one of my favorite qualities of plucked instruments in polyphonic music.
Copland, Appalachian Spring – Orpheus Chamber Orchestra
This has been one of my favorite pieces since childhood. I’m really partial to the large chamber version that Orpheus recorded here; each part is played by only one musician, allowing the lines to interweave with individuality. When preparing to lead Appalachian Spring (fun fact: I was born in the Appalachian region), this is the reading I play along to, practice my cues with, and immerse myself in. The music sounds straightforward, but it’s complicated to play - and so worth it. I can sing practically every part by now. It always brings me joy to hear this piece. This recording is so vibrant, expressive, and unified that it conveys all the feelings, changing sometimes on a dime.
Randall Goosby: Roots
I met Randall shortly before he made this debut album. When I heard what he was recording for it, I was glad these works would have a spotlight on them. Some of them have been waiting far too long to join the standard repertoire. I gave Roots my first listen while on a long walk around Montréal. I was a little down that day, and this album turned my week around. The way Randall plays is so natural and flowy, and each piece connects seamlessly to the next, across eras and musical influences. It’s the perfect album for long strolls, when I can connect the music with mental focus and a sense of motion.
Max Richter: 24 Postcards in Full Color
24 Postcards was the soundtrack to my life for a full year or two in my late twenties. I have a really soft spot for this album. When I listen to it, my breathing changes and my emotions have a place to swim. Max was one of the first composers I approached for my 27-encores project, and when I received his piece, Mercy, I understood it on my first reading, because the ebb and flow of 24 Postcards was so deeply ingrained in me. Mercy became one of the most popular commissions of my career, and this album remains a dear companion.