Pieter Goemans’ “Aan de Amsterdamse grachten” is a classic Dutch melody, and Sergiy Bolotny has given it to a solo violin. The result, “Little Dutch Rhapsody No. 3 (Capriccio Amsterdam),” came out on October 2nd. Bolotny is a Ukrainian-born violinist who trained in Lviv, Kyiv and Vienna and now plays as Assistant Second Concertmaster with the Noord Nederlands Orkest in Groningen. According to the press materials, the piece was featured on NPO Klassiek, the Dutch national public radio station, on its release day.
Bolotny describes the piece as a concert caprice, and it follows the Old-Viennese violin tradition of Fritz Kreisler, with lyrical cantabile phrasing, rich double-stops and playful variations. Compositionally, it’s a bright and playful piece with lots of twists and turns, and it rewards deep, attentive listening and repeat listens to really appreciate all the nuance.
The recording choices are what make it stand out. It was recorded purely acoustically with natural room resonance, and that brings out the dynamics beautifully. You can hear extra string noises and clicking, and the result feels alive rather than polished and flat. Acoustic instruments should always be recorded like this, and this is an absolute delight to listen to.
“Capriccio Amsterdam” is the third entry in Bolotny’s Little Dutch Rhapsodies, a cycle that sits alongside his 24 Ukrainian caprices. The first rhapsody brought the humor of a Groningen folk tale to the concert stage, and this one turns toward the nostalgia of the Dutch capital. Both come from Bolotny’s interest in regional European musical memory, and with three rhapsodies now out, the series is worth following for anyone who wants classical violin that sounds like it’s being played in the room with you.