Violinist Lisa Batiashvili’s recording named best in classical by Gramophone

A new album featuring Germany-based Georgian violinist Lisa Batiashvili has been named the finest recording of January 2017 by leading, classical music review magazine Gramophone.

The recording features violin performance by Batiashvili, who played with the Staatskapelle Berlin orchestra led by famous conductor and pianist, Daniel Barenboim.

The album featured violin concertos by composers Pyotr Tchaikovsky and Jean Sibelius.

See Lisa Batiashvili and Daniel Barenboim speak about the recording below:

The album, released by German label Deutsche Grammophon, was named Recording of the Month of January by Gramophone, with reviewers of the magazine calling it "concerto-playing of the very highest order from Lisa Batiashvili and Daniel Barenboim.”

See the full list of best classical recordings of January 2017 on the official Gramophone website here.

This striking set, bringing together the luminous playing of Batiashvili and the Staatskapelle Berlin under Daniel Barenboim, is a delight from start to finish,” said editor Martin Cullingford in the introduction to the album.

The Georgian violinist's talent in playing the classical works featured in the recording were also noted by Barenboim.

I am very happy to do [the recording] with Lisa Batiashvili because she has a feel for it, and she plays it with a deep understanding of the vastly different elements in this piece,” said the celebrated conductor to Deutsche Grammophon at the recording of the piece.

Barenboim and Germany-based Batiashvili spoke to the Deutsche Grammophon label about the album at its recording. Photo: Burkhard Scheibe.

A full review of the recording by Gramophone praised Batiashvili for her performance of Tchaikovsky and Sibelius pieces included in the release.

There is no violinist currently playing the high end of the international circuit that I would sooner go out of my way to hear than Lisa Batiashvili, said Edward Seckerson in the website’s review.

Seckerson concluded the review by calling the recording "full of beautiful and inventive violin-playing from one of the world’s most mesmerising talents.”

Born in Georgia, Batiashvili gained international recognition at the age 16 as the youngest-ever participant of the prestigious Sibelius Competition of classical music.

She records exclusively with Deutsche Grammophon.

Among other international prizes, she has been awarded two ECHO Klassik awards and the MIDEM Classical Award for her performances and recordings.