dubai2000 Posted November 28, 2004 Share Posted November 28, 2004 As tone seems to be something which draws me to certain classical works, I was indeed surprised to discover that one day Id think of violin concertos to demonstrate to visitors how music can be reproduced at home. Apart from the Anne-Sophie Mutter/Kurt Masur recording of the Beethoven concerto already mentioned in an earlier instalment, I have also enjoyed her latest recording of the Tchaikovsky concerto (also on DG). This work is coupled with a concerto I had not previously known: the one by Austrian composer Erich Wolfgang Korngold who wrote a lot of famous film scores after having to leave Austria due to the upcoming Nazi madness. I have not played Mutters recordings of 20th century works for some time, but if you are curious to hear how modern works may sound when approached by a romantic artist, youd might try her Berg or Stravinsky concert recordings (DG as well). Of course I also like her a lot in one of my personal favourites: the Brahms concerto. I got to know (and love) this work in a DG recording with Pinchas Zukerman/Daniel Barenboim (though I dont know if that was ever issued on CD). My second favourite is the concerto by Sibelius. I am looking forward to the new SACD incarnation of Heifetzs Living Stereo recording. Moving a bit further south-west takes me to Edward Elgar - lovely late romantic music. If you dont mind mono, try the boy Yehudi Menuhin in combination with Elgar himself as conductor (EMI). Modern alternatives: the first (Nigel) Kennedy recording from 1984 (EMI) or Hilary Hahn on a recent DG SACD. Finally a concerto that seems to be played less often: the one by Dvorak. I really like the verve of the 1953 DG recording by Johanny Martzky . On the same disc you can also find another well-liked piece (this time in stereo): the concerto by German composer Max Bruch - very emotional and 'warm'. I am just hoping for a speedy Heifetz reissue! Of course there are many more violin concertos out there, so please do add to those works mentioned above. As usual: thanks a lot for your participation. Wolfram Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Klipsch RF7 Posted November 28, 2004 Share Posted November 28, 2004 Hallo Wolfram, was ist los meinen freund? I love Vivaldi's Violin and Cello concerto's, they have a unique sound that is truly wunderbar to listen to. Also, Franz Josef Haydn and Johann Sebastian Bach are others who have wonderful violin concerto's. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dubai2000 Posted November 29, 2004 Author Share Posted November 29, 2004 RF7, das Leben ist schön, provided one's gear is set up properly. I have been spinning some LPs lately - after having optimised VTA - and the sound can be stunning - provided the software is! Vivaldi: thanks for mentioning him. Of course I own (and love) his 'Four Seasons' but that's about it. I guess I might be missing something . Wolfram Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maxg Posted November 29, 2004 Share Posted November 29, 2004 Violin concertos - possibly my favorite genre!! Lets see - you have covered all the most popular ones methinks - with the exception of the Mendelssohn possibly: Mendelssohn/Bruch Violin Concerto/ Violin Concerto 1 Boston/National Munch/Mitchel RCA Victrola VIC-1033 Mono US In remarkably similar vein I have the DG version as well: Bruch / Mendelssohn Violin Concertos Igor Oistrach / Yong Uck Kim Royal Philharmonic/Bamberger David Oistrach / Okko Kamu Deutche Grammaphon 2544 142 Stereo Germany I think you covered the Bruch - if not it is there too - twice!! Few others I kinda like include: Bach Violin Concerto Nilla Pierrou Lansmusikensemblen Claes-Merithz Petterson Opus 3 8012 Stereo Germany Bach / Vivaldi Violin Concerto D minor / Concerto Grosso David and Igor Oistrach Leipzig Orchestra Franz Konwitschny Analogue Audio Association EPH-17 Stereo Germany And of course THE Beethoven: Beethoven Violin Concerto in D Heifetz Boston Symphony Charles Munch RCA Victor Red Seal LM 1992 Mono US And THE Brahms: Brahms Violin Concerto Jascha Heifetz Chicago Philharmonic Fritz Reiner RCA Victor Red Seal LSC 1903 Stereo US My Dvorak: Dvorak Violin Concerto Josef Suk Czech Philharmonic Karel Ancerl Supraphon SUA 10181 Mono Czech The Dvorak is a nice piece - but not a patch on his Cello concerto IMHO. You mentioned the Elgar - in fact the very copy I have: Elgar Violin Concerto Nigel Kennedy London Philharmonic Vernon Handley EMI 41 2058 1 Stereo UK It is a great performance - but not such a great recording sadly - would be interested in finding a better one - if anyone knows of one. Something a little different and more modern? Michael Tippett Concerto for Violin, Viola and Cello Gyorgy Pauk, Nobuko Imai, Ralph Kirshbaum London Symphony Sir Colin Davis Philips 6514 209 Stereo Holland And if you want another masterful performance - but a so so recording: Mozart Violin concertos 3 & 5 Yehudi Menuhin Bath Festival Robert Masters Angel S 34745 Stereo US I am still struggling to find an Angel recording I like! Should add the Paganini too, whilst we are at it: Paganini / Mozart Violin Concerto 1 / Violin Concerto 4 Jiri Novak Prague Symphony Vaclav Smetacek Supraphon Unknown number Mono Czech That happens to be the best Supraphon recording I have ever come across - I think the older Supraphons are better and this is an excellent example of the fact. Did you mention the Sibelius as another newer composition? I think you did. The best performance/sonics I have come across for this one is: Sibelius Violin Concerto Jascha Heifetz Chicago Symphony Walter Hendl RCA Victor Red Seal LSC 2435 Stereo US Living Stereo of course. The Tchaikovsky? Well this one is remarkably good! Tchaikovsky Concerto for Violin - Meditation Tibor Varga Festival Jean-Marie Auberson EMI PA-V50-1-001 Stereo Germany In fact I often use this Tchaikovsky as a demo for my system. And to finish off with a few worthwhile selections: Various The Splendour of the Violin Franco Gulli Unicef FC N13 A Stereo US This has excerpts from several wonderful pieces and the recording is to die for. The Corelli is as good as my DECCA recording - and this disk was virtually free. Oh yes - Vivaldi: Vivaldi Concerto for Violin and strings 3,8,10,11 Angelicum A.Ceccato/A.Zedda Audio Fidelity Records FCS 50036 Stereo US And the 4 seasons: Vivaldi The Four Seasons Konstanty Kulka Stuttgart Chamber Karl Munchinger Decca JB 63 Stereo UK And something that isnt really Violin concerto as such - but it has elements that would fool the casual listener: Vivaldi The Mandolin Concerti/Concerto for Violino Discordato Bonifacio Bianchi/Piero Toso Solisti Veneti Claudio Scimone Musical Heritage Society MHS 1100 Stereo US And finally - I promise this time. I have just started sorting out my SACD collection - now that I can play them. This is a wonderful recording: SACD Tchaikovsky / Mendelssohn Violin Concerto in D Major / Violin Concerto in E Minor Concerto Isaac Stern Philadelphia Eugene Ormandy SS 6062 Sony 2 channel only Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maxg Posted November 30, 2004 Share Posted November 30, 2004 That's funny why did this thread die a death?? Are violin conerto's less popular? Did I overdo the recommendations? Considering some of the other classical posts got so much interest where are all the classical lovers now? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dubai2000 Posted November 30, 2004 Author Share Posted November 30, 2004 Max, thanks so much for your list. No, I don't think it's too long and I don't really think it's this particular genre either. I guess most people around here prefer to exchange views on equipment - fine. I do enjoy reading those threads as well but somehow I think it's also fun to talk about the reason for all those purchases: music! Perhaps classical music is indeed too 'alien' to many people around here - after all it is an acquired taste, but certainly not something one cannot get into - and who knows, perhaps some people get curious, check some link(s) provided by Larry and actually end up adding a classical CD to their collection. It goes without saying that such recordings of unamplified music are also an excellent source to evalutate a system's strengths and weaknesses . Wolfram Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LarryC Posted December 1, 2004 Share Posted December 1, 2004 Below are many of my favorite works for violin and orchestra, prefaced by comments on the violin. HOWEVER, I do want to ask readers what they think the value of the links I've been entering for you to easily hear pertinent audio samples! The links are there for those who are not familiar with the works or have any idea what they sound like. So far, I have little feed back on whether the samples help anyone to decide if they like the piece or whether to get a CD. Are they worth my trouble? The links do not go directly to samples, unfortunately -- they go to a web page for a particular recording, and the viewer must scroll down a few screens until you see the Media Player and RealOne hypertext choices. Then, just click on the movement or movements of your choice. The violin and violin concertos: The violin is a fabulous instrument, soulful, happy or angry as the player and composer wish. At its best and on a great violin, it's tone is beautiful and at times otherworldly. To me, the purity of its tone sets it apart from the rather raw and menlacholy tone of its slightly bigger brother viola and from the singing but also somewhat huskier tone of the cello. Those who have the Beethoven Triple Concerto can hear how the cello's tone differs from the violin even way up in the violin's range, as Beethoven frequently wrote it in this work. Another comparison, this time with the viola, can be heard in the Mozart Sinfonia Concertante for violin, viola and orchestra, which can be sampled here. The violin is extremely acrobatic and flexible in how it is played, as Stephane Grappelli's work shows (dare I mention Vanessa-Mae?). In classical, a number of composers have written astounding pyrotechnics for the violin, which I can list some other time. Meanwhile, even though the great violin concertos are much more restrained, all show great, in fact astonishing, knowledge by the composer of how to write and play for the violin. One cannot doubt that Bach, Beethoven, Vivaldi, and of course Paganini, could play the instrument very well. Other composers like Mendelssohn and Tchaikovsky had to have some expert violinist help, but produced great works nevertheless. Vivaldi's Four Seasons is almost too well-known to need listening links. Be aware that each season is a full three-movement concerto (almost all concertos have three movements, fast-slow-faster), for a total of 12 movements. some of them can be sampled here. Bach wrote three absolutely great concertos: one in A minor, one in E major, and one for two violins, the "Double" concerto in D minor. The slow movements from each is very special. Sample here. Mozart tossed off his five violin concerto when he was 19 or so. They are exquisite like no one else's, and I particularly recommend Nos. 3, 4, and 5 ("Turkish"). I suggest sampling as many of the movements as you wish from here. Beethoven's great concerto is sometimes regarded as the greatest, though it is a bit on the subdued side for me. Note that, after Mozart, composers tended to write only one or occasionally two violin concertos. This one belongs in collections that have the Mendelssohn, Tchaikovsky, and Brahms v. concertos. It can be sampled here. (This link is to the CD; the new Living Stereo SACD would be most preferable.) The Mendelssohn violin concerto may be an overall favorite, and is highly recommended. A fine recording, which also includes the beautiful Concerto No. 1 by Max Bruch, can be sampled here. Bruch also wrote a pleasant three-movement "Scottish Fantasy" on Scottish themes, for violin and orchestra. A really interesting and attractive work is the five-movement Symphonie Espagnole for violin and orchestra by Edouard Lalo. It has lots of beautiful and dazzling violin work. This one also contains the pretty but somewhat second-tier Saint-Saens concerto No. 3. The firey, extremely pyrotechnical Concerto No. 1 by Nicolo Paganini must be mentioned. It's one of a kind. It's real strength, however, is the beautiful Italianate melodies, nicely mixed in with extremely difficult violin playing, sampled here. Tchaikovsky's violin concerto is beautiful and demanding, and sometimes not always a comfortable combination of the two, but is very Russian in mood, and well worth considering. Sample this older Heifetz recording, which also contains the Mendelssohn concerto. Finally, I am not a fan of 20th century concertos, surely my provincialism. One I have liked at times is the Khachaturian. Not my strongest recommendation! Happy listening! Larry Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maxg Posted December 1, 2004 Share Posted December 1, 2004 Larry, Superb post! I freely admtt to following some of your links myself - how else to make the collection grow? I would not worry too much about feedback (I never have) The grat thing about posts like this is that they stay in the forum for months if not ywaes to come. Others will find what you wrote and follow up on the links - probably long after you have forgotten writing the piece. I will follow some of these links tomorrow - right now I am at home listening to Schubert - the unfinished, and cant tear myself away. Anyway between you Wolfram and I we must have covered most of the ground for Violin Concerto's. What next? Cello concerto's? Not the rich pickings of the Violin but in some ways just as wonderful... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dubai2000 Posted December 2, 2004 Author Share Posted December 2, 2004 Well, the thought that these threads might turn out useful in the long run is certainly worth bearing in mind . We have indeed compiled quite a list of concertos (though of course it could easily be extended: how about concertos by 20th century composers such as Bartok, Glass, Barber or Penderecki?). But yes, I guess it's time to move on...... Wolfram Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stan krajewski Posted December 2, 2004 Share Posted December 2, 2004 Lets not forget the Prokofiev violin concerto. I don't remember if its the #1 or #2. One of them is good and the other is a 20th century masterpiece. Its extremely romantic, very accessible and it allows the soloist to show his virtuosity. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maxg Posted December 3, 2004 Share Posted December 3, 2004 Damn Stan - its gorgeous!!! I am listening to it now courtesy of Naxos.com from a best of Prokofiev album of their's. For reference Prokofiev, Sergey: Violin Concerto No. 1 in D major, Op. 19: Moderato 8.556681 PROKOFIEV (The Best of) - Timing: 08:54 This ability to listen instantly to pieces of music on line is quite staggering sometimes. Actually I just found 8.553494 PROKOFIEV: Violin Concertos Nos. 1 and 2 / Sonata in D Major Might be a better choice. I am now listening to No.2 Allegro Moderato. I think I will get both! Thanks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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