Anybody like Stavinsky's Violin Concerto in D?

[pauln]

Tried out my new cartridge (it's excellent) with the Stavinsky conducts Stavinsky recording of his Violin Concerto in D Major 1931 with Isaac Stern on the fiddle. Stravinsky was 80 years old for this session. I had another recording of this I listened to in the early 70's by another violinist (forgot who) that did not have as much emphasiss on the flutes and clarinets. This particular recording here is quite wonderfull.

I have always thought that the influence of Einstein's theory of relativity was expressed in the visual arts by the onset of Cubism, and the expression of relativity in music was best done by Stravinsky, especially in this violin concerto - musical cubism!

This is a non-standard concerto in that there are four movements - two "second movements" both of which are very beautiful. I am intrigued by the complexity of the whole work. There are places where the violin is intentionally played sharp in some double stops, other times Stern plays falt on purpose. The time signature changes often as does the key. A lot of the concerto sounds Bach-like, and I imagine that although all the illustrations of Bach seem to always represent him as frowning, I imagine that if he was sitting next to me while listening to this work he wouold have a big grin on his face (as I did) listening to it.

Anyway, any discussion of Stavinsky always brings up the Firebird Suite which I have never heard - this violin concerto is the only peice of Stavinsky with which I am familiar. Who else likes it?

Pauln

[LarryC]

I haven't heard (or heard of!) the Violin Concerto, am now intrigued a bit by your description. While I actually don't like many of Stravinsky's works, some surprise me with beauty.

Be sure to listen to both Firebird and the Rite of Spring some time! Both are ballets; Firebird was earlier and is quite attractively tonal, while The Rite of Spring is a powerful, dissonant work.

The Rite of Spring is renowned for having initiated the 20th-century modern era in music in a single performance in 1913, something unique in the history of music AFAIK -- its alien sound and power created a riot in the audience at its world premiere! It has a terrible fascination even now. The world was destabilizing and coming apart in some ways in 1913 (advancing arms and militarism, labor unrest, teettering monarchies), and the Rite probably symbolized and crystallized that in the music world.

Larry

[maxg]

That's funny Larry - I dont know it either. I have several Stravinsky works including the ones you mentioned and Petroushka which is a favorite work of the bunch.

I also have Les Noces (Orchestral with vocal), Chant du Rossignol (Symphonic Poem) a Piano concerto and Circus Polka.

But no violin concerto - considering the Violin concerto is one of my favorite forms I wonder how I never picked it up.

Nice to get a heads up on the forum every now and again.

[leok]

I'm not familiar with the Violin Concerto (as in didn't know it

existed), but Stravinsky is one of my favorites. Thanks for the tip,

I'll look up the version you mentioned.

Leo

[dubai2000]

You might also consider the Perlman version conducted by Seiji Ozawa on

DG. The coupling is the Berg Violin Concerto. I remember that first I

liked the Stavinsky more, but since then the (musically more

complex/modern) Berg has been played more often. I guess it's time to

give the Stravinsky another spin (on LP []) soon.

Wolfram

[pauln]

Well now I look forward to reading all your thoughts on this work. It has been one of my deep favorites for the last 30 years - surprising it is not more well known. It has everything I like, incredible counter point, unique harmonies, both of the two second movements always water my eyes with their absolute beauty, some parts of the first and last movements are strikingly abstract without sounding "modern", some parts sound like an orchestra before a concert with various different sections warming up independently, yet composed and whole overall.

Pauln

[oldtimer]

Tried out my new cartridge (it's excellent) with the Stavinsky conducts Stavinsky recording of his Violin Concerto in D Major 1931 with Isaac Stern on the fiddle. Stravinsky was 80 years old for this session. I had another recording of this I listened to in the early 70's by another violinist (forgot who) that did not have as much emphasiss on the flutes and clarinets. This particular recording here is quite wonderfull.

I have always thought that the influence of Einstein's theory of relativity was expressed in the visual arts by the onset of Cubism, and the expression of relativity in music was best done by Stravinsky, especially in this violin concerto - musical cubism!

This is a non-standard concerto in that there are four movements - two "second movements" both of which are very beautiful. I am intrigued by the complexity of the whole work. There are places where the violin is intentionally played sharp in some double stops, other times Stern plays falt on purpose. The time signature changes often as does the key. A lot of the concerto sounds Bach-like, and I imagine that although all the illustrations of Bach seem to always represent him as frowning, I imagine that if he was sitting next to me while listening to this work he wouold have a big grin on his face (as I did) listening to it.

Anyway, any discussion of Stavinsky always brings up the Firebird Suite which I have never heard - this violin concerto is the only peice of Stavinsky with which I am familiar. Who else likes it?

Pauln

Nah, Bach never smiled.

[pauln]

There were those 20 children, you know...

[pauln]

Well, it's been a while - has anyone found this great work?

[Bill H.]

I think I found it on Amazon- listed as Concerto in D for Strings.......hope this is correct.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00008Y4IM/103-4261813-8037400?v=glance&n=5174

[pauln]

That's not it, but this one has it:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000006BAO/qid=1144001811/sr=1-2/ref=sr_1_2/002-4741119-2361603?s=music&v=glance&n=5174

And you can hear some of it at the site.

[stan krajewski]

Stravinsky is one of my favorite composers. My favorite works of his

are the Symphony in C and the Symphony in three movements and

Agon.

I have heard the violin concerto many years ago. A work with a

staggering amount of notes in constant change. A re-listen is now a

must for me. I have acquired patience over the years.

Stravinsky, I think, is one of those love him or hate him

composers. He is just about the easiest composer to identify even

if you never heard the piece.

Thanks for the post. It's time I get back into some Stravinsky.

[pauln]

The one I have is Columbia MS 6331 Stravinsky Conducts Stravinski - Violin Concerto in D (1931) with Isaac Stern on the violin, Columbia Symphony Orchestra - in honor of Stravinski's 80th birthday. I listened to another version 30+ years ago done by a violinist who's name I don't recall. I do remember that that version had much less emphasis on the woodwinds and flutes, and the violinist's approach was quite agressive with very hard bowing pressure and almost a scratchy sound where he would hit the strings and let the bow bounce on them to get an edgy emphasis. Isaac Stern's playing is fairly agressive in parts - I noticed in both recordings that there are some strange things going on. In both, there are passages where the violin is double stopped (playing two notes, or two part melodies) where some notes are definitely deliberatly played flat or sharp, depending on the part in the music. This is a deviation from traditional 12 tone Western music and creates very subtle and complicated (transcendent?) sounds...

What you mention about the staggering amount of notes in constant change - I like it. I used to listen to a lot of the more serious instrumental music of Frank Zappa, and some parts of Zappa are cut from the same cloth as Stravinski - showers of notes that change time signature, change key, change modality, change texture... very unusual harmonic and melodic structures that interact and work musically... some parts of this Stravinski concerto where the massed flutes are playing a complicated choral counterpart against the cellos and basses sound very much like what I have heard in the best of Zappa.

Relativity in Science and Cubism in Art were major influences in the first part of the last century - Stravinsky completed the Trinity by interpreting Relativity and Cubism in his music.

Anyway, I loved this work for decades and always enjoy discovering more in it each time I play it. I'm surprized it's not more well known - hope more find it to enjoy.

Paul

[Speedball]

Thanks for the tip about Violin Concert in D.

It's just CD but I regularly play Stranvinsky with the Cincinatti Symphony Orchestra on it is the Firebird Suite ........and a "Best Of Stravinsky 1882-1971" disc. This type of music sounds exceptional with the Klipsch horn speakers.

Speaking of children there is a movie titled Music Of The Heart and I believe Issac Stern, Itsac Perlman and another big time Fiddle player are in this movie. It's about Fiddlefest, a program done by the school music dept. in Harlem New York at Carnige Hall. We just watched this movie for the 3rd time and it's pretty good.