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Favourite Tchaikovsky violin concerto recording?

PaulMB

PaulMB

pfm Member
As per title, does anyone have a favourite recording of this? I've been listening to Oistrakh (1975?) with the PO and Ormandy, Perlman with the same (1978) and Vadim Repin with the Kirov Orchestra, Gergiev, live, (2002).
So far I'm inclining towards the Oistrakh, but maybe someone can suggest others.
 
Thank you both. Heiftz and Milstein seems like going back a bit, but I suppose not much more than Oistrakh. I see that there is a CD of Pinchas Zukerman doing it, and while I realise that he is not considered one of the "greats," I heard him live once, all by himself, and his charm, humanity and passion were impressive.
 
I also love Isaac Stern as well. His Hindemith and a Barber with Bernstein are something to behold. Yes, I do go back a bit but IMO today's violinists rarely match the technique or artistry of these players. Zuckerman was a great player. I love the Triple concerto with Stern etc. Wonderful players, all. I cannot think of any modern players that match these. IMO Heifetz is unequalled and most modern violinists would probably agree. Some modern players can't even play in tune. I love Vengerov in Shostakovick but his IMO his Tchaikovsky was fairly pedestrian.
 
On disc, Heifetz/Reiner and Gitlis/Horenstein are both wonderful. I heard Hilary Hahn play it in person before her recording came out, and she is much better live. It's kind of disappointing that a more recent recording hasn't quite lived up to recordings of the distant past, though I listen to this work comparatively rarely and don't investigate too many recordings.
 
More of a Beethoven fan...

Currently have five recordings:

A) Vinyl:

a. Christian Ferras (v)/BPO/Karajan
b. Anne Sophie Mutter (v)/BPO/Karajan

B) CD:

a. David Oistrakh (v)/ONRF/Cluytens
b. Pinchas Zukerman (v)/LAPO/Mehta
c. Itshak Perlman (v)/Philharmonia/Giulini

The performance/recording I enjoy most is the Perlman/Philharmonia/Giulini (it also gets played the most). Oistrakh next...

The Ferras recording was my first purchase back in ~1970
The Mutter recording was the most recent purchase (~2013)

While recording quality is a factor, for me the performance is the major criteria.

Other violin concerti I enjoy: Tchaikovsky, Bruch, Mendelsohn (have a few with Kennedy, Menuhin as soloists in various permutations).
 
Del monaco said:
You old romantic you.
Click to expand...

Well, as it was written in 1806 it can't be described as romantic period really...but there are strong arguments for applying the label to post-eroica Beethoven (a good conversation to have down the pub - I'm in sussex by the way - as opposed to here). Do re-read my post on the other thread; I never said I dislike romantic music - but I could live without the composers you mentioned. I positively adore Schumann, Schubert, Brahms, Dvorak, Scriabin, Rachmaninov and many other composers described as romantic.
 
Alfredo Campoli - A wonderfully lyrical violinist. He used to describe the Tchaikovsky as 'A bit of a boxing match'.

G
 
Though I've always loved Tchaikovsky, there are many other great concertos. My favourite is the Sibelius but I do often listen to Barber, Korngold, the Bruch Concertos,Shostakovich and Mozart(No 3 is wonderful and may just be the greatest).

One very special recording is the Barber with Bernstein and Stern.Almost perfect.
 
Someone or other is having a crack at the Violin Conc at the Proms on BBC 4 tonight at 7:30. I shall give it a watch.
 
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