advertisement


Favourite Tchaikovsky violin concerto recording?

In regard to the musicianship of particular performing artists being recorded....(comparing the individual 'human interpretative contributions' from either say a pianist or violinist) : a violinist has a far greater advantage. They can easily quickly adjust the quality of the sound of their instrument , using their own personal judgement 'on the spot'.
Imagine a pianist...saying " Before I start to play...hang on a minute. I am just going to get out the tools , climb around and first re-tune the piano!"

Long ago I stopped looking for 'this or that best performance' of many classical works .
With our music collections getting more and more insanely larger ,there has been so many versions available , we can compare. To observe the changing trends in Artists' performance style, technique and approach -down through the years. All are to be admired and appreciated.

Imagine, living back in the day when a lot of these works were being composed. Audiences were lucky to hear a performance -live . And then perhaps -only once maybe twice in their own lifetime.
 
Del monaco said:
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.
Click to expand...
Let's not forget also the Violin Concertos by Prokofiev ( both 1 &2) , Mendelsohn, Walton, Britten , Khachaturian, Bruch's or Lalo's Symphonie Espagnole . Yesterday I was playing Pinchas Zuckerman's version of the abovementioned Lalo -on a Sony /CBS 'Sony Essentials' budget -priced CD.I have seen him perform live -chamber works. I must admit that in the past , I have tended to overlook Zuckerman as a 'dazzling star front -runner'. Misjudging and under-rating him against other more promoted artists.
Listening though , to examples tlike the Lalo performance: instead , Zuckerman turns in some jaw-dropping truly -unbelievable virtuoso technique work.
He therefore joins a group of artists known and appreciated - where although having all the fire - brand capabilities of performing technique "to show off and burn the place -down " , keeps such things in reserve for musical passages that truly demand such a display.
Another performer reputed too, for the same aspect and physical capabilities was Geza Anda - the famed Mozart pianist.





































































































































































































.
 
Too true. There's a plethora of interesting works out there and I do agree with your Zuckerman comments. He seemed a modest chap who let the music speak for itself. I really don't listen to many of the more modern players but I do love Vengerov's recording of Prokofiev and Shostakovich's first Violin Concertos. I'm especially enamoured with his passionate playing of the Shostakovich where his playing seems to light the music from within . Truly stunning. This is unusual as I find him detached in some other works. Perhaps the conductor Rostropovich inspired him to greater depths.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.


advertisement


Back
Top