Mendelssohn/Bruch: Violin Concertos

1. Violin Concerto in E minor, Op. 64
Composed by Felix Mendelssohn
with Sir Yehudi Menuhin
Conducted by Efrem Kurtz

2. Violin Concerto No.1, in G minor, Op. 26
Composed by Max Bruch
with Sir Yehudi Menuhin
Conducted by Walter Susskind

Tracks:

Violin Concerto In E Minor, Op. 64: I. Allegro molto appassionato
Violin Concerto In E Minor, Op. 64: II. Andante
Violin Concerto In E Minor, Op. 64: III. Allegretto non troppo - Allegro molto vivace
Violin Concerto No 1 In G minor, op.26: I. Introduction: Allegro moderato
Violin Concerto No 1 In G minor, op.26: II. Adagio
Violin Concerto No 1 In G minor, op.26: III. Finale: Allegro energico
Scottish Fantasia For Violin And Orchestra , Op.46: I. Introduction: Grave - Adagio cantabile
Scottish Fantasia For Violin And Orchestra , Op.46: II. Allegro
Scottish Fantasia For Violin And Orchestra,Op.46: III. Andante sostenuto
Scottish Fantasia For Violin And Orchestra,Op.46: IV. Finale: Allegro guerriero

Customer Reviews:

In response to James P. Sheehan.......2007-05-06

This review is in response to gripes by the aforementioned reviewer regarding the "excessive" dynamic range on this CD.

Sound engineers do not purposely "exaggerate" dynamic range on discs - in fact, if you were familiar with modern sound engineering, you would know that a prevalent problem nowadays is the *reduction* of dynamic range (compression) in order to win the "loudness race". I do not know of a single disc out there that had its dynamic range artificially "expanded", if this is even possible.

In other words, your playback equipment is to fault - it is (sadly) typical for lower end audio equipment to not reproduce low level information well; it vanishes, making fortissimos startling and pianissimos absent. Or perhaps you are listening to this disc in a noisy environment, with low level information getting lost in the haze of environmental noise.

Regardless of the reason, I feel that your opinion on this disc's sound quality should be taken with more than a small pinch of salt given the information that I have relayed here.

This is the BEST bruch out there.......2005-04-07

i have heard over 20 different recordings of Bruch violin concerto No.1. i strongly recommend this recording to anyone. this is the best out there. no kidding. i put this in #1 spot where oistrakh's recording also belongs to. Those 2 recordings are different and both excellent. IF YOU LIKE THIS PEICE, YOU HAVE TO LISTEN THIS.

Awkward playing.......2005-03-28

You can do much better for the Mendelssohn and Bruch. You may have to get them separately, but Isaac Stern does them much better. I find Ms. Chung's playing to be uneven, choppy and full of seams. The phrasing is not smooth. Her vibrato is also very sloppy in places. Frankly, having listened to several recordings of these two pieces over many years I would have to keep these
discs out of the running entirely. I would recommend Stern or
Francescatti in the Bruch and Stern in the Mendelssohn. You get
the tops Tchaikovsky performance as well if you get Stern (with score cuts in overly repetitive measures).

Very nice, kinda overrated here.......2004-06-11

I bought this CD after reading many of the enthusiastic reviews here. And while I agree that her playing is at times beguiling and masterful, and that the sound quality is astounding, I find much of her phrasing breathless and confused (especially in the Mendelssohn). She often "swallows" the notes at the bottom end of a run, then scratches back in catching up. She overplays her hand rather gaudily at times, with no appreciable intent. It is not a "seamless" performance, like that of Heifetz, but broken up into smaller chunks of musical (and emotive) effort.

I applaud her determined effort to take risks and give fresh voice to these pieces, but I find that she doesn't seem to demonstrate that she knows where she's going often enough to gain my full confidence. I have listened a few times now to both her Bruch and her Mendelssohn performances on this CD, and have found new delights and discoveries -- but just as many disappointments and "so whats?"

I think the quality of this recording's technical production is one of its flaws: it's like a sound geek's dynamic-range tour-de-force. The violin is jammed in your face. When the orchestra is faint, it's too faint, and when it's loud, well, it fairly bursts. I think the guys at the mixing console were maybe a little too interested in what they COULD do, and less interested in what was appropriate.

I agree that the recording does in some ways capture the excitement and urgency of a live performance, but quite frankly, it's a CD. I also purchased a Heifetz recording of the Mendelssohn concerto, and man, I've listened to that bad-boy about 87 times in a row. But, that's unfair -- the two violinists are nothing at all alike.

In a nutshell: Kyung-Wha Chung will take you on an engaging, sometimes exciting tour of these showpieces. But she (with a little "help" from her sound crew) is sometimes like a chatty tour guide with a big megaphone.

Definitive Mendelssohn, phenomenal poetry in the Bruch(s).......2003-08-06

...I feel obliged to say something, as I believe this is one of the outstanding must-have cds of recent years.
Kyung Wha Chung cut these legendary recordings in the 70s (Bruch) and early 80s (Mendelssohn), with fantastic analogue sound and outstanding orchestral rapport. She plays the Mendelssohn with a pace which brings out the sheer joy and beauty of the music, free of lingering exaggerated sentimentality. If ever there was a modern masterpiece, this recording is one. The sound is sweet and virile, and in this as in so many of her recordings she plays as if she is capturing a live performance, not the stereotyped studio. There is a spontaneity so often lacking in studio recordings, which doesn't fade with repeated hearings.
The Bruch Concerto is also wonderfully fresh, a real breath of life in a much-recorded work. (Astonishingly, she plays this work even more beguilingly later with Klaus Tennstedt, coupled with the Beethoven, another must-have recording). I first heard this Kempe collaboration of the Bruch Concerto and Scottish Fantasy when it was released on vinyl, long ago played into scratched oblivion as was the way with my favourite LPs. Hearing the CD is just magical. Even the fabulous Heifetz Mendelssohn (Munch) and Bruch (Sargent) recordings don't eclipse Kyung Wha Chung's legendary performances, which are appropriately remastered on the Decca Legends label

Bruch, Mendelssohn, Mozart: Violin Concertos

Average customer rating:

Not a very good recording
Joshua Bell in His Element
A good compilation from the younger Joshua Bell

Bruch, Mendelssohn, Mozart: Violin Concertos

Manufacturer: Decca
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Violin Favourites & Virtuoso Showpieces

ASIN: B0007WQHVC
Release Date: 2005-04-12

Tracks:

I. Vorspiel: Allegro Moderato
II. Adagio
III. Finale: Allegro Energico
I. Allegro Molto Appassionato
III. Andante
III. Allegretto Non Troppo - Allegro Molto Vivace

Tracks:

I. Allegro
II. Adagio
III. Rondeau
Adagio In E Major For Violin And Orchestra, K261
I. Allegro Aperto
II. Adagio
III. Rondeau - Tempo Di Minuetto
Rondo In C Major For Violin And Orchestra, K373

Customer Reviews:

Not a very good recording.......2007-02-07

I don't think Joshua Bell plays this pieces very well... Its a shame that artists like Oistrakh and Milstein are forgotten when people go out to buy joshua bell cds (Must be the marketing strategy)... Kyung Wha Chung's recordings of these two pieces feature better sound and much better performances than this pitiful violinist

Joshua Bell in His Element.......2006-12-10

After reviewing the CD of Joshua Bell and Neville Marriner performing the Bruch G minor and the Mendelssohn E minor concerti, this listener realized that the CD is no longer available. BUT here is an even better option: on this generous 2 CD set are not only the original recordings of the Bruch and Mendelssohn but also a re-emergence of an absolutely exquisite recording of Mozart works that make this available CD one to buy immediately.

Having addressed the Bruch and Mendelssohn in a prior review, let it be said that there are few recordings of the Mozart concertos No. 3 in G major and No. 5 in A major that can compare with these 1992 performances by Bell and the English Chamber Orchestra conducted by Peter Maag. The playing is sweet and tender and technically secure as well as being played with heart. Bell uses his own cadenzas as has become his trademark and without exception these cadenzas show the amount of insight and careful study behind Bell's performances.

As an added bonus to the Mozart CD, Bell and Maag offer the 'Adagio in E major', K261 and the 'Rondo in C major', K373 and once again it would be difficult to find finer recordings of these two gems in the current library. This is a splendid set of CDs offering two hours of perfect playing from one of our finest violinists on the stage today. Highly recommended. Grady Harp, December 06

A good compilation from the younger Joshua Bell.......2005-08-22

These are rereleases of previous recordings by Joshua Bell the teenager. The Bruch and Mendelssohn are from 1988 and the two Mozart concertos, plus embellishments, are from 1992.

The principal difference between these recordings and the work Bell does today is in style. Compared to his now lean and mean approach, Bell played in a warmer, more romantic style in these recordings, where he was given appropriate accompaniment by the English Chamber Orchestra under the late Peter Maag in Mozart, and by the Academy of St. Martin's in the Fields led by Neville Marriner in the romantic concertos.

Since Bell later re-recorded the Mendelssohn concerto (in 2000 with Roger Norrington and the Salzburg Academy Orchestra) it is easiest to note the differences in that work. The timings for the Mendelssohn are consistently broader in the older recording and his style is consistently more romantic.

Bell and Marriner play up the finale into a blaze or romantic language, picking up the pace at the very end. The Bruch concerto is similar in style and temperament. To my ears, the playing by the Academy and leadership by Marriner in the Mendelssohn is inferior to the 2000 recording.

For most listeners, the more notable release is the two Mozart concertos and the K.261 adagio & K.373 rondo that fills the disk, music that has been out of print for some time. Here, Bell is in territory with the greatest violinists of today and yesterday, recording Mozart's famed Concertos No. 3 and 5, the so-called "Turkish" concerto for its national dance in the final movement.

In this music, Bell again demonstrates a more committed and somewhat romanticized approach with flexible phrasing. That flexibility sometimes threw me, as I was a bit put off by the brief tenuto he employs at the beginning of certain phrases, espeically when the violin makes its initial entry after an orchestral tutti.

Aside from this, I found no objectionalbe tendencies...assuming you can live with Bell's own cadenzas in the Mozart. I found these worked part of the time and didn't work so well part of the time. Bell plays the traditional cadenzas in the Mendelssohn, something he changes in his later recording.

Bell has several outstanding moments in the Mozart concertos. The adagio of the Concerto No. 3 is especially lovely, handled with utmost care and sensitivity by both the soloist and accompanist.

In addtion, the "Turkish" section -- Tempo di minuetto -- in the finale of the Concerto No. 5 springs forth with life and brings distinction to an otherwise ordinary performance. All the while, Bell receives outstanding accompaniment from the Mozart specialist, Peter Maag, and the ECO.

I compared these recordings to a pair of collections I have at home, one by Augustin Dumay and the Salzburg Academy Orchestra and another by Pinchas Zukerman and the St. Paul Chamber Orchestra. Bell's performances compare most readily to Zukerman's 25-year-old recordings.

Both take a healthy, romantic view of the music and play it the way David Oistrakh does on his stereo recordings. Bell's accompaniment is twice as good as that given to Zukerman by the St. Paul group, whose scrappy playing seriously downgrades his meaty interpretation.

The Dumay recording of Mozart Concertos 3-5 takes the more modern chamber-period approach with faster speeds, more clipped phrasing and a complete lack of pathos, sentiment and romance. I find the music works well either way (it is Mozart, after all!) and either recording will bring pleasure.

This two CD set sells for a list price of $18, making it a 2-for-1 proposition. It is eminently worth your money if the collection is one you are seeking and you enjoy the old fashioned romantic approach.

Average customer rating:

Youthful excitement and Passion fuel Mendelssohn
Stunning, energetic performances!
unbridled, unrefined,un-thoughtful
The ONE for Mendelssohn conerto!
LOVE IT!!

Janine Jansen: Concertos & Romance

Manufacturer: Decca
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B000JRYMDU
Release Date: 2007-01-09

Tracks:

1. Allegro molto appassionato
2. Andante
3. Allegro non troppo - Allegro molto vivace
Romance in F for Viola & Orchestra, Op.85
1. Vorspiel (Allegro moderato)
2. Adagio
3. Finale (Allegro energico)

Album Description

Janine Jansen has gained a worldwide critical following for her fresh look at the pillars of core violin repertoire and her intense and lyrical approach to the music. After her successful Vivaldi Four Seasons recording, Jansen presents her first major concerto album. This recording, conducted by Riccardo Chailly, has strong historical and musical connections--the Leipzig Gewandhaus Orchester was conducted by Mendelssohn for many years and the group premiered his concerto in 1844. This recording also presents a real discovery, the Bruch's Romance for Viola & Orchestra, recorded on disc on viola for the first time.

Customer Reviews:

Youthful excitement and Passion fuel Mendelssohn.......2007-06-26

Janine Jansen is a wonderful young performer who brings a fresh, totally live sound to this favorite.
5 stars!

Stunning, energetic performances!.......2007-06-19

Janine Jansen is one of the finest young classical violinists in the world today. Her performance of the Mendelssohn Violin Concerto in E minor, is thrilling! While I may not have the musical pedigree to comment on every nuance of her performance, let me say, if you like classical music, you are going to really like this CD! I did, it's that simple. Energetic, passionate, romantic...emotion pours out of Ms. Jansen. While her tone is certainly beautiful and extraordinary, it is the "romance" in this CD that swept me away. She plays the violin dangerously and with abandon! She holds nothing back. In the end, it just works, and it does so really really well, in my opinion. The other selections by Bruch are also quite good and I enjoyed them as well, but it's the Mendelssohn that makes this CD one of my absolute favorites.

unbridled, unrefined,un-thoughtful.......2007-04-27

In this crowded field of recordings of Mendelssohn and Bruch's popular concertos, the way Jansen and Chailly decided to distinguish themselves is to take the extreme virtuosic approach to these works and at the same time allows their emotions to dictate in order to maximize the excitement. The Mendelssohn is like a freight train charging through the night rather than a mid summer night's frolic. I must admit that at times I was enthralled by some of the vituosic passages in the Mendelssohn's. But overall, there is no substance to the performance. Jansen's playing is uneven, exciting at times, and yet there are plenty of dull moments where she sounds sluggish and muddled. Orchestral accompliment is woefully lacking in details. Fortes are over-used and there's no elasticity in the sound. The performer and the conductor did not relish in the interplays between the violin and the orchestra, partly I think this has to do with placing the violin much closer to the microphone in order to make the violin stand out. The Bruch's concerto does not render itself as well to such approach taken by Jensen and Chailly and the result is a sophorific performance. I find my attention drifting after the openning passage of the work. I would recommend the Mendenssohn to listener interested in an virtuosic approach to this work. For the Bruch's, one should look else where.

The ONE for Mendelssohn conerto!.......2007-03-29

This is an absolutely stunning performance! Although I love Mendelssohn's violin concerto so much I hesitated buying this CD at once. I just had hard time finding the ONE recording for my taste believe or not. However this beautiful young lady impressed me way much more than I expected! Wonderful feeling, power, technique are there with a great tonality. Orchestra/Chally is superb, really a great work all together. I guess this will stop me from hunting for another great recording of the Mendelssohn for a while. By the way, Bruch concerto is also quiet nice (Kyung Hwa Chung's is still my favorite) and the viola romance is just so beautiful! It is hard to get disappointed with this recording so try it!

LOVE IT!!.......2007-03-26

Love it, especially the Bruch. The only reason for 4 stars is that this live recording is a little 'far away'....as a record producer, it annoys me when the recording sounds more distant then when I hear Janine live in a concert hallI

Average customer rating:

Midori has the technique, but it's hard to find a personality here
Heifetz still my favorite Bruch
The best Mendelssohn and Bruch in years
Totally Awesome
Very Powerful & Compelling-DEFINATE MUST HAVE CD

Mendelssohn, Bruch: Violin Concertos

Manufacturer: Sony
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B0000AYL0M
Release Date: 2003-08-26

Tracks:

I. Allegro Molto Appassionato
II. Andante
III. Allegretto Non Torppo-Allegro Molto Vivace
I. Vorspiel. Allegro Moderato
II. Adagio
III. Finale. Allegro Energico

Amazon.com

Midori is a grown-up and is no longer being judged by--and for--her age, and for those who aren't aware of it, she has become, quite simply, a great violinist. These two concerti--such favorites that each is represented by almost two dozen available recordings--are wonderfully played here. The gorgeous opening melody of the Mendelssohn sets the tone; the sweetness Midori gets from her violin is instantly captivating. The middle movement avoids sentimentality while remaining songful and the finale is light and airy, with the bow seemingly barely touching the strings. The Bruch opens with just the right dark, introverted mystery (such a different mood from the end of the Mendelssohn that you may want to pause a moment before beginning it!), the central Adagio is sheer poetry and the finale brilliantly sparkling without a hint of "look-at-me" arrogance. The live recordings are vivid and the audience clearly brings out the best in both soloist and orchestra, all under the caring, balanced eye of Mariss Jansons. This is now the preferred versions of these concerti on discs. --Robert Levine

Customer Reviews:

Midori has the technique, but it's hard to find a personality here.......2006-07-24

Given her huge Japanese fan base, I imagine Midori will be commercially viable forever. She is prominent enough for Sony to lavish the Berlin Phil. and Mariss Janosons on her recording of the Mendelssohn and Bruch concertos. The orchestra couldn't sound more splendid, so full and rich, in fact, that they overshadow the soloist. Miked fairly far back (a rarity nowadays) Midori hides in the shadow of the orchestra, and her small, delicate sound seems too understated.

There's no doubt she plays very sweetly and engagingly, and as you can har in the finale of the Mendelssohn, there's an amazing nimbleness. But I hear almost no fire or personality. She tiptoes into the first movement of the Bruch, refusing to make any grand gestures. If you like this kind of inwardness, Midori is certainly consistent--she's the anti-Oistrakh in her recessiveness. I wound up wondering if she didn't need to be placed much closer to the mike--at times in the finale of the Bruch she gets lost sight of. In sum, this is a gorgeously produced CD, but I wasn't involved in Midori's playing.

Heifetz still my favorite Bruch.......2006-02-07

I think Heifetz's Bruch is still the reference for me. I am somewhat dissapointed here because I anticipated Midori to match Heifetz, based on what I have heard in Midori's other works. To date, of all her recordings, the favorite for me is still her Paganini #1 concerto she made when she was 14. Her performance of Bruch and Mendelssohn here remids me of Nigel Kennedy's. Not bad, but didn't quite light up the fire either.

The best Mendelssohn and Bruch in years.......2005-05-20

Though I own many recordings of these concerti, this disc is so-wonderfully addictive that I listened to it over and over.

Midori sounds miraculous throughout in both concerti.
Her Mendelssohn is graceful and exciting with great range of dynamic and colour. The music flows and grows so naturally with many breath-taking moments.
She gives a dramatic yet introspective performance of Bruch. The slow movement is given an extra depth by her impossibly delicate tone and phrasing.
Berlin Philharmonic and Jansons also gave an impeccable performance here. The sound of Berlin Philharmonic's string is gorgeous as ever and Jansons makes wonderful music with midori in perfect pitch.

A definitive disc.

Totally Awesome.......2005-05-18

I heard the first movement only of the Mendelssohn on my way back to Texas from a trip to Oregon using airplane earphones on their audio channel. Even with frequent pilot interruptions and passenger noise, I was totally awed by the beauty of Midori's playing. Have never been a big fan of Midori, but I must agree with the editorial review which states " . . . she has become, quite simply, a great violinist." Have ordered the recording and can't wait to hear the rest of the Mendelssohn and the Bruch.

Very Powerful & Compelling-DEFINATE MUST HAVE CD.......2004-07-29

I listened to this CD at my local shop & I was left dumb founded & amazed at the spell Midori cast on my mind. Her renditions are powerful and the ochestra is at equal as well at the same time allowing her to be visible as soloist.Both performances were done live at different venues.Experience & wisdom has taught me to purchase anything with Midori's name. Ofcourse it does not mean that everything she does is perfect there;s someone out there alwaz wanting to do better.The trade is her expressive,top notch lyrical tonality and putting the right notes at the right time.The audience is awed to with appluads in disbelief at such wonderful performance. The only contender for this CD is Maxim vengerov's renditions but I opted for Midori because of her unmatchable skills,live recording,past CD's eg Encore & French Violin Sonatas. If u own some of these readings then U must add this one for your collection.

Average customer rating:

Mostly Magnificent Menuhin, with a Few Reservations

The Violinist
Yehudi Menuhin , Johann Sebastian Bach , Bela Bartok , Ludwig van Beethoven , Alban Berg , Johannes Brahms , Max Bruch , Arcangelo Corelli , Edward Elgar , Franz Joseph Haydn , Edouard Lalo , Felix Mendelssohn , Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart , Carl Nielsen , Niccolo Paganini , Camille Saint-Saens , Jean Sibelius , Pyotr Il'yich Tchaikovsky , Michael Tippett , Henri Vieuxtemps , Antonio Vivaldi , William Walton , Alberto Lysy , Anatole Fistoulari , Antal Dorati , Anthony Bernard , Gaston Poulet , John Pitchard , Mogens Woldike , Pierre Boulez , and Rafael Frühbeck de Burgos
Manufacturer: EMI Classics
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Fantasies | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

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ASIN: B0000BWTKJ
Release Date: 2003-11-04

Tracks:

I. Allegro
II. Affettuoso
III. Allegro
I. Allegro
II. Andante
III. Allegro Assai
I. Allegro
II. Adagio
III. Allegro Assai
I. Vivace
II. Largo Ma Non Tanto
III. Allegro

Tracks:

Rhapsody No. 2 (Lassu [Moderato] - Friss [Allegro Moderato])
I. Allegro Non Troppo
II. Andante Tranquillo
III. Allegro Molto
I. Andante
I. Allegretto (Scherzando)
II. Allegro
II. Adagio

Tracks:

Romance No. 1 In G Major
I. Allegro Ma Non Troppo (Cadenza: Kreisler)
II. Larghetto
III. Rondo (Allegro) (Cadenza: Kreisler)
I. Allegro Moderato
II. Adagio
III. Finale (Allegro Energico)

Tracks:

Romance No. 2 In F Major, Op. 50
I. Allegro Non Troppo (Cadenza: Kreisler)
II. Adagio
III. Allegro Giocoso, Ma Non Troppo Vivace - Poco Piu Presto
I. Allegro Molto Appassionato
II. Andante
III. Allegretto Non Troppo - Allegro Molto Vivace

Tracks:

I. Allegro
II. Andante
III. Allegro Molto
I. Andante Tranquillo
II. Presto Capriccioso Alla Napolitana & Trio (Canzonetta)
III. Vivace

Tracks:

I. Allegro Moderato (Cadenza: Menuhin)
II. Adagio Molto
III. Finale (Presto) (Cadenza: Menuhin)
I. Allegro
II. Andante Cantabile
III. Rondo (Andante Grazioso - Allegro Ma Non Troppo)
I. Allegro Maestoso
II. Andante
III. Presto

Tracks:

I. Allegro Non Troppo
II. Scherzando (Allegro Molto)
III. Intermezzo (Allegretto Non Troppo)
IV. Andante
V. Rondo (Allegro)
I. Allegro Non Troppo
II. Andantino Quasi Allegretto
III. Molto Moderato E Maestoso - Allegro Non Troppo
Introduction & Rondo Capriccioso, Op. 28
Havanaise, Op. 83

Tracks:

I. Allegro Maestoso (Cadenza: Emile Sauret)
II. Adagio Espressivo
III. Rondo (Allegro Spiritoso)
I. Andante - Moderato - Cadenza
II. Adagio Religioso
III. Scherzo (Vivace) & Trio
IV. Finale (Allegro)
I. Allegro Non Troppo
II. Cadenza
III. Adagio
IV. Allegro Con Fuoco

Tracks:

Serenade Melancolique
I. Allegro Moderato
II. Adagio Di Molto
III. Allegro Ma Non Tanto
I. Praeludium (Largo)
I. Allegro Cavalleresco
II. Intermezzo (Poco Adagio)
II. Rondo (Allegretto Scherzando)

Tracks:

I. Allegro
II. Largo
III. Allegro
I. Allegro Non Molto
II. Adagio
III. Presto
I. Allegro
II. Adagio
III. Allegro
I. Allegro Non Molto
II. Largo
III. Allegro
I. Vivace - Allegro - Adagio - Vivace - Allegro - Largo Andante
II. Allegro
III. Grave - Andante Largo - Allegro
Fantasia Concertante On A Theme Of Corelli

Customer Reviews:

Mostly Magnificent Menuhin, with a Few Reservations.......2004-01-06

The recent trend toward classical box sets focusing on the performer instead of the composer (see my reviews of the various DG/Decca "Original Masters" sets) continues with EMI's new "Yehudi Menuhin - The Violinist." Sure EMI's past sets have showcased individual performances by Samson Francois, Eugen Jochum and Rudolf Kempe to name a few, but it was always under the heading of a given composer's works, and in the cases mentioned above, to Chopin's piano pieces, Bruckner's Symphonies and Strauss' Orchestral Works respectively. Therefore, this Menuhin collection is the first of EMI's "Budget Box Sets" to showcase a performer playing the works of a variety of composers.

As Menuhin was an EMI recording artist for an incredible 68 years (1931-99), his performances for the label number in the hundreds. With so much music from which to choose, this 10-disc set aims "to highlight some of those alternative versions, including recordings that have not been easily available since the days of LP and others that have never previously appeared on CD." Therefore, the obvious mainstream, easily attainable recordings are omitted here -- for example, the Beethoven/Mendelssohn VCs with Furtwangler, the Elgar VC with the composer conducting, and the Bruch/Mendelssohn VCs with Susskind and Kurtz.

However, a lot of this material has been on disc before on titles which the serious collector most likely already owns. Most of the Bach is currently available as part of the Bach "Budget Box Series" title. The Bruch, Mendelssohn, Brahms and Vivaldi VCs were all available in the now out-of-print 2CD EMI Seraphim series. The Elgar and the Walton are still available in the "British Composers" series. And perhaps most annoyingly, the previously unpublished Beethoven VC and Tchaikovsky "Serenade melancolique" (available as a single disc), and the Beethoven Romance No. 2 (available on an EMI Encore title) were both reissued just a few months back.

But let's focus on the positive, which are the other rare performances, the most significant being the never before reissued 1954 performance of Mozart's Violin Concerto No. 4 with John Pritchard and the Philharmonia. Other elusive recordings include Viuextemps and Paganini VCs with Fistoulari, Lalo and Saint-Saens works with Goossens, and excellent Berg and Bartok accounts with Boulez. Though I'm delighted at their inclusion, of lesser importance is a 1965 Bartok VC No. 2 with Dorati -- his mono EMI with Furtwangler and an earlier account with Dorati on Mercury Living Presence are far superior. Also, neither the Sibelius (Boult, 1955) nor Nielsen (Woldike, 1952) Concertos are truly Menuhin's cups of tea.

My last complaint has to do with the packaging. I know I'm being rather trite but it seems that EMI has taken the "slim" out of slim, paper-sleeved box sets with their latest batch of releases. Both this title and the new box of Liszt Orchestral Works by Masur are noticeably thicker than previous EMI sets featuring a similar number of discs. A minor point, but us serious classical collectors need every centimeter of space on our increasingly crowded CD shelves, not to mention the amount of wasted packaging.

Overall though, despite the fact that "Yehudi Menuhin - The Violinist" is not as essential a reissue as its counterparts in the "Original Masters" series, it is a delightful set that most collectors will thoroughly enjoy.

Average customer rating:

A foursquare, dawdling Mendelssohn, but the Bruch comes to life
Fantastic
Expansive Bruch
Hmmm...
A wonderful recording

Mendelssohn, Bruch: Violin Concertos

Manufacturer: Deutsche Grammophon
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music

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ASIN: B000056TKI
Release Date: 2001-05-08

Tracks:

Concerto For Violin And Orchestra In E Minor, Op. 64: Allegro Molto Appassionato
Concerto For Violin And Orchestra In E Minor, Op. 64: Andante
Concerto For Violin And Orchestra In E Minor, Op. 64: Allegretto non troppo - Allegro molto vivace
Concerto For Violin And Orchestra No. 1 In G Minor, Op. 26: Vorspiel. Allegro moderato - attacca:
Concerto For Violin And Orchestra No. 1 In G Minor, Op. 26: Adagio
Concerto For Violin And Orchestra No. 1 In G Minor, Op. 26: Finale. Allegro energico - Presto

Customer Reviews:

A foursquare, dawdling Mendelssohn, but the Bruch comes to life.......2007-02-16

Let me admit right off that I am not a fan of Mutter's, early or late, and don't collect her recordings. She seems to me to be an empty stylist with mannerisms in place of insight. Here we get her in her Wunderkind phase, with glossy accompaniments from Karajan. The Mendelsoohn is especially distressing in its lack of inner vibrancy; it dawdles along without much spirit or sparkle. The Bruch shows more vigor on the soloist's part, and naturally the playing per se is impeccable. This is by far the better performance, and fully worthy of Mutter's early brilliance. It's often movingly phrased, albeit the touches of glossiness from Karajan aren't a help.

I'm a great admirer of Karajan, but he was often disappointing as an accompanist (leaving aside seome great work on EMI with the Philharmonia) and often bad at picking soloists (again excepting his early work with Lipati, Gieseking, et al.). His choice of Mutter was at least commerically canny, given her current superstar status, but I found this whole CD dispiriting.

Fantastic.......2006-01-26

These are two of the most popular violin concertos in the repertoire and both are highly Romantic, so this should be a dream pairing. Well, in the hands of Ann Sophie Mutter and Herbert von Karajan, it is.

Ms. Mutter's playing comes across as effortless. For me the hallmark of virtuosity is that the playing doesn't come across as virtuoso but as completely natural. The accompaniment by the Berlin ensemble is very lush and always empathetic to Ms. Mutter's performance.

Although both pieces are performed flawlessly, I find the Mendelssohn to be demonstration worthy. Put this on this when you have friends over without saying anything. If they don't demand to know what CD it is, they're no great fans of music.

Expansive Bruch.......2003-03-21

This is a review for Ms Mutter's recording of the Bruch. If you have never heard the beauty of this concerto you don't know what you're missing!

My favorite recordings of the wonderful Bruch Concerto One are by Kyung Wha Chung and Pinchas Zukerman who both played with incredible beauty. What I found liberating about this recording is Ms Mutter's willingness to stretch out with her feelings. I think that she recieves alot of criticism for her personalized interpretations that stray from the composer's intent but come on, who wants to her it played the same way over and over? I believe this is her intention: to deliver a highly personalized performance full of an individualized style. That is certainly the case here, Ms Mutter delivers a wonderful Bruch that is expanded with her ideas especilly with respect to rythm and tempo.

An individualized approach to a great work keeps the piece fresh as though it were a different piece of music, I still enjoy listening to this recording after many years of listening. Other than that, we get to look at another photo of her gorgeous face and that is another bonus for me.

Thanks Annie!

Hmmm..........2002-06-27

The Mendelssohn concerto is truly one of the greates concertoes of all time,and Bruch's pretty good too, but I don't think that Anne Sophie Mutter gets the right feel. It drawls along at a slow pace, and the seperate bowings ruin the fluid feeling of the piece. I guarantee that you will like the pieces, but I reccomend the version with the Budapest Symphony orchestra and Emmy Vehrey if you want good performance.

A wonderful recording.......2001-08-31

I have had this CD for many years now, and have just ordered another to give to a friend. A beautifully sympathetic recital of both pieces. The final movement of the Mendelssohn has always been a favourite of mine. Technically brillant and dramatically romantic in style.

Average customer rating:

Shaham and Sinopoli were a great team
Sensuous and powerful
Gil Shaham
Get it for the Bruch
Sublime

Mendelssohn, Bruch: Violin Concertos

Manufacturer: Deutsche Grammophon
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Classical | Styles | Music

Deutsche Grammophon: Music | Specialty Stores | Music
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ASIN: B000001GB8
Release Date: 1990-03-30

Tracks:

1. Vorspiel. Allegro modernato - attacca:
2. Adagio
3. Finale. Allegro energico - Presto
1. Allegro molto appassionato
2. Andante
3. Allegretto non troppo - Allegro molto vivace

Customer Reviews:

Shaham and Sinopoli were a great team.......2006-07-15

Perhaps not since the partnership of Furtwangler and Menuhin after the war have we had such a brilliant collaboration as that between Gil Shaham and the late Giuseppe Sinopoli. (Rostropovich makes a fine, sympathetic duo with Vengerov, but Sinopoli is a much better conductor in standard non-Russian repertoire.) On this CD, Sinopoli's startling drama in the Bruch is something I've never heard the likes of. There is such sweep and passion that you hear the work as having much more emotional depth than before. Shaham keeps pace with a powerful reading full of nuance and original thoughts on a thrice-familiar work. Maxim Vengerov has a towering recording of the Bruch on Teldec with Masur (where the soloist is miked more clesly than here), but this one is worthy to stand alongside.

On that Teldec CD Vengerov's Mendelssohn concerto felt a bit careful, with less than vivacious conducting. Shaham begins with a delibreate first movement that's almost 2 min. slower, expressing his intent to give us weightier Mendelssohn than the airy, mercurial variety we're used to. In keeping with that, his tone is big and he plays with broad phrasing. The Andante is also slow and deeply felt. I was happy to go along with the interpretation as long as the finale brought in a flood of light and fancy for contrast. It doesn't quite. Shaham chooses not to be sprightly but to remain a bit straight-faced--even so, one can't overlook his exceptional ability to communicate. Call it a tie with Vengerov.

Sensuous and powerful.......2004-12-19

These are sensuous recordings. Shaham plays with both technical fire and (especially in the Mendelssohn) pleasing sweetness. The orchestra -- large and lush in the Bruch, a bit more restrained in the Mendelssohn -- plays with discipline, precision, and power, and the sonics are very satisfying. These surely count as exemplary if not definitive modern renditions of these two classic concerti.

Gil Shaham.......2003-11-29

This was an exceptionally good recording, but I'll have to admit Joshua Bell's recording is better...

Get it for the Bruch.......2002-06-04

This is one of the finest recordings of the Bruch violin concerto (#1). I think it ranks up there with the Heifetz/Sargent. Of course Heifetz takes each movement a bit faster, but the slightly slower tempos do not make much difference (unlike in many Brahms vl.c. recordings.) The sound quality is much better, with good balance, and the orchestra playing is smooth and fluid and clear. Some recordings like Perlman/Haitink seem to have very bombastic orchestral entrances at some places. That is not the case here - Sinopoli is exciting without beating you upside the head.

As for Shaham, he is also very good - no technical problems, and a very clear silky sound. He is not as melodramatic as Mutter (which seems too unruly/melodramatic to me), but this is a romantic intrepretation nonetheless. There is some very interesting, dramatic sliding in the first movement (around 4'20?) before the big orchestral entrance - I've never heard anyone do that before. Definitely worth checking out.

The Mendelssohn I would give four stars - the first movement seems a little slow and less inspired. The second movement is beautiful, but once again, the third is not so exciting as in the Bruch. Perhaps it is that Shaham seems a little heavy handed - there are more sprightly readings out there. I like a Milstein or Menuhin better for the Mendelssohn. This is still a fine recording, but after the Bruch it seems anticlimactic.
So I recommend the CD - Heifetz fans can stick with Heifetz if they want, but anyone looking for a good modern recording of the Bruch should try this one.

Sublime.......2001-01-24

I must admit that Gil Shaham is, without a shadow of a doubt, the best violinist in the 20th Century. I must have listened at least 100 times to this album since I bought it last year. The speed,technique and above all, the sensitivity of this artist blows you away. This album is a must in your CD collection.

Average customer rating:

Underpriced
Superb survey of one of the all-time greatest violinists

Violin Concertos [Box Set]

Manufacturer: Brilliant Classics
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Classical | Styles | Music

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ASIN: B0009VI51G
Release Date: 2005-06-28

Customer Reviews:

Underpriced.......2006-12-19

It is incredible to me that I was able to purchase ten discs of probably the single greatest violinist of the century tackling immortal masterpieces for less than the cost of a utility bill.

You are thinking, "where's the catch?" Well, there is none. The transfers are excellent, the performances, of course, are superb. The only corner-cutting to be found was in the packaging, but even that was more than sufficient.

All these riches made me greedy, though. I wish there was Bartok 2 as well as 1, same with Szymanowski. I wish there was Khatchaturian. But how spoiled I am to be complaining! There is so much here to be enjoyed, from the crags of Szymanowski and the peaks of Beethoven to the cool, dark valleys of Chausson. If you only ever buy one violin box set, buy this one.

Superb survey of one of the all-time greatest violinists.......2005-08-28

We haven't been exactly short on releases by the great David Oistrakh, whether in the LP days or on CD. The trouble was that his recorded legacy - one of the most extensive in history by any violinist - has been made accessible through a multitude of labels, often in a haphazard fashion, and even more often for a very short time. The arrival of this new 10 CD-box has to be saluted for its effort to group a splendid selection of live recordings by Oistrakh made in the USSR between 1939 and 1968 with the Moscow Philharmonic, the Leningrad Philharmonic and the USSR Radio Symphony Orchestra, with some of the foremost conductors of the day (Alexander Gauk, Kirill Kondrashin, Gennady Rozhdestvensky, Kurt Sanderling).

Undoubtedly, collectors will already have the majority of the recordings presented here (although a lot is no longer available), but this box covers all the great concertos and as a survey of the art of "King David" it is presently unbeatable.

The sound quality is variable, of course, but totally acceptable regarding the age of some of the documents.

Average customer rating:

Playing the right notes, in Baroque music, will get you 10% there
Great
A cherished artist, though with declining technique, alas
Yeh, he's still got it
A comment about the Brahms

The Great Violin Concertos

Manufacturer: EMI Classics
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Classical | Styles | Music

Great Recordings Of The Century - Mendelssohn, Bruch: Violin Concertos / Menuhin, Susskind, Kurtz
Bach: Sonatas & Partitas for Solo Violin
Yehudi Menuhin: In Memoriam
Gould Meets Menuhin
Great Recordings Of The Century - Beethoven: Triple Concerto; Brahms: Double Concerto / Oistrakh, Rostropovich, Richter

ASIN: B000002SBS
Release Date: 1991-07-05

Tracks:

Concerto For Two Violins In D Minor, BWV 1043: I: Vivace
Concerto For Two Violins In D Minor, BWV 1043: II: Largo ma non tanto
Concerto For Two Violins In D Minor, BWV 1043: III: Allegro
Violin Concerto No. 3 In G, K.216: I: Allegro
Violin Concerto No. 3 In G, K.216: II: Adagio
Violin Concerto No. 3 In G, K.216: III: Rondeau (Allegro - Andante - Allegretto)
Violin Concerto No. 5 In A, K.219 'Turkish': I: Allegro aperto
Violin Concerto No. 5 In A, K.219 'Turkish': II: Adagio
Violin Concerto No. 5 In A, K.219 'Turkish': III: Rondeau (Tempo di Menuetto - Allegro)

Tracks:

Violin Concerto in D, Op.61: I: Allegro ma non troppo
Violin Concerto in D, Op.61: II: Larghetto
Violin Concerto in D, Op.61: Rondo (Allegro)
Violin Concerto In E Minor, Op.64: I: Allegro molto appassinatio - Presto
Violin Concerto In E Minor, Op.64: II: Andante
Violin Concerto In E Minor, Op.64: III: Allegretto non troppo - Allegro molto vivace

Tracks:

Violin Concerto In E Minor, Op. 64: I: Vivace
Violin Concerto In E Minor, Op. 64: II: Adagio
Violin Concerto In E Minor, Op. 64: III: Allegro
Violin Concerto No. 3 In G, K. 216: I: Allegro
Violin Concerto No. 3 In G, K. 216: II: Adagio
Violin Concerto No. 1 In G Minor, Op.26: III: Finale (Allegro energico)

Customer Reviews:

Playing the right notes, in Baroque music, will get you 10% there.......2007-01-03

I recently heard "Concerto For Two Violins In D Minor" from this recording on the radio. I was very disappointed. The technique and tone quality and all of that was fine, but the interpretation was quite off. I wouldn't even call this a "modern" interpretation, rather, I would call this a "complete lack of interpretation".

In the Baroque style, the first and last movements would have been nearly twice as fast, and the middle movement probably would have been played slower. As they were performed here, they almost seemed the same. The Baroque era was all about contrast. Echo dynamics, which were so clearly indicated in most Bach scores even when other dynamics were left out (such as the opening measures to the Prelude to the first suite for unaccompanied cello) were half-hearted and seemed more like an afterthought here. One is left wondering if the reduced tempos were due to lack of technical ability (of the soloists or the accompanying orchestra) or just a complete breakdown in musical communication.

I would recommend a more faithful production, such as a recording by the Academy of Ancient Music (or anything with Andrew Manze) over this recording any day.

Note: These opinions are all based only on the Concerto For Two Violins In D Minor.

Great.......2006-04-07

Yehudi played the d major violin concerto so beautiful. The rondo was my favorite, the pause in the begging before jumping into the higher octaves honestly made me cry. This is truley the best recording im my perspective. we will really miss this great musician rest in peace.

A cherished artist, though with declining technique, alas.......2005-12-13

These recordings, mostly dating from the late 50s, catch Menuhin at a low point in his technical decline. Reviewers here haven't touched on the oft-told story of how this famous child prodigy lost his technique almost entirely in early adulthood and had to struggle back painfully (through enormous discipline, spiritual practice, and relearning the instrument from scratch) until he was a semblance of his former self. Beneath the out-of-tune playing and awkwardly slow passage work remained a great musician. But of all instruments, the violin is almost impossible to listen to when intonation is sour.

It is frequently sour on these CDs. The Beethoven in particular sounds faulty. Yet the early stereo versions of the Bruch concerto with Walter Susskind and the Mendelssohn with Efram Krutz are great examples of Menuhin's undiminished artistry, which transcended technique. The 1957 Brahms concerto, accompanied by Rudolf Kempe and the Berlin Phil. in quiet, civilized fashion, allows Menuhin to expand musically, and he has moments of lyrical beauty that are deeply touching. But all the fast passages are marred by intonation problems and smudged fingering, and his technique isn't adequate to the first movement cadenza. Every performance is worth a listen, but I would be cautious about a colleciton of sometimes painful memories. Menuhin recovered enough to play well in the Beethoven concerto for Otto Klemperer later on, and of course there are a series of classic post-war recordings in good, clear mono with Furtwangler that spiritually soar while also holding their own technically.

Yeh, he's still got it.......2005-11-04

I have to admit that in this recording Yehudi is not as sharp as he is in earlier ones, but the fine-tuned expressiveness has not been lost. I would buy this cd simply for the Bruch Violin Concerto, if nothing else, which is a dangerous undertaking to listen to at all, as one is liable to forget to breathe. The Brahms is definitely worth finding a different recording of, however, the 1949 EMI classics is much better.
The most important thing to remember about this album, however, is that Menuhin has never been, and never claimed to be, the best technical player ever. It is his unique interpretation and earnestness that people really fall in love with, and that, he still has.

A comment about the Brahms.......2005-06-26

This recording of the Brahms concerto is one Menuhin made later in life. It is almost painful to listen to. Menuhin has technical problems and sound like he's working very hard in passages where the music should flow easily -- and does flow easily in his earlier recording with Furtwangler. Only occasionally does the passionate artist rise out of the challenged technician and take my breath away -- a passage here and there, but not enough to make it a worthwhile experience. For this particular work, as well as for the Beethoven, I strongly recommend getting EMI's release of the early 1950's Menuhin/Furtwangler performances -- soul-searching, fluid, inventive, and awe-inspiring.

Mendelssohn, Bruch: Violin Concertos; Saint-Saëns: Havanaise [Australia]

Average customer rating:

The Gold Standard of Mendelssohn

Mendelssohn, Bruch: Violin Concertos; Saint-Saëns: Havanaise [Australia]
Ricci , Gamba , and London Symphony Orchestra
Manufacturer: Decca
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Classical | Styles | Music

The Decca Records Store | Specialty Stores | Music
ASIN: B000025OBM
Release Date: 2002-01-28

Tracks:

Allegro Molto Appassionato
Andante
Allegro Molto Vivace
Allegro Moderato
Adagio
Allegro Energico
Sas Havanaise, Op. 83
Sas Introduction And Rondo Capriccioso, Op. 28

Customer Reviews:

The Gold Standard of Mendelssohn.......2003-06-30

I actually bought the original release of this CD (before it was re-released under the Eloquence line), but as far as I know, the content is the same. I was thrilled when I found out said content was available somewhere, because for years it's been my personal Gold Standard for the Mendelssohn violin concerto. Ricci just does everything right: by turns intricate, melancholy, wistful and bombastic, but always relentlessly competent--not only does he never miss a note, you can hear *every* note he plays. This is Mendelssohn with a backbone: straightforward and clear, with more power than most other performances--refreshing when many soloists and orchestras either shy away from the technical challenges of the music or overemote and sink into melodrama instead. Neither soloist nor orchestra are afraid of this music in any way, and their confidence gives the concerto new life.
Regarding the Bruch and the Saint-Saens: I haven't listened to those sections of the CD as much (hard to tear myself away from the Mendelssohn), but apply everything to these performances that I just mentioned above. Even on the Rondo Capriccioso, which is ridiculously hard, you can *still* hear every note, performed with a zeal that can't be matched. Although the sound quality on these works isn't *quite* up to all-digital standards, it's darned close--the remastering job was excellent. The bottom line: I just can't recommend this CD highly enough.

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