Best performance of Sibelius violin concerto?
Jul 12, 2003 at 8:43 AM Post #17 of 38
You guys know what? I was following this thread and was just thinking to myself "mmm, my brother must have burned a CD of this concerto for me" so I went searching through my collection of CD-R....and WoW! I found it! Played by Oistrakh! First thing that struck me is the warm sound and the emotion he carries through the tone. I don't know how old the recording is, but the sound is very well captivated. I don't have any other version to compare to, but I know what's good when I hear it. Oistrakh recommended!
 
Jul 12, 2003 at 1:18 PM Post #18 of 38
Quote:

do any of you guys hear the "sniffling" on the Joshua Bell Violin Concerto, specifically the Karl Goldmark rendition?


Yup, those are sniffs of musical passion and fury
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.
 
Jul 12, 2003 at 3:05 PM Post #19 of 38
Quote:

Originally posted by Gergor
Interesting. fiddler, is this the only recording with the "original" version? How's the performance?

Hmm, I hope I'll be able to find it for sale somewhere...


Heh, well the first thought I had was "Oh thank God he decided to revise it!", because well heh, the first version was harder.
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I dunno, hearing it after knowing the revised version for so long the original version sounded somewhat tacky. I can't remember exactly because I only listened to it a couple times before putting it away in a corner.
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The performance is nothing particularly special. Kinda boring, actually.

I never could love Heifetz. I know my girlfriend's completely in love with the way he plays the Sibelius, but I certainly do not share this passion. He just had such a strong personality that there's bound to be people who will love him, and people who hate him. That's my theory anyway. I can't say I hate him, though, because I appreciate what he did for violin playing. I mean man, that's violin technique. You can listen to him at age 79 or something (I forget) playing the Bruch Scotch Fantasy, absolutely flawless playing. He was obsessed with keeping his technique perfect all throughout his life, and it really shows. Amazing..
 
Jul 12, 2003 at 6:37 PM Post #20 of 38
Found another one I didn't know I had! It was one of those bargain LPs, that you pick up cheap thinking you'll clean it up. Well I cleaned it this morning, who knows how long it was sitting there.

Christian Ferras, with Karajan/Berliner, ca... 1960s maybe? I feel like the articulation or the timing was slightly different than I'm used to in places, which threw me for a loop (but in a good way - I guess I'm a jazz fan at heart). I thought the phrasing/bowing would be carefully laid out in the score? In any case, it's quite beautiful and expressive, but I suppose this piece always is.

The extra space on the B-side has the 10 millionth rendition of Finlandia
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Jul 13, 2003 at 7:28 AM Post #21 of 38
Quote:

Originally posted by fiddler
Heh, well the first thought I had was "Oh thank God he decided to revise it!", because well heh, the first version was harder.
wink.gif
I dunno, hearing it after knowing the revised version for so long the original version sounded somewhat tacky. I can't remember exactly because I only listened to it a couple times before putting it away in a corner.
wink.gif
The performance is nothing particularly special. Kinda boring, actually.


Thanks for the info. I guess you'd saved me the trouble to look for it then... I was very curious because I'd never heard the 1st version. :p
 
Jul 15, 2003 at 3:18 AM Post #22 of 38
quote:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Originally posted by Nately

Christian Ferras, with Karajan/Berliner, ca... 1960s maybe?
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Yes, that is the version that came to my mind on this piece, I had it in a set where Ferras played all the major violin concerto works, Beethoven, Brahms, Mendelsson, Bruch and Sibelius. The Beethoven and Sibelius were excellent.



Enjoy,
W
 
Jul 16, 2003 at 7:07 PM Post #25 of 38
Hm, I haven't heard the Lin version yet. I'll be looking out for that one!
 
Oct 21, 2006 at 2:52 AM Post #27 of 38
I don't like the Cho-lin Liang version. IMO, there are many superior recordings out there by, well, many who have already been mentioned.

Other good recordings that I don't think have been mentioned are:
Accardo
Ricci
Mintz

The Mutter version is very good indeed. I prefer the Mutter to Heifetz. Heifetz takes it unnecessarily fast.
 
Oct 21, 2006 at 5:17 PM Post #29 of 38
Quote:

Originally Posted by milkpowder
I don't like the Cho-lin Liang version. IMO, there are many superior recordings out there by, well, many who have already been mentioned.


is it because hes asian?
 
Oct 21, 2006 at 5:24 PM Post #30 of 38
Quote:

Originally Posted by Oistrakh
is it because hes asian?


?!
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Not at all. I'm Chinese myself lol
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I just prefer other performer's interpretations and playing for the Sibelius. However, he does do a very, very good Prokofiev Concerto. For some reason, I can't find my recording of it though...

In no way am I suggesting that he's not as good as the other violinists.

He was also taught by DeLay, who's probably one of the best teachers in the whole world. Her students include Perlman, Sarah Chang, Nigel Kennedy, Mintz, Shaham, Midori, etc...
 

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