Please recommend solo violin/viola/cello

[Methos1979]

I love classical music but sometimes I love the space and purity of listening to the above instruments played and recorded solo. Can any classical enthusiasts recommend any great performances recorded in a high quality?

Thanks!

M.

 

[cconnaker]

Yo Yo Ma "Solo"

 

[vcoheda]

the greatest solo work ever.

Amazon.com: Bach: 6 Suiten für Violoncello solo: Music: Pierre Fournier,Johann Sebastian Bach

 

[Sordel]

Kim Kashkashian, Hindemith's Sonatas for Viola / Piano and Viola Alone on ECM. One disc (of two) is unaccompanied, but both discs are excellent.

 

[ronin74]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Methos1979 /img/forum/go_quote.gif I love classical music but sometimes I love the space and purity of listening to the above instruments played and recorded solo. Can any classical enthusiasts recommend any great performances recorded in a high quality? Thanks! M.

 

[JayG]

Definitely get the Bach Cello Suites, but I think these are even "greater."

 

[jsaliga]

There are a few worthwhile recorded performances of Paganini's caprices.

I also have a recording of Michael Rabin on two vinyl LPs that is really amazing. It is also available from EMI on CD as well.

--Jerome

 

[FalconP]

Apart from Bach's famous Cello Suites, there are a few notable pieces for solo cello, on the top of my mind:

1. Sonata for Solo Cello by Kodaly (Yo-yo Ma has done a remarkable version in his album Solo)
2. The three Cello Suites by Benjamin Britten (get the version by Tim Hugh under Naxos)
3. Ten Preludes by Gubaidulina (actually written as etudes for cello students, hence very difficult and expressive)

The above works are severe and not songful or "beautiful" in the conventional sense. For something more entertaining, check out the miniatures by David Popper: cellists use them as encores.

 

[pdennis]

I agree that Milstein is a great way to go for the Bach partitas, but consider the 1950's recordings instead of the one pictured above.

The recordings are not modern "state of the art", but that doesn't mean that they don't sound fabulous. Yes they are mono, but for one instrument, so what? And the performance is terrific. And, each CD -- partitas and sonatas -- is only about $7 on Amazon!

Partitas

Really though, there are many recordings of these works that are well worth listening to, just as long as you get one.

There's an unfortunate scarcity of real masterpieces for solo strings. It's such an astonishingly difficult format to write for, I think that most composers don't even try more than once, if at all. I'm very interested to hear others' recommendations; I don't know the Kodaly cello sonata, for example, so I'll have to keep an eye out for that.

I've heard the Reger violin sonatas, and they didn't do much for me.

There's several recordings that I've got my eye on, but haven't heard yet:
Ysaÿe violin sonatas
Bartok violin solos and duets

 

[pdennis]

Does anyone know the recording of Scelsi's cello music by Frances-Marie Uitti?

 

[Assorted]

Great performance + great quality, I think of Arthur Grumiaux playing the Bach Sonatas and Partitas, and the accompanied violin sonatas on Philips Classics. The accoustics are just so perfect, and his interpretation is not too romantic nor is it fast and lifeless.

 

[TheMadPianist]

Hi,

For unaccompanied Bach sonatas and partitas, i recommend either Milstein or Szeryng

cheers

HL

 

[Ansel]

Matt Haimovitz - Britten, Reger & Crumb - Ligeti: Suites & Sonatas for Solo Cello. All modern solo works for cello.

Enjoy

 

[immtbiker]

Hillary Hahn (saw her playing solo at Carnegie Hall [practice, practice, practice

]) and some Joshua Bell with minor accompaniment.

 

[Rlynn]

Don't miss this thread for a free download of Tasmin Little's Naked Violin CD.

X2 on the Kodaly. I have a recording by Pieter Wispelwey that makes sense (to me) of the music. I like this quite a bit and plan to order his well regarded Bach Suites through MDT's label sale.

Another CD of solo violin is Jennifer Koh, "Solo Chaconnes" on Cedille, with selections from Bach, Richard Barth, and Max Reger.