Solo Violin?
Mar 19, 2006 at 6:51 AM Thread Starter Post #1 of 21

PeeeMeS

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Recently I found some music with solo violin parts that just blew me away. It seems as though solo violin really shines on my audio rig.

The problem is, I can't find too much songs with just violin in it. It's always a full orchestra. A full orchestra just doesn't provide the same intimacy that a single violin does.(Or maybe it's because I'm a violin player)


Anyways, I was wondering if some of you head-fi music buffs could point me to some albums/artists/songs that showcase mainly violin or violin only.

Thanks in advance
 
Mar 19, 2006 at 7:01 AM Post #2 of 21
J.S. Bach: Sonatas and Partitas for Solo Violin
(Nathan Milstein performance; Deutsche Grammophon label)

Heinrich Biber: Violin Sonatas
(Andrew Manze, violinist; Harmonia Mundi label)

Both are available at Amazon and both will redefine your musical enjoyment for many years to come.
 
Mar 19, 2006 at 8:41 AM Post #3 of 21
How about violin sonatas?
There are lots of excellent sonatas for violin and piano and other keyboard instruments, and some for violin and guitar.
 
Mar 19, 2006 at 8:52 AM Post #4 of 21
Sorry I don't know of specific recordings, but Tchaikovsky's violin concerto is an excellent display of violin - it has extended passages where the violinist plays without the orchestra, and most of the first movement has the violin as center stage.
 
Mar 19, 2006 at 9:38 AM Post #5 of 21
Rimsky-Korsakov's Scheherazade has a nice part for solo violin.
 
Mar 19, 2006 at 10:35 AM Post #6 of 21
Solo Violin:
- 24 Capprices by Paganini (but I presume you know it, you being a violin player)

Violin and Piano:
- Any Violin Sonata
- "Tzigane" -- Ravel
- "Carmen Fantasy" -- Waxman
- Brahm's "Hungarian Dances" have a version for Violin and Piano

Orchestral with prominent violin parts:
- Most Violin Concertos (why not start with the five by Mozart? -- short, graceful and delicious)
- "The Lark Ascending" -- Vaughan Williams
- "Poème" -- Chausson
- "Tabula Rasa" -- Arvo Part

Also, many folk music recordings feature the violin. Some greats include:
Martin Hayes (Ireland)
Manus McGuire (Ireland)
Alasdair Fraser (Scotland)
Aly Bain (Scotland)
Natalie MacMaster (Cape Breton, Canada)
 
Mar 19, 2006 at 11:37 AM Post #7 of 21
Yep, Paganini was a violin master player and even his 4 violin concertos are mostly violin solo with some orchestra in the background
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. They are not great music, but a lot of fun!!.
 
Mar 19, 2006 at 1:57 PM Post #8 of 21
For something a bit more contemporary, Final Fantasy's album 'Has A Good Home' is well worth getting. One guy with a violin and an effects pedal, and some very good songs.
 
Mar 19, 2006 at 2:48 PM Post #9 of 21
A second plug for Bach's solo violin partitas. A couple of different lines are suggested by the one instrument, creating a weird fugue-like feeling.

Bach's concertos for solo and double violin (with string ensemble backing, although the solo instruments are very prominent) are also a strong recommendation. There's a Manze/Podger recording of these on Harmonia Mundi that's excellent, and available at budget price atm.
 
Mar 19, 2006 at 6:36 PM Post #10 of 21
If you're fine with violin/keyboard, then there's tons of stuff, but most of the solo violin I can think of is on recordings of violin/keyboard. For instance, the Manze/Egarr recordings of the Bach violin sonatas features Manze's fantastic transcription(/reconstruction?) of the Toccata and Fugue in D Minor for solo violin. But I don't know if want to buy recordings for individual pieces of solo violin or not.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00003Z9UY

Otherwise, of course Bach's sonatas and partitas. John Holloway has a recording coming out at some point on ECM that will be worth waiting for, but in the meantime, there is a 2-for-1 set on Channel Classics of Rachel Podger's recording that is a good bet.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00006JQU1

Probably the most mind-bending solo violin recording I know of is Manze's Tartini disc.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000005Z35
 
Mar 20, 2006 at 7:34 AM Post #12 of 21
Quote:

Originally Posted by PeeeMeS
The problem is, I can't find too much songs with just violin in it. It's always a full orchestra. A full orchestra just doesn't provide the same intimacy that a single violin does.(Or maybe it's because I'm a violin player)

Anyways, I was wondering if some of you head-fi music buffs could point me to some albums/artists/songs that showcase mainly violin or violin only.



There is not much music for solo violin:
Bach sonatas and partitas
Ysaye sonatas
Bartok sonata

An infinite supply of violin and keyboard music which may be what you are looking for.
 
Mar 20, 2006 at 4:25 PM Post #13 of 21
I'd go for Rachel Podger playing Bach's Sonata's and Partita's on Channel Classics.

Performance is 1st class and it's VERY well recorded. Sounds amazing on my k1000s
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Mar 25, 2006 at 10:24 PM Post #14 of 21
Wow...talk of violinists and no mention of Stephane Grappelli?
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Be sure to check out Grappelli's various albums over his long career, starting with Django Reinhardt's Paris Quintet and more modern recordings he did with Martin Taylor, or Barney Kessel or classical violininst Itzhak Perlman.

On electric violin you may also like Jean Luc-Ponty. The Rite of Strings, with Stanley Clarke and Al di Meola is a fantastic album, and Ponty has many solo albums that are also great. He doesnt play with a traditional violin tone however, but with an electric vilion using some synth sounds. Still it is great music.

In classical, of course Paganini 24 Carpice's is the flashy virtuoso suite all violinists will want to show their mettle on, but for me Itzhak Perlmann's playing and recording is the best sounding of the 5 different versions I have.

There is a great documentary Art of Violin, which will give you a brief intro to the playing styles of some of this centuries famous classical violinists.

Enjoy
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Apr 2, 2006 at 3:08 PM Post #15 of 21
I can recommend (besides what's already been recommended) the Fauré violin sonatas (violin and piano) and the Grieg's violin and piano sonatas. And (I'm sure you must have listened to it) the Great Brahm's Violin concerto (I love it).
Also, please do listen to the recordings of the magnificent Jasha Heifetz, he is (was) really truely magnificent.
Kind regards,
Ary
 

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