[Magicthyse]

Any of you listened to Vengerov?

Awesome.

 

[Magicthyse]

Quote:

Originally posted by Gergor I think it may have to do with his facial expression. I sort of have this feeling when I watch him play. But this feeling goes away when I close my eyes.

All really good violinists look as though they've got chronic constipation when they're playing.

 

[fiddler]

Watch Heifetz play. His facial expression is as still as a mask, and he never moves his body more than is necesssary to produce wonderful sound. No unnecessary body movements whatsover. That is what I call mastery of the instrument. Being able to express everything you feel in your gut through your instrument without letting your body get involved in negative ways. Probably the most difficult thing to achieve in music making. Heifetz was always 100% relaxed physically all the time.
The opposite of course are violinists like Vengerov. If he could learn to channel all the extra energy he exerts into his sometimes grotesque body movements into his music, he would make one step closer to Heifetz, not that he'll ever be like him. I strongly believe that nobody will ever master the violin the way Heifetz did. He's not my favourite violinist, however.

 

[KurtW]

fiddler, I think your comments about the old gaints, at least the ones I'm familair with, are right on. So who IS your favorite violinist?

 

[fiddler]

It'd be very difficult to choose a favourite violinist for me... It's always changing; I went through a Stern phase, an Oistrakh phase, a Milstein phase... and so on.
I'd have to say I keep coming back to Oistrakh though. Something about his sound, the way he shapes phrases... so amazing. And of course, when it comes to the Brahms concerto, there's nobody that could play it better.

 

[Gergor]

fiddler,

Thank you for your insight. You also got me interested in Oistrakh. I just did a quick search on his discography, and found more than 10 different Brahms concertos. Can you give me a suggestion on which one to start (which is relatively easy to find I hope). Some comparsions among his different performances would be great.

Thank you again!

 

[HD-5000]

Hmm. funny? I don't have any CDs of Oistrakh. I'd better put that on my to-buy list. It stinks being a broke teenager

Thanks for all of your suggestions.

 

[j-curve]

Quote:

HD-5000: I'd better put that on my to-buy list. It stinks being a broke teenager

Not sure what you've got in your area, but if at all possible - "get thee to a library, dude!".
I had Henryk Szeryng yesterday and today I have Shlomo Mintz. Next time maybe Mullova, but I'm still mulling it over. They've just got so much stuff there, but none of the Oistrakh versions unfortunately, unless they are always out on loan.

 

[fiddler]

Gregor, I can't remember which one was best. I'm gonna go compare a couple versions I have later today and I'll post a comparison.

 

[Gergor]

fiddler,

Looking forward to your Oistrakh-Brahms review. Thanks!

 

[fiddler]

I just critically listened to 2 versions of the Brahms concerto performed by Oistrakh back-to-back (which is no easy task folks; it's a 40 minute long concerto) and here are my impressions. The two recordings compared were the 1954 recording with the Staatskapelle Dresden and Franz Konwitschny conducting on Deutche Grammophon and the 1963 live recording with USSR State Symphony Orchestra and Kyrill Kondrashin conducting on the Revelation label. According to the insert on the live recording, "The REVELATION catalogue represents one of the most important discoveries of the century - over 400,000 tapes, most of them never heard before... All the performances are live and therefore you will feel as if you are seated there amongst the musicians, sharing the ambiance of the concert hall and the entharallment that only comes from a live performance." I italicized that passage because I felt that this was what made the difference between the two recordings.

The 1954 performance is definitely better excecuted. In the live one, there were errors that just happen during live concerts. A few notes missed, nothing serious at all. In a live setting, there's so much more adrenaline pumping through the system. It's impossible to recreate that kind of energy when you're in an empty hall playing for a microphone. Both performances are excellent, but I found the live one to be more moving; I found myself on the verge of tears in certian spots.

Oistrakh, to me, is the only violinist that succeeded in expressing the enormous breadth of this work. It requires really noble playing, almost as much as in Beethoven's concerto. Restrained, yet with firey passion... That is how this piece must be played. And Oistrakh does it so perfectly.

 

[Gergor]

Thanks fiddler for your time, I think I'm going to buy both versions.

 

[Dan H]

Billy Bang a Jazz violinists has a new CD out that I like alot.
Who was that French guy who made waves back in the 70's? Kind of a new age rock sound.

 

[sacriste]

I'm not a violinist aficionado not even a classical music one, but some years ago I bought the Sibelius CD and I've really enjoyed listening that all this time. I didn't knew about his fame, but I can say that his music is pure passion and perfection. I don't care about his face or body expression!

 

[taipeileviathan]

Quote:

Originally posted by Magicthyse All really good violinists look as though they've got chronic constipation when they're playing.

rotflmao... good thing i stopped playing. and i thought being good at playing the thais meditation could get me chicks...

i think it really depends on my mood. heifetz is good when i wanna listen to classical like i listen to rock music. for more sentimental moods tho, he's much too intense and mind-blowingly whirlwind-style powerful. menuhin is awesome too, but kinda the same as heifetz... Oistrach, Milstein, Elman, Kreisler, and Ysaye i've all heard of tho i've never heard... i would test bath products on small furry animals to own their records. i actually don't like accardo that much, even tho he does play on a firebird (tons of brownie points there).
Perlman playing spanish tunes is a favorite when i'm feeling playful, kyung wha chung when i need a softer touch, and... i'm surprised no one's mentioned him (even tho he is a jazz violinist)... STEFAN GRAPPELLI!! he brings me close to tears sometimes... love that guy.