Brahms Violin Concerto

[aligreto]

I look no further than Oistrakh for the concerto "for violin against orchestra" - but maybe the rest of the world has moved on ...

[asin]B00005NPJ1[/asin]

I have not certainly moved on here. As you can see I have listed four versions by Oistrakh above 

[aligreto]

Only one I need, at the moment, is Isabelle Faust w/ some fairly okayish hangers-on.

Thank you for that.

[springrite]

My favourite is one of those black sheep recordings, Kennedy/Tennstedt. It is slower, but to my ear more effective. I love it!

[NikF]

Another vote for the Oistrakh/Klemperer/Orchestre de la Radiodiffusion Francaise. Of the more recent recordings I've heard, the Jansen/Pappano/Orchestra dell'Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia is one I like.

[aligreto]

My favourite is one of those black sheep recordings, Kennedy/Tennstedt. It is slower, but to my ear more effective. I love it!

Thank you for that bit of information regarding the Kennedy/Tennstedt version being slower. The ones that I prefer in my collection seem to be the faster versions when I think about it. This is somewhat surprising to me really since it is such a lyrical piece for large parts of the big first movement and also the slow movement, obviously.

[aligreto]

Another vote for the Oistrakh/Klemperer/Orchestre de la Radiodiffusion Francaise. Of the more recent recordings I've heard, the Jansen/Pappano/Orchestra dell'Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia is one I like.

Cheers for that. Can you recall the speeds of the Jansen/Pappano version in comparison to the Oistrakh/Klemperer version?

[North Star]

Thank you for that bit of information regarding the Kennedy/Tennstedt version being slower. The ones that I prefer in my collection seem to be the faster versions when I think about it. This is somewhat surprising to me really since it is such a lyrical piece for large parts of the big first movement and also the slow movement, obviously.

You really need to hear the Shaham/Abbado. Heck, even Hurwitz gives it a 10/10.
http://www.classicstoday.com/review/review-8642/

[Karl Henning]

My favourite is one of those black sheep recordings, Kennedy/Tennstedt. It is slower, but to my ear more effective. I love it!

Most interesting, old dear!

[NikF]

Cheers for that. Can you recall the speeds of the Jansen/Pappano version in comparison to the Oistrakh/Klemperer version?

You're welcome.


e:

Jansen
22:12
8:27
8:01


Oistrakh
22:35
9:50
8:27

[Drasko]

Brahms' Violin Concerto is hugely popular piece, pretty much every violinist recorded it at least once, there are many good recordings. I think I have maybe around dozen: Kreisler, Heifetz x2, Milstein, Ferras x2, Szigeti, Zehetmair, Kavakos and if pressed to chose I think I'd go with Mistein/Steinberg for elegance and effortlessness and with Ferras/Karajan for fine combination of poise and full blooded symphonic scope. I also like one I don't have: Krebbers/Mengelberg, live, fiery, great accompaniment. Well nigh impossible to find on CD though, thankfully there's youtube. I'd also love to hear earlier Szigeti, mine is rather late one with Ormandy. Is there a Gitlis recording?

[aligreto]

You really need to hear the Shaham/Abbado. Heck, even Hurwitz gives it a 10/10.
http://www.classicstoday.com/review/review-8642/

That is a hard sell 

[aligreto]

You're welcome.


e:

Jansen
22:12
8:27
8:01


Oistrakh
22:35
9:50
8:27

Much obliged Sir 

[aligreto]

Brahms' Violin Concerto is hugely popular piece, pretty much every violinist recorded it at least once, there are many good recordings. I think I have maybe around dozen: Kreisler, Heifetz x2, Milstein, Ferras x2, Szigeti, Zehetmair, Kavakos and if pressed to chose I think I'd go with Mistein/Steinberg for elegance and effortlessness and with Ferras/Karajan for fine combination of poise and full blooded symphonic scope. I also like one I don't have: Krebbers/Mengelberg, live, fiery, great accompaniment. Well nigh impossible to find on CD though, thankfully there's youtube. I'd also love to hear earlier Szigeti, mine is rather late one with Ormandy. Is there a Gitlis recording?

Certainly the Krebbers/Haitink that I own is most enjoyable so I must give the Krebbers/Mengelberg version a listen on Youtube. Thank you for that.

[North Star]

That is a hard sell 

Oh, and Shaham's timings: 20:59, 8:34, and 7:31 

[aligreto]

Oh, and Shaham's timings: 20:59, 8:34, and 7:31 

Thank you for that. It is good to be able to see what is happening in relation to the timings on this one 

[XB-70 Valkyrie]

A couple of obscurities for you:

In the realm of Brahms' music for violin, for me, there is one name that stands head and shoulders above the rest: Gioconda de Vito.

The Italian government bought the Tuscan Stradivarius for her to play, and she performed for the Pope on more than one occasion. She recorded the sonatas (1 and 3) with Edwin Fischer (now available on a scandalously cheap boxed set--Edwin Fischer) and sonata 2 with Tito Aprea.

She recorded the concerto at least once for HMV with Rudolf Schwarz (Philharmonia Orch, I believe).

Her sound was incredibly beautiful and warm, and decidedly romantic, but not overbearingly so. Listen especially to the slow mvt of Sonata No. 1--the beauty of tone and the emotional crescendo built out of the most profound quiet and stillness has very few equals in the history or recorded music IMO (listen to Solomon's performance of Brahms sonata No. 3).

The Brahms double concerto she recorded with Amadeo Baldovino, and this record has been one of my holy grails for over two decades. Apparently it is not too ridiculously expensive from some Amazon Marketplace sellers.

If you want to collect her recordings, patience, deep pockets, and a good turntable are essential assets (But I might be able to send you FLACs--free, I'm not selling anything).

Another very beautiful and enchanting performance from about the same time period is that of Ossy Renardy with Charles Munch (Concertgebouw Orch). Renardy's performance is full of wit and humor, with one of the most laugh-out-loud cadenzas I have ever heard (I would like to know the composer-possibly Paganini?). Renardy's recording of the Franck sonata (with Eugene List) is the musical/audio equivalent of the world's greatest cognac. I was left speechless.

[king ubu]

Yes on the double concerto with de Vito! And her chamber music with Fischer is priceless (but off-topic here, of course  )

@Drasko: as you mention many older violin players ... no love for the ladies? Neveu, Martzy etc.?

[springrite]

Timing on the Kennedy/Tennstedt:

1:   26'17"
2:   11'19"
3:    8'18"

This has to be the slowest version, especially the glazier first movement, by a substantial margin.

[aligreto]

A couple of obscurities for you:

In the realm of Brahms' music for violin, for me, there is one name that stands head and shoulders above the rest: Gioconda de Vito.

The Italian government bought the Tuscan Stradivarius for her to play, and she performed for the Pope on more than one occasion. She recorded the sonatas (1 and 3) with Edwin Fischer (now available on a scandalously cheap boxed set--Edwin Fischer) and sonata 2 with Tito Aprea.

She recorded the concerto at least once for HMV with Rudolf Schwarz (Philharmonia Orch, I believe).

Her sound was incredibly beautiful and warm, and decidedly romantic, but not overbearingly so. Listen especially to the slow mvt of Sonata No. 1--the beauty of tone and the emotional crescendo built out of the most profound quiet and stillness has very few equals in the history or recorded music IMO (listen to Solomon's performance of Brahms sonata No. 3).

The Brahms double concerto she recorded with Amadeo Baldovino, and this record has been one of my holy grails for over two decades. Apparently it is not too ridiculously expensive from some Amazon Marketplace sellers.

If you want to collect her recordings, patience, deep pockets, and a good turntable are essential assets (But I might be able to send you FLACs--free, I'm not selling anything).

Another very beautiful and enchanting performance from about the same time period is that of Ossy Renardy with Charles Munch (Concertgebouw Orch). Renardy's performance is full of wit and humor, with one of the most laugh-out-loud cadenzas I have ever heard (I would like to know the composer-possibly Paganini?). Renardy's recording of the Franck sonata (with Eugene List) is the musical/audio equivalent of the world's greatest cognac. I was left speechless.

Thank you for that. I love to hear of older recordings as well as modern ones. However, I must embarrass myself and say that I have not heard of either of your recommended performers [even if you refer to them as obscurities] 

[aligreto]

Timing on the Kennedy/Tennstedt:

1:   26'17"
2:   11'19"
3:    8'18"

This has to be the slowest version, especially the glazier first movement, by a substantial margin.

WOW, that first movement must crawl along