The Greatest Violinist of the 20th Century Was...

[PerfectWagnerite]

We interrupt this thread to bring you breaking news:

**John Allison - The Gramophone Magazine - November 2007 Edition**

Nigel Kennedy " ... is very possibly the world's greatest violinist ... "


We now return you to your regular posting.

Coming from a British magazine that is hardly surprising.

[Mark]

Coming from a British magazine that is hardly surprising.

Coming from an American, that is hardly surprising.

[Renfield]

Coming from an American, that is hardly surprising.

Though I haven't ever heard Nigel Kennedy play, and the most recent Gramophone made me curious...

[Mark]

Though I haven't ever heard Nigel Kennedy play, and the most recent Gramophone made me curious...

Kennedy, like Du Pre, makes almost everything ... 'Kennedy', TBH. I'm not defending Allison's ludicrous assertion that Kennedy is ' ... very possibly the world's greatest violinist ... ' - that's plain nonsense. I just get prickly when folks start 'Brit-bashing'. Every nation has its strengths and weaknesses in every field of endeavour. Let's just respect our differences - nay, celebrate these - and move on.

[Renfield]

Kennedy, like Du Pre, makes almost everything ... 'Kennedy', TBH. I'm not defending Allison's ludicrous assertion that Kennedy is ' ... very possibly the world's greatest violinist ... ' - that's plain nonsense. I just get prickly when folks start 'Brit-bashing'. Every nation has its strengths and weaknesses in every field of endeavour. Let's just respect our differences - nay, celebrate these - and move on.

Well, I don't consider it impossible for Kennedy to have the best technique in the world; if nothing else, I can't think of any violinist with a clear bid at that "title", so who knows?

But regardless, I don't like X-bashing either (where X is a country, personality, or non-harmful ideology), so I agree with you there.

[Que]

Kennedy, like Du Pre, makes almost everything ... 'Kennedy', TBH. I'm not defending Allison's ludicrous assertion that Kennedy is ' ... very possibly the world's greatest violinist ... ' - that's plain nonsense. I just get prickly when folks start 'Brit-bashing'. Every nation has its strengths and weaknesses in every field of endeavour. Let's just respect our differences - nay, celebrate these - and move on.

Mark, not meaning to endorse "Brit-bashing" or the like!  , but there is a difference between difference and bias.

However, I do think a certain bias is only natural, and we should accept it as a fact of life.

Q

[Renfield]

However, I do think a certain bias is only natural, and we should accept it as a fact of life.

QFT

[Mark]

However, I do think a certain bias is only natural ...

It is, yes. Just look at Classics Today's reviews, some of which seem to 'endorse' American bands and performers at the expense of the same from other countries (and no, I don't necessarily mean Britain ). Also, what some read as bias - and others, foolishly, as 'patriotic' - some others will see as simply promoting home-grown talent. Believe me, we Brits are not as good at this as the Americans: they celebrate success, we tend to knock it. We could certainly learn from our US counterparts.

Anyway, to return to topic, I suppose Renfield has a point about it being possible for Kennedy to have the technical requirements necessary for world domination, but's let's look again at the five recommended recordings that appeared alongside Allison's article. These consisted of two Elgar Violin Concerto outings, two Vivaldi Four Seasons recordings, plus a volume of music not at all associated with what most of us think of as 'classical'. One can hardly build a strong argument for Kennedy's violinistic superiority based on such repertoire alone.

[Dancing Divertimentian]

Just look at Classics Today's reviews, some of which seem to 'endorse' American bands and performers at the expense of the same from other countries (and no, I don't necessarily mean Britain ).

Can't say as I've noticed an American bias on Classics Today myself (could be, though) but then again I don't really count CT as a bedrock of American classical journalism. 

That accolade goes to Fanfare and American Record Guide. Two dedicated journals that have been in the classical music business for a generation and can be counted as worthy complements to other world-class classical publications.

Neither of which has ever struck me as being disproportionately weighted towards one nationality or another. They seem to be pretty good all-rounders...from my view.

[Mark]

Can't say as I've noticed an American bias on Classics Today myself (could be, though) but then again I don't really count CT as a bedrock of American classical journalism. 

Been a while since I bothered with Classics Today. Perhaps I just got unlucky with the reviews I chose to read.

[Dancing Divertimentian]

Been a while since I bothered with Classics Today. Perhaps I just got unlucky with the reviews I chose to read.

Well, you could very well be right about CT but as CT is basically a one-man operation (Hurwitz - with the occasional contribution from Distler and Levine) if there is a perceivable American bias it's strictly Hurwitz's fault.

And I would hate to think Hurwitz (or any one person) speaks for all American classical journalism.

[Harry Collier]

Nigel Kennedy is / was / can be / a very fine violinist. I have heard some excellent playing from him, and I think his first recording of the Elgar Violin Concerto (1984, with Handley) was very fine indeed. The later remake (with Rattle) was pretty disastrous and illustrates one of Kennedy's big faults: his self-indulgence. Kennedy the violinist can be good (an excellent CD of Kreisler pieces, for example -- music that is quite difficult to bring off).  He also recorded an excellent Bruch violin concerto in his youth (1987). But when his showman / pop artist side takes over, it all becomes a bit embarrassing and the composers' wishes tend to go out the window.

[Mark]

Nigel Kennedy is / was / can be / a very fine violinist. I have heard some excellent playing from him, and I think his first recording of the Elgar Violin Concerto (1984, with Handley) was very fine indeed. The later remake (with Rattle) was pretty disastrous and illustrates one of Kennedy's big faults: his self-indulgence. Kennedy the violinist can be good (an excellent CD of Kreisler pieces, for example -- music that is quite difficult to bring off).  He also recorded an excellent Bruch violin concerto in his youth (1987). But when his showman / pop artist side takes over, it all becomes a bit embarrassing and the composers' wishes tend to go out the window.

A fair assessment indeed. I have two of the recordings you name (the Bruch and the second Elgar), and I think he can play quite superbly ... when he's inclined to. His Brahms Violin Concerto with Tennstedt isn't bad, but again, it's more Kennedy than Brahms. Ditto what some once termed the 'definitive' Vivaldi Four Seasons he recorded in 1989: a marvellous, cheeky, hair-raising and really thoroughly enjoyable romp through these old chestnuts, but left for dead by Biondi and Europa Galante on Virgin.