Bach's Violin Sonatas & Partitas (solo)

[jlaurson]

Hi, Odnoposoff. Welcome aboard!

My favorite versions are all by HIP violinists: Kuijken I, Matthews, Schmidt, Podger and so, but undoubtedly those great violinists of the past have some wonderful things to say, too.

Apparently, I have a soft spot with female violinists because I am seriously thinking to purchase this new recording on Zig-Zag Territoires:

What a cover! I want it just for that. Splendid, intelligent cover art. I @&$#^$% love it.

Yay, also, for Podger. Wonderful Podger.

[Coopmv]

Interesting that this thread 'popped up'!

I'm on a short trip to Richmond, VA - we saw Wicked yesterday; but that morning I was in the fitness center on a treadmill listening to music from my iPod - well, the recording below was playing - believe that this has received a number of positive reviews in the forum in previous threads.  Matthews was originally from my hometown of Winston-Salem - went to the UNC School of the Arts, where her parents taught.  Own about a half dozen recordings of these works, including Mullova, but have not done any comparisons - 

Dave,  I already have these works by Mullova, Podger, Huggett, Fischer and old masters such as Grumiaux and Szeryng.  I am not sure if there are any compelling reasons to have this twofer ...

[Bulldog]

Interesting that this thread 'popped up'!

I'm on a short trip to Richmond, VA - we saw Wicked yesterday; but that morning I was in the fitness center on a treadmill listening to music from my iPod - well, the recording below was playing - believe that this has received a number of positive reviews in the forum in previous threads.  Matthews was originally from my hometown of Winston-Salem - went to the UNC School of the Arts, where her parents taught.  Own about a half dozen recordings of these works, including Mullova, but have not done any comparisons - 

The Matthews is one of the best period instrument sets on the market - get it.

[prémont]

The Matthews is one of the best period instrument sets on the market - get it.

Seconded.

[Marc]

The Matthews is one of the best period instrument sets on the market - get it.

Seconded.

Thirded.

[Marc]

Usually I don't see any comment on Elizabeth Wallfisch's interpretation of the sonatas & partitas for solo violin. Is it worth it? Thanks in advance. 

Got a library copy and listened to the first disc. Cautious, polite and neat interpretations so far, just like her recordings of the violin concertos with the Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment. So, IMO it's nice to listen to, but not a mandatory purchase, unless one thinks that Wallfisch playing her baroque violin at a pitch of A'=400Hz is worthwhile on its own to buy it.

[Mandryka]

Bronislaw Gimpel's Vox recording of Bach's solo violin music  is thankfully once more available for download from amazon and
for streaming via spotify.
This is a wondeful recording particularly in the non fugal music. If you don't know them, then you're in for a treat. He's no silk
underwear violinist, but nevertheless there is real beauty and
emotional candour to the music he makes.

I listened yesterday to the spotify stream of the second and third sonatas and was, in
the slow movements at least, overwhelmed -- even if he didn't quite
eradicate memories of Ferras or Szigeti  in the big bad fugue.and the Allegro of the third.

[Scion7]

On CD, I have Schroder's, and Tognetti's, but this is the one (1979 recording) that I am constantly coming back to listen to:



on CD:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B003AJHHU4/ref=pd_lpo_k2_dp_sr_1?pf_rd_p=486539851&pf_rd_s=lpo-top-stripe-1&pf_rd_t=201&pf_rd_i=B002QB0AV0&pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_r=0CB1F62NAEPFMQC9SD6R

http://www.cduniverse.com/productinfo.asp?pid=8188778

[nico1616]

I love Perlman's interpretation. Overtly romantic, but irresistible 

[prémont]

On CD, I have Schroder's, and Tognetti's, but this is the one that I am constantly coming back to listen to:

Someone in another forum wrote this about Sumsky´s Bach:

..... the "Jewish folksy attitude" comment.... a comment made of Oscar Shumsky's playing, which is my favourite recording of the sonatas and partitas. To me his playing has a hint, just a hint, of Klezmer style in his playing.

I do not know the recording, so I can not tell.

[Scion7]

Someone in another forum wrote this about Sumsky´s Bach:

..... the "Jewish folksy attitude" comment.... a comment made of Oscar Shumsky's playing,
which is my favourite recording of the sonatas and partitas.
To me his playing has a hint, just a hint, of Klezmer style in his playing.

I do not know the recording, so I can not tell.

I don't know what that means when playing Bach?  I certainly don't hear it, nor in Shumsky's complete set of Mozart sonatas for violin & piano,
or this 3-LP box set of Kreisler rec. 1983 (whom he studied under):



now available on various CD's - amazon, cduniverse, etc.

As a boy Shumsky was shipped all over under various teachers - he's stated that Kreisler was the main influence on him.

Anyway, if you give his 1979 rec. Bach sonatas a chance, I doubt you'll be disappointed.   

What Gramophone said:

Oscar Shumsky's tone is beautiful, his intonation faultless. He surmounts the huge difficulties in the most masterly way, yet there is tension where tension is required, for instance in the fugue in the A minor Sonata which he takes a little faster than Ricci, generating more excitement. On the other hand the Andante is pleasurably relaxed. He drives the finale along with energy, as he does all the finales and indeed all the fugues, though his approach to some movements is inclined to be a little too aggressive, for instance in the Gavotte en Rondeau in the E major Partita, and even in the Sarabande of the D minor Sonata, though the quiet end here is effective. Shumsky does in fact make more contrast than Ricci between Bach's loud and soft markings. His rubato is consistently musical in several of the first movements and notably in the famous D minor Chaconne, which receives an outstanding performance. In the Gigue immediately before it Bach slurs the occasional quavers in threes, but Shumsky slurs only the first two notes in each case. Similarly, in the E major Partita he plays a number of the slurred quavers in the first minuet staccato. In both movements Ayo shows that Bach's markings need no adjustment, and he attacks the vigorous movements less relentlessly. Both players are marvellous in the E major Loure, Shumsky playing it softly and Ayo very softly indeed. I prefer Ayo here, as also in the rather unresponsive start to the C major Sonata, but Shumsky is more impressive in the colossal fugue which comes next, as indeed he is in all the fugues. Ayo has in general a cooler approach than Shumsky to these sonatas and partitas, and much cooler than Ricci, and some will find this more in keeping with the period of the music. But Shumsky's version is very fine indeed, and consistently grips your attention. The recording quality is superb, slightly better than it is on the Ayo discs and much better than on Ricci's, which are a little too resonant. Also Shumsky does play all those repeats. Strongly recommended.   -R. F.

[milk]

I only have one recording of this set: Podger. I feel undernourished and exposed. Seems like there is great praise for Matthews in this forum. However, I see universal praise for Mullova on the internets. I'm leaning towards Mullova. Should I reconsider? What say ye? 

[DavidRoss]

Podger's could well be my desert island recording of this desert island set of works, but I like Mullova's complete set on Onyx very much, too. (See my comments about it on page 2 of this thread.) I also like Zehetmair ... and Faust ... and Fulkerson ... and several others including the old standards, Milstein and Grumiaux, who still hold up though they hardly rule the roost any longer (IMO). And the chances are very good that one of my next CD purchases will be Beyer's S&Ps.

Time was when we had to seek opinions from others before risking a purchase. But thanks to the online music services today, we can hear most potential purchases for ourselves first. Nearly all of those mentioned above -- including Mullova -- are available on Mog, which means they're probably on Spotify, too.

I've never heard Matthews -- in fact, hadn't even heard of her -- but if Dave and Don both recommend her, then she's worth hearing. Happily I just found her recording on Mog, too, so will remedy my ignorance in the very near future! 

[milk]

Podger's could well be my desert island recording of this desert island set of works, but I like Mullova's complete set on Onyx very much, too. (See my comments about it on page 2 of this thread.) I also like Zehetmair ... and Faust ... and Fulkerson ... and several others including the old standards, Milstein and Grumiaux, who still hold up though they hardly rule the roost any longer (IMO). And the chances are very good that one of my next CD purchases will be Beyer's S&Ps.

Time was when we had to seek opinions from others before risking a purchase. But thanks to the online music services today, we can hear most potential purchases for ourselves first. Nearly all of those mentioned above -- including Mullova -- are available on Mog, which means they're probably on Spotify, too.

I've never heard Matthews -- in fact, hadn't even heard of her -- but if Dave and Don both recommend her, then she's worth hearing. Happily I just found her recording on Mog, too, so will remedy my ignorance in the very near future! 

Thanks for the comments. Yes, the praise for Matthews is through the roof so I'm going to pause before deciding. The praisers are rock-solid reliable. I'm curious if any of them have considered the Mullova. Honestly, I just like reading what they have to say. It helps me to learn something more about what I'm listening to. I was just listening to the Podger and I like it very much but have nothing to compare it to. When it comes to violin, I prefer the baroque sound; I just don't like vibrato very much. But I haven't spent much time with Bach (or any classical) sans keyboard (but more so the cello suites).

[Bogey]

I'll throw out another set of performances.  I have this on newly pressed vinyl and the sound and performance are top-shelf:



and will be ordering this one in the coming weeks:



You can sweep up the full set on this SACD:

[DavidRoss]

I'm listening to Matthews via Mog now. It's lovely but austere and restrained, quite a contrast to Podger's dancing rhythms: Bach as the contemplative churchman -- not the reverential supplicant of Grumiaux's conception, but certainly not Bach as the swinging jazz man in old Leipzig's after-hours hot spots.

[milk]

I'm listening to Matthews via Mog now. It's lovely but austere and restrained, quite a contrast to Podger's dancing rhythms: Bach as the contemplative churchman -- not the reverential supplicant of Grumiaux's conception, but certainly not Bach as the swinging jazz man in old Leipzig's after-hours hot spots.

I just downloaded the Matthews and, comparing it with Podger, one thing I notice right away is how very different the instruments sound. My first reaction is that Matthews' instrument is much tinnier, and a little less pleasant, sounding than Podger's. I may need a pep talk for Matthews...Or an intervention. I want to like it to the degree I value the 20 bucks I just spent on it.   

[DavidRoss]

I just downloaded the Matthews and, comparing it with Podger, one thing I notice right away is how very different the instruments sound. My first reaction is that Matthews' instrument is much tinnier, and a little less pleasant, sounding than Podger's. I may need a pep talk for Matthews...Or an intervention. I want to like it to the degree I value the 20 bucks I just spent on it.   

$5/month gets you a subscription to Mog. (And Spotify has a free option.) Though Mog and similar services have saved me from buying a lot of things I wouldn't have liked, they haven't really saved me any money because they let me hear so many things that I like so much that I buy them even though I wasn't interested in them!

[milk]

Well, at the risk of trying people's patience with my hasty comments, I'll say one more thing before I leave off. I'm  Just comparing 1001 with my inexperienced and untrained ears: Podger seems to emphasize beauty and smoothness. I already feel that Matthews is a bit darker and even more dramatic. It is very different. I can see how Podger could be described as Jazzier and lighter, Matthews as churchier and heavier (a movement towards more profundity?). I'm not sure I'd say "restrained." I guess if one wants variety in ones music collection (which I do) then these are two good ones to have. OK. I'll spend some time contemplating these recordings. 

[milk]

$5/month gets you a subscription to Mog. (And Spotify has a free option.) Though Mog and similar services have saved me from buying a lot of things I wouldn't have liked, they haven't really saved me any money because they let me hear so many things that I like so much that I buy them even though I wasn't interested in them!

I have an obsessive need to possess things (even if only digitally). But maybe I should get over it!