Bach's Violin Sonatas & Partitas (solo)

Started by MISHUGINA, December 16, 2007, 01:46:47 AM

Previous topic - Next topic

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

haydnguy

Have Grumiaux and Milstein, and for me it's Milstein by a ways.

Dr. Dread

Quote from: BaxMan on March 13, 2009, 12:33:17 AM
Have Grumiaux and Milstein, and for me it's Milstein by a ways.

Which Milstein?

dirkronk

I still haven't heard Grumiaux, in spite of being a big fan of almost everything he's done. One day...

Meanwhile, I tend to go for Milstein-EMI, though I also have his DGG on vinyl. Earlier is better, to my ears. Same with Szeryng--I much prefer his earlier performance (Odyssey for the set, though I have a couple of partitas on a very old Odeon mono) to his later DGG, which I do also have.

Here's a few wild cards that I really enjoy from time to time: Martzy, who seldom gets mentioned on these threads; she's a bit straightforward for some tastes, but once I put her Bach on, it's like eating popcorn...I can't stop. Fulkerson on Bridge--got that one last year and found it quite refreshing after an initial spin; we'll see if I still like it when I get back around to hearing it again. And Rosand, whose Bach was brought to my attention by a friend on this forum several years back--a surprise for me, and an experience that gave me new respect for the violinist.

Alas, I have to agree that Enescu waited too late to record the works. Same IMO with Szigeti. However, both artists are so insightful in places that I keep their sets around anyway, even though I listen only on rare occasion.

Heifetz? Well, his partita #2 is incredibly beautiful and I listen to that one frequently and with great pleasure. But the one time I heard samples of his complete set, I found my attention waning...so I've never felt the call to buy it. Go figure.

FWIW,

Dirk

Dr. Dread

I used to own Heifetz but sold it, for the reason Dirk mentions. I have the DG Milstein and enjoy it very much. Milstein said it was the better version of the two he'd done. Of course, he would, woudn't he?  ;D

DFO

Somobody has to name young Menuhin complete version.

dirkronk

Quote from: Mn Dave on March 13, 2009, 05:22:06 AM
I have the DG Milstein and enjoy it very much. Milstein said it was the better version of the two he'd done. Of course, he would, woudn't he?  ;D

Always take the artist's opinion with a grain of salt. He or she isn't doing the listening...you are.

I still laugh my ass off when I remember Richter opining that his Brahms 2nd with Maazel ("meh" says I) was far better than the one with Leinsdorf/Chicago (which for me is one of THE great performances). He didn't care for any of his October 1960 Carnegie Hall performances, either, and many of those are jaw-droppers. It seems obvious that Richter had a bad time personally on his first trip to the US and I think it forever colored his opinion of the playing he did here.

Dirk

Dr. Dread

Quote from: dirkronk on March 13, 2009, 05:38:38 AM
Always take the artist's opinion with a grain of salt. He or she isn't doing the listening...you are.

Maybe I'll look into his EMI version then. Thanks.

dirkronk

Quote from: Mn Dave on March 13, 2009, 05:42:19 AM
Maybe I'll look into his EMI version then. Thanks.

Do try to listen, if you can, to see how you react to the young Milstein. Both recordings have their felicities to offer, of course. The approaches ARE different and I just happen to prefer the earlier one. But it's not like the DGG version is chopped liver--and if it already speaks to you, you may end up still preferring it. That's part of the fun of having different recordings to listen to--YOU get to decide.
;)

Dirk

aquablob

Quote from: Peregrine on March 12, 2009, 11:28:19 PM
Zehetmair

You're the only one to mention Zehetmair so far. An excellent choice in excellent sound.

nut-job

Quote from: Peregrine on March 12, 2009, 11:28:19 PM
My current favourites are Grumiaux, Szeryng, Edinger and Zehetmair.

Still haven't bought Milstein....would also like to hear what Heifetz has done...

I'd say exactly the same, except I've never heard the Edinger.  Didn't like Milstein.  Podger is good.


jwinter

I have Milstein (EMI), Szeryng (DG), and Rachel Podger.  Milstein's the clear favorite for me, although I enjoy all three.  I'm pretty satisfied with those, although I may try Hahn's one of these days if I see it cheaply enough.
The man that hath no music in himself,
Nor is not moved with concord of sweet sounds,
Is fit for treasons, stratagems, and spoils.
The motions of his spirit are dull as night,
And his affections dark as Erebus.
Let no such man be trusted.

-- William Shakespeare, The Merchant of Venice

Sorin Eushayson

#31
Quote from: Que on December 16, 2007, 02:03:42 AM
Sigiswald Kuijken-I (DHM) for HIP.

Yes yes yes!  Kuijken does magnificently.  I cannot give an in-depth comparison-and-contrast review of the various 'Sonatas & Partitas' recordings floating about, but he does so well that I can safely recommend him...



Not only are these performed wonderfully, but his violin sounds so good it'll melt your ears clean off!  :o  ;D

Coopmv

For Bach, I prefer Grumiaux and Szeryng from the older generation while Mullova and Standage are my favorites from the somewhat younger generation.  From the much younger generation, Fischer clearly stands out ... 

haydnguy


premont

Quote from: Coopmv on March 13, 2009, 08:58:28 PM
For Bach, I prefer ..while Mullova and Standage are my favorites from the somewhat younger generation. 

Standage?? He has not to my knowledge recorded these works. And Mullova hasn´t recorded but the Partitas
γνῶθι σεαυτόν

premont

Quote from: Sorin Eushayson on March 13, 2009, 02:05:48 PM
Yes yes yes!  Kuijken does magnificently.  I cannot give an in-depth comparison-and-contrast review of the various 'Sonatas & Partitas' recordings floating about, but he does so well that I can safely recommend him...



Not only are these performed wonderfully, but his violin sounds so good it'll melt your ears clean off!  :o  ;D

As far as I can see, this is the first Kuijken recording.

And as far as I know it is OOP.
γνῶθι σεαυτόν

Coopmv

#36
Quote from: premont on March 14, 2009, 04:58:49 AM
Standage?? He has not to my knowledge recorded these works. And Mullova hasn´t recorded but the Partitas

Check this out ...


premont

Quote from: Coopmv on March 14, 2009, 06:15:56 AM
Check this out ...



I did so a year ago, and this is the violin-harpsichord sonatas. I wrote about them in this forum.
In this repertoire BTW I find Standage superior to Mullova.
γνῶθι σεαυτόν

Coopmv

Quote from: premont on March 14, 2009, 07:00:10 AM
I did so a year ago, and this is the violin-harpsichord sonatas. I wrote about them in this forum.
In this repertoire BTW I find Standage superior to Mullova.

I believe most of the more recent recordings Standage made (with Chandos) after he left the English Concert to found Collegium Musicum 90 have been Albinoni works ...

DavidRoss

As most probably know already, Mullova has now recorded the complete Bach Sonatas & Partitas for solo violin, available on the new Onyx label:


First impressions follow (copied from "listening now" thread).

At times surprisingly metronomic, but for the most part (as in the Chaccone) her judicious rubato was subtle and tasteful.  My overall sense is of restrained passion:  depth of feeling tempered by intellect, study, discipline, and respect.  Less lively and zestful than Podger but hardly as stern as the old school (Grumiaux et al) and with fewer virtuoso flights than Zehetmair.  At first go round I wondered if she might not be reined in a bit much, as if concern with establishing her HIP creds mitigated some freedom to soar with abandon.  But I am now working through it for a second time (just finished Sonata #1 in G minor BWV 1001) and am completely captivated by her purity of tone (using her gut-strung Guadagnini and replica period bow), her subtle inflections of phrasing, and her self-effacing restraint.  It helps that the recording's sound quality is nigh on faultless--close-miked in a moderately reverberant but small acoustic space that enriches her tone.

I've little doubt that this will take it's place alongside those mentioned above and Monica Huggett's as a reference recording to which I will return frequently in years hence to refresh my weary soul.
"Maybe the problem most of you have ... is that you're not listening to Barbirolli." ~Sarge

"The problem with socialism is that sooner or later you run out of other people's money." ~Margaret Thatcher