Spohr Violin Concerto #8

[Steve]

I get to participate in a performance with some University students this lovely gem soon, and I was wondering if anyone had any thoughts about some great recordings.

I'm fairly new to it, having only heard on Naxos.

How's this one?

http://www.amazon.com/Spohr-Violin-Concertos-Nos-12/dp/B000001RW1/ref=sr_1_4/002-7463185-3968802?ie=UTF8&s=music&qid=1177974636&sr=1-4

[Don]

I get to participate in a performance with some University students this lovely gem soon, and I was wondering if anyone had any thoughts about some great recordings.

I'm fairly new to it, having only heard on Naxos.

How's this one?

http://www.amazon.com/Spohr-Violin-Concertos-Nos-12/dp/B000001RW1/ref=sr_1_4/002-7463185-3968802?ie=UTF8&s=music&qid=1177974636&sr=1-4

1.  First off, I wasn't aware that Naxos had a Spohr 8th in its catalog.

2.  The CPO recording you linked costs at least $35.  Why go that route when you can get 16 Spohr Violin Concertos on a CPO boxset for about $50 brand new from ArkivMusic (other sites might be less).

3.  If you're interested in HIP Spohr, there's a Helios disc having Spohr's 8th Violin Concerto with concertos of other composers.  Conductor is Goodman - violinist is Elizabeth Wallfisch.  This disc is a beauty.

4.  For those who love Hilary Hahn, there's always her Spohr 8th coupled with a Paganini concerto.

5.  Main thing - the single CPO disc for $35 is NOT economically viable.  The sellers are just waiting for a sucker to come along.

[Gurn Blanston]

3.  If you're interested in HIP Spohr, there's a Helios disc having Spohr's 8th Violin Concerto with concertos of other composers.  Conductor is Goodman - violinist is Elizabeth Wallfisch.  This disc is a beauty.

Thanks for the rec, Don, I just bought it!

[hornteacher]

4.  For those who love Hilary Hahn, there's always her Spohr 8th coupled with a Paganini concerto.

HEAR! HEAR! 

[Don]

Thanks for the rec, Don, I just bought it!

My pleasure, and I hope you get many hours of enjoyment from it.

[Steve]

Thanks for the rec, Don, I just bought it!

Me, too! So wonderful to get such a timely response. Please, keep the comments coming! 

[Harry]

As Don said, Steve, and I agree with him, is the very cheap box from CPO, with the complete Violin concertos. I bought that some time ago, and it is the last answer in how they should be done, at least for me.
The recordings are just fine, and the sense of discovery is adamant.
Strongly recommended.

[Steve]

Duly noted. Thanks for the tip- I shall be sure to place an order for this one.

[Harry]

Duly noted. Thanks for the tip- I shall be sure to place an order for this one.

You will not regret it, or I eat my hat!

[Harry Collier]

Spohr No.8 belongs to Heifetz; it needs the variety of colour and sound that Heifetz brings to it. Quite wonderful. Of the rest of the field, Hahn is a much better violinist than Wallfisch, but this concerto is a show-off vehicle for a violinist's ability to extract colour and variety; technically, it isn't too difficult.

[Don]

Spohr No.8 belongs to Heifetz; it needs the variety of colour and sound that Heifetz brings to it. Quite wonderful. Of the rest of the field, Hahn is a much better violinist than Wallfisch, but this concerto is a show-off vehicle for a violinist's ability to extract colour and variety; technically, it isn't too difficult.

The Heifitz has its virtues but is overly romanticized for a very early romantic piece. 

[Harry Collier]

The Heifitz has its virtues but is overly romanticized for a very early romantic piece. 

For Heaven's sake! Spohr was a major violinist. We are not talking about an interpretation of a major piece of classical music; we are talking about the presentation of something that was written to show off violinistic prowess. Great music the Spohr concertos ain't; great vehicles for a violinist to show off his or her extraordinary sense of violin colouring, they are. So what's with "overly romantised"? Spohr would have loved Heifetz's playing in this work.

[Harry]

Spohr would have loved Heifetz's playing in this work.

I very much doubt that!

[Rabin_Fan]

I think that Heifetz's version as definitive (as how Spohr would like it - on the contrary) - barring the cuts in the orchestral tuttis. I also have the Hoelscher CPO set - better sound but not a better intrepretation than Heifetz's. I heard the Hahn but felt the way Gramophone described it as how I felt about her version.

[Harry]

Lets ask Spohr then!
So many minds so many opinions.
Its good that way!

[stingo]

Hmm I'll have to check out the violin concerti I see. I first heard this composer through the his piano trios on Naxos. While not the most profound, the pieces were certainly very agreeable listening.