I love this genre, but have been very slow to explore it. (I have several recordings of the Bach Sonatas and Partitas of course.) I have the Paganini caprices played by Michael Rabin (who I have grown to like less and less over the years), and, interestingly, a couple played by the great Ricardo Odnosposoff. I also greatly enjoy the Nielsen pieces (Kai Laursen). I am interested in exploring the Max Reger and Biber sonatas, Ysaye, and anything else anyone may care to suggest. Thanks
The sonata Bartok wrote for Yehudi Menuhin.
Ysaye, of course.
Besides Biber and Bach, the. baroque era produced several works of this genre. Gunar Letzbor has recorded three or four CDs from various composers. I would recommend those recordings.
Naxos had(has?) a series devoted to 19th century violinist/composers, with some of the works for solo violin.
Among living composers, I think Ades has written a work for solo violin, but I have never heard it (if it exists).
In the Baroque and pre-Classical, the genre was almost always solo violin with basso continuo accompagnato. Are you totally intent on solo violin, or is the BC OK with you? 'cause there is some great stuff out there with BC... :)
8)
Word. BC is chill, Yo. 8)
Quote from: XB-70 Valkyrie on July 05, 2015, 04:27:04 PM
Word. BC is chill, Yo. 8)
Well let me be the first (and probably only) one to recommend this composer. I don't have alternative recordings to recommend, but this one here is very fine. Lolli was known as a sort of oddball, many thought he was insane. He was totally self-taught, and played things that others hadn't really thought about. The time and place are right for him to have been an influence on the young Paganini, although there is no documentation other than Lolli having played in NP's hometown when NP was a youngster.
(http://i202.photobucket.com/albums/aa159/Gurn_Blanston/CD%20Covers/Lolli%20Violin%20sonatas%20cover.jpg)
8)
Quote from: Jeffrey Smith on July 05, 2015, 03:14:38 PM
The sonata Bartok wrote for Yehudi Menuhin.
Seconding this one. Tetzlaff's recording is pretty great.
[asin]B00022GJRO[/asin]
--Bruce
The only recording of the bartok sonata which I have enjoyed is by Leila Josefowicz. It is extremely musical, I heard it again just a couple of weeks ago and was really impressed by how she manages to turn it into music.
There's a lot of music in this genre. Three that come to mind are Carter's Riconoscenza, the Berio sequenza and Ferneyhough's Unsichtbare Farben. Other people may recommend the Cage violin etudes, I've never enjoyed them for some reason.
If you like early twentieth century romantic music, Ysaÿe wrote a lot of solo violin sonatas.
If you'd extend it to include pieces for violin and tape then Boulez and Richard Shapey are outstanding. And for two violins there's Stockhausen, and indeed Bartok again.
Only a few of Biber's are really "senza basso", I think. The famous passacaglia (last piece from the rosary, all of which are otherwise with basso continuo) is one of them.
Same for Pisendel, Westhoff etc. I think there is one set by Telemann for strictly solo.
Reger's (also cello and viola) and Ysaye's are available but I have not heard all of them. (I think the Ysaye is complete on Oehms with Benjamin Schmid and most or all of the Reger on Dorian)
A disc I bought somewhat recently but cannot yet comment on combines 2 of Ysaye's with Boulez, Sciarrino and Jörg Widmann (the violinist is his sister).
[asin]B000EUMKK4[/asin]
Quote from: XB-70 Valkyrie on July 05, 2015, 02:51:02 PM
I love this genre, but have been very slow to explore it. (I have several recordings of the Bach Sonatas and Partitas of course.) I have the Paganini caprices played by Michael Rabin (who I have grown to like less and less over the years), and, interestingly, a couple played by the great Ricardo Odnosposoff. I also greatly enjoy the Nielsen pieces (Kai Laursen). I am interested in exploring the Max Reger and Biber sonatas, Ysaye, and anything else anyone may care to suggest. Thanks
How do you feel about late 20C? Boulez wrote
Anthemes I for solo violin.
Anthemes II is even cooler, but it is accompanied by live electronics. However, the live electronic sounds are all violin-related sounds, so that could qualify.
I did a violin transcription of the Ligeti
Sonata for Solo Cello, but there is no recording, obviously (I did the transcription just so I could play it for fun).
Quote from: Gurn Blanston on July 05, 2015, 04:38:29 PM
Well let me be the first (and probably only) one to recommend this composer.
(http://i202.photobucket.com/albums/aa159/Gurn_Blanston/CD%20Covers/Lolli%20Violin%20sonatas%20cover.jpg)
Wrong. I second that wholeheartedly. I already did that actually: http://www.good-music-guide.com/community/index.php/topic,21492.msg900985.html#msg900985 (http://www.good-music-guide.com/community/index.php/topic,21492.msg900985.html#msg900985) :D
Some other goodies (solo violin):
Louis-Gabriel Guillemain - 12 Caprices for Solo Violin Op. 18 (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nUW9jhtFAHc)
Johann Paul Von Westhoff - Six Partitas for Solo Violin (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9YHxa52qBfE)
Giuseppe Tartini - Solo Violin Music (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=codgEyXS5NA)
Giuseppe Tartini - Solo Violin Sonatas (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E_wlS364f0A)
Giuseppe Tartini - L' arte dell' arco (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tFQSWsImEJQ)
For violin & bc, see some recommendations here: http://www.good-music-guide.com/community/index.php/topic,24936.msg904559.html#msg904559 (http://www.good-music-guide.com/community/index.php/topic,24936.msg904559.html#msg904559)
There's the Honegger sonata of course ... not familiar enough with it to recommend any particular recordings I'm afraid, I only have one by Christian Ferras (to be found on his very, very good DG/Universal box).
The ERNST Études can be recommended for showy technique - Variations on 'Home Sweet Home' and a transcription of Schubert's Erlkönig are easy to find. Prokofiev Sonata op.115, Rochberg Caprice Variations, Rode 24 Caprices I found quite a bore,
Schnittke À Paganini also on the list
Listening with a score adds to a good performance of any of these equivalents of pianists' knuckle-busters'
Two unexpected one:
Arthur Schnabel
Wilhelm Kempff
Quote from: Gurn Blanston on July 05, 2015, 04:38:29 PM
Well let me be the first (and probably only) one to recommend this composer. I don't have alternative recordings to recommend, but this one here is very fine. Lolli was known as a sort of oddball, many thought he was insane. He was totally self-taught, and played things that others hadn't really thought about. The time and place are right for him to have been an influence on the young Paganini, although there is no documentation other than Lolli having played in NP's hometown when NP was a youngster.
(http://i202.photobucket.com/albums/aa159/Gurn_Blanston/CD%20Covers/Lolli%20Violin%20sonatas%20cover.jpg)
8)
An extremely helpful person on YouTube has posted that album in its entirety:
https://www.youtube.com/v/b4ZY4HeBewE
There's the early solo Sonata by Skalkottas as well as quite a bit by Sophie-Carmen Eckhardt-Gramatté (including a Concerto for solo violin - are there others?)
Perhaps OT but Hindemiths solo viola stuff is very fine.
Quote from: The new erato on July 10, 2015, 11:46:30 PM
Perhaps OT but Hindemiths solo viola stuff is very fine.
So are Max Reger's suites for viola.
Tabea Zimmermann recorded them coupled with two Bach cello suites, transcribed for alto.
Quote from: Dax on July 10, 2015, 12:52:49 AM
Sophie-Carmen Eckhardt-Gramatté (including a Concerto for solo violin - are there others?)
Immensely enjoy hers! :)
Ysaye has to be right at the top of the list. Bartok's Sonata up there too. And Biber, of course. But a more unusal rec - Khandoshkin, one of the very earliest Russian composers, and author of some exceptional, characterful works for solo violin.
Shame Kodaly never did for the violin what he did for the cello, mind, or this discussion would look very different! ;)
...am thinking of solo violin arrangements of Erlkonig and the Liszt Sonata now, too...
Quote from: Luke on August 25, 2015, 11:37:02 AM
...am thinking of solo violin arrangements of Erlkonig and the Liszt Sonata now, too...
The
Ernst Erlkönig is magnificent, and the
Liszt arrangement of
Noam Sivan is certainly quite an achievement, as well.
Love the
Ysaÿe and the
Bartók.
I first heard the Bartók when Nigel Kennedy played it at Old Cabell Hall at UVa (the concert where I turned pages for his accompanist in the Elgar Sonata). One of my life-changing musical experiences.
(http://s27.postimg.org/hmtfxxrtf/100_1393.jpg)
The majority of the pieces have piano accompaniment, but Kriesler's take on Tartini's Devil's Trill is solo, for instance.
I didn't bother to find the CD equivalent for this magnificent record (Shumsky was a friend and pupil of Kriesler.)
Recorded in 1983 with the aging Shumsky playing as sprightly as one of the Young Lions on their debut tour.
Amazing - no trace of arthritis.
After getting the Mozart violin sonata's set when it was released, as soon as I read in Gramophone that Shumsky was in the studio doing this one, I kept an eye out on MHS for the release date. His recordings for the Bach Sonatas & Partitas is also awesome, and my favoirte.
Don't think this recording has been mentioned yet:
[asin]B00EPQQH1G[/asin]
Wholeheartedly recommended!
Quote from: The new erato on July 10, 2015, 11:46:30 PM
Perhaps OT but Hindemiths solo viola stuff is very fine.
In 1924 Hindemith also wrote two sonatas for unaccompanied violin, of which the second is particularly beautiful.
It ends with five variations on Mozart's "Komm, lieber Mai" and the whole sonata is infused with a strange mix of spring jubilance and melancholy.