Favored recordings for solo violin.

[bhodges]

Speaking of Bartok's Sonata. Any notably good performances in last ten years?

Hi zorzynek, and welcome to GMG.  Tell us something about yourself...

This Bartók recording with Tetzlaff (in the solo sonata) and Andsnes is terrific.

--Bruce

[zorzynek]

Hi zorzynek, and welcome to GMG.  Tell us something about yourself...

This Bartók recording with Tetzlaff (in the solo sonata) and Andsnes is terrific.

--Bruce

Thanks for welcome and thanks for recommendation. I'll gladly check Tetzlaff version.

What can I say about me. Well, I'm hitting 30 in April, I'm self taught guitarist, recently not as active as I wish.
I enjoy all kinds of music, from death metal to shoegaze, from Americana to hip-hop, from progressive rock to funk and psybient. My last.fm profile surely would tell you more: http://www.last.fm/user/GroupSupport

Of course I'm a huge jazz fan and I'm in love with classical Indian music. I like classical music and contemporary classical too and that's why I'm here. What can I add? Huge fan of Bartók, Stravinsky, Shostakovich, Lou Harrison, Lutosławski, J.S. Bach, romantic piano concertos, Debussy, Fauré, Brahms and other obvious stuff.

I'm glad to be here.

[MN Dave]

[bhodges]

A very eclectic list, zorzynek!  I had to chuckle, looking at your last.fm page, with Bach, Echo & the Bunnymen and Charles Mingus, all next to each other.

--Bruce

[MN Dave]

Thanks for welcome and thanks for recommendation. I'll gladly check Tetzlaff version.

What can I say about me. Well, I'm hitting 30 in April, I'm self taught guitarist, recently not as active as I wish.
I enjoy all kinds of music, from death metal to shoegaze, from Americana to hip-hop, from progressive rock to funk and psybient. My last.fm profile surely would tell you more: http://www.last.fm/user/GroupSupport

Of course I'm a huge jazz fan and I'm in love with classical Indian music. I like classical music and contemporary classical too and that's why I'm here. What can I add? Huge fan of Bartók, Stravinsky, Shostakovich, Lou Harrison, Lutosławski, J.S. Bach, romantic piano concertos, Debussy, Fauré, Brahms and other obvious stuff.

I'm glad to be here.

Sounds like we'll get along. I listen to everything as well. Well, maybe not so much death metal though I just bought Nile's latest.

Love the avatar.

[Dax]

A really impressive 20th century solo work is the Sonata (1925) by Skalkottas - which hardly ever gets played. Here's an old radio recording by Manoug Parikian who makes considerably more sense of it than the other couple of performances I've heard.

http://www.sendspace.com/file/bodve4

[bhodges]

Thanks for posting that.  I'm a relative newbie with Skalkottas, but have really liked what I've heard a lot.  And you're right about its rarity: I don't think I've ever even seen it listed on a concert program.  (Not that much Skalkottas shows up here anyway.)

--Bruce

[Dax]

I must confess I'm a big fan. If you happen to go for string quartets, I do strongly recommend the New Hellenic Quartet recording of nos 3 + 4.

[bhodges]

I do (go for string quartets, passionately)--and I will!  Thanks for that recommendation.

--Bruce

[zorzynek]

Sounds like we'll get along. I listen to everything as well. Well, maybe not so much death metal though I just bought Nile's latest.

Love the avatar.

Thanks. I know it's not the place and time but... new Nile, quite solid.

A really impressive 20th century solo work is the Sonata (1925) by Skalkottas - which hardly ever gets played. Here's an old radio recording by Manoug Parikian who makes considerably more sense of it than the other couple of performances I've heard.

http://www.sendspace.com/file/bodve4

That was quite interesting, thanks for sharing.
Where to start with orchestral Skalkottas?

Of course, it turned out I missed Tetzlaff gig in Warsaw. Shame on me, I could go I even had free ticket. Don't know what happened.

Another thing, are Tetzlaff's Bach recordings worth a listen?

[listener]

The Ernst  6 Études for Solo Violin (finishing with a set of variations on The Last Rose of Summer) and Caprice for Solo Violin on Schubert's 'Erlkönig' are brilliantly played by Ingolf Turban on Claves 50-9613.    Not "great" pieces, but great playing of these works

[Dax]

Where to start with orchestral Skalkottas?

The later tonal stuff is less interesting as a rule (eg., The sea + 4 images). The Greek dances (yes they're tonal) are pretty excellent though. The return of Ulysses, the Largo sinfonico and the Mayday spell are all very fine.

[zorzynek]

Thanks!

[Tyson]

Bill, I just LOVE solo violin music - even prefer it to violin and piano!

Somebody else will be along to talk about the best albums of Paganini and Ysaye, but to my mind the Ysaye is an absolute essential - I had the joy of seeing a live performance of all 6 solo violin sonatas, a truly staggering achievement by a doctoral student here at Rice. The Ysaye works are the ultimate violinist's workout, with some really extreme and dazzling emotional variety. Only recording I know is Ilya Kaler (very good), but others will probably know better ones.

For an alternative to Paganini's caprices, check out the wonderful salon music of Charles-Auguste de Beriot. I'd take it over the empty technical exercises of Paganini any day - Beriot is a total charmer and his solo violin music are undiscovered gems. This release is one of my 2009 CDs of the year:



Bella Hristova is a phenomenal violinist - a ceaseless pleasure to listen to, and we'll be hearing a lot from her in the coming decades!

Agreed on Ysaye - essential!  Kaler is very good, but I would suggest Zehetmair as getting a bit closer to the heart of the music, and the partial set by Vengerov is also a lot of fun.

[Carolus]

About Ysaye, do not forget the old masters (Ricci).
And for the third sonata, Oistrakh was superb.