Recomendations for Prokofiev violin concertos

[alkan]

I'm looking for recommendations for good-quality sound (no historical please!) versions of these amazing and beautiful works.    I've only recently discovered them and they have both shot to the top of my list of all-time favourite violin concertos.   I especially love the last movement of the 1st and the slow movement of the 2nd.     It's so lyrical I can hardly believe that I'm listening to Prokofiev .....   the ending of the 1st concerto is absolutely magical.

[The new erato]

 It's so lyrical I can hardly believe that I'm listening to Prokofiev .....   the ending of the 1st concerto is absolutely magical.

Oistrakh on EMI GROC.

Prokofiev could be a supreme lyricist, particularly in his ballets and operas.

[longears]

I like Josefowicz with Dutoit & Montréal.  Agree re. Proky's lyricism, and humor.  If you like these, try his Sinfonia Concertante--I'm happy with the recording by Chang, Pappano, & the LSO.

[Harry]

For six euro's you have the best recordings available in stunning sound too!

[david johnson]

by coincidence, i listened to these yesterday.  i use the naxos white box (plus a few singles) for my prokofiev.  a review follows -

"This box is a terrific deal. Having had the opportunity to review several of these recordings on initial release, I can say without qualms that after Neeme Jarvi's Chandos benchmarks, this is the best Prokofiev symphony cycle available, and the addition of the concertos combined with the budget price makes for a well-nigh irresistible package. In the symphonies, Theodore Kuchar and his Ukrainian forces acquit themselves with real distinction. The performance of the Fifth Symphony truly is a great one. Coupling the Fourth with The Prodigal Son (from which it derives) is an excellent idea. The Sixth also is one of the better ones available--indeed, there's not a single dud in the lot.

The same holds true of the concertos. Kun-Woo Paik's versions of the piano concertos under Antoni Wit have received a good bit of enthusiastic press, and justly so. They are beautifully played, sensitive performances, as are Tedi Papavrami's fine readings of the violin concertos (plus the Sonata for Solo Violin). Alexander Rudin may not be quite the match for Han-Na Chang on EMI in the Symphony-Concerto for Cello and Orchestra, but he offers a distinguished effort all the same, and Naxos also includes his excellent rendition of the Concertino for Cello and Orchestra. The sonics vary somewhat given the different venues and artists involved, but they're never less than good. There really is no better basic Prokofiev orchestral music collection available at any price."
--David Hurwitz, ClassicsToday.com

[BorisG]

Chung/Previn, Stern/Ormandy.

[Dancing Divertimentian]

For six euro's you have the best recordings available in stunning sound too!

Harry, I agree Zimmerman's no. 2 is good (and, yes, beautifully recorded!) but I wouldn't go so far as to say it's the best available. Kyung Wha Chung easily surpasses him in technical aplomb and spiky temperament yet still gives the lyrical moments full value. Plus she coaxes worlds of color from her violin, which is a huge plus in Prokofiev. 

Gil Shaham's two concertos on DG are very worthwhile, too, about on par with Zimmermann (in the second).

[XB-70 Valkyrie]

Did Szigeti ever record these? If so, I'd be very interested, as his Prokofiev sonatas are superb, probably the best I've ever heard.

[Harry]

Harry, I agree Zimmerman's no. 2 is good (and, yes, beautifully recorded!)

Well I should have said IMO, for so many people so many opinions right.

[Timmyb]

I like Mintz/Abbado for no 1.My only recording of no 2 is Chung/Previn which is very good.

[Sergeant Rock]

Add my vote for the lovely Ms. Chung. You can't go wrong.




However, by a small margin I'd choose this First to take to the desert island:



I prefer the slightly quicker tempo Rostropovich and Mutter take in the first movement, and I simply like the sound of Mutter's violin more than Chung's...love her sound actually: so warm, so secure, with ravishing high notes. It's the main reason she's my favorite violinist.

Sarge

[val]

I prefer the version of Isaac Stern with Ormandy.

But regarding the First Concerto, my favorite is David Oistrakh with Lovro von Matacic.

[Dana]

      Has anyone else heard Vengerov? While I think the work sounds fairly immature (much like his first piano concerto), Vengerov irks me with his temporal liberties. I feel like he might be trying to bring out the flippant nature of the score, but does that also mean that he has to be flippant with the score as well?

[BorisG]

      Has anyone else heard Vengerov? While I think the work sounds fairly immature (much like his first piano concerto), Vengerov irks me with his temporal liberties. I feel like he might be trying to bring out the flippant nature of the score, but does that also mean that he has to be flippant with the score as well?

You seem to be much more of a violinist than I.

Vengerov, to me, comes off better in concert. "One-offs" that are usually successful. When they transfer this nature to CD, it is not as successful. It is harder to live with day in and day out.

[bhodges]

Yes, I have both of the Vengerov recordings, which (I confess) I bought for the Shostakovich concertos.  I recall liking his Prokofiev just fine, but I haven't listened to those two nearly as often as the Shostakovich duo, and I don't know the scores well enough to really offer an opinion.  

--Bruce

[Dana]

You seem to be much more of a violinist than I.

I'm a violist!!! **Sticks nose in air and struts away**

[BorisG]

I'm a violist!!! **Sticks nose in air and struts away**

[knight66]

I have the Abbado/Mintz version. I am no expert in this music, but enjoy the version a great deal.

I visited Luxor in Egypt, it was almost dark when we arrived. There was to be a bus from the airport and everyone sat on it chatting and waiting for the driver. Then, into the warm, balmy night, over a crackly radio, the slow movement of the Prokofiev 2nd sang out. It was such an incongruous place to hear this sinuous, long breathed melody. Quite quickly the bus fell silent and in the stillness people relaxed into that beautiful movement. It was like a gift of calm. Once over, the silence persisted until the driver eventually turned up and the bus drew away.

Mike

[bhodges]

I have the Abbado/Mintz version. I am no expert in this music, but enjoy the version a great deal.

I visited Luxor in Egypt, it was almost dark when we arrived. There was to be a bus from the airport and everyone sat on it chatting and waiting for the driver. Then, into the warm, balmy night, over a crackly radio, the slow movement of the Prokofiev 2nd sang out. It was such an incongruous place to hear this sinuous, long breathed melody. Quite quickly the bus fell silent and in the stillness people relaxed into that beautiful movement. It was like a gift of calm. Once over, the silence persisted until the driver eventually turned up and the bus drew away.

Mike

Mike, what a strange, beautiful snapshot!

--Bruce

[Pierre]

No one's mentioned Perlman's recording of No. 1 with the BBC Symphony Orchestra conducted by Rozhdestvensky on EMI - still the most beautiful account IMHO (followed fairly closely by Gil Shaham). Perlman's No. 2 in that CD is less good, but given it's now available at half price I still give the recording a strong recommendation.

No. 2 has many more excellent recordings - my fav is Heifetz with Koussevitzky.

Neither Mutter nor Vengerov do justice to No. 1, IMHO. Mutter's far too wilful and pulls the music about, and  Vengerov is far too brutal with the work's mad acrobatics.