BaL 9.04.11 - Beethoven: Violin Concerto

[tigajen]

That's easy; Grumiaux/Davis.

Agree about Grumiaux,but contrary to most critics I prefer the Galliera version. That lead back after the first movement cadanza-ravishing!
Sorry cadEnza!!

[johnb]

Didn't James Galway refer to the Berlin Phil as "Herbie's Band"?

Correct me if I'm wrong but I think "band" is the term that a lot of musicians use instead of "orchestra" - a casual term similar to using "fiddle" for "violin".

[amateur51]

Maybe "band" was a popular 18th century term for "orchestra", Tony? Just guessing. Whatever, I cherish their recordings, particularly those done for Nimbus.

[Barbirollians]

This Kogan/Silvestri is quite something - and I see that pristine copies of the original LP go for thousands yet it is deleted - madness.

[BBMmk2]

Schneiderhan for me!

[Roehre]

Schneiderhan for me!

with his beethoven-derived cadenza with timpani

[EnemyoftheStoat]

Correct me if I'm wrong but I think "band" is the term that a lot of musicians use instead of "orchestra" - a casual term similar to using "fiddle" for "violin".

Correct, johnb. Anybody offended by the use of "band", "gig", "fiddle" etc etc etc should stay well away from a pro outfit.

[Tony Halstead]

Correct, johnb. Anybody offended by the use of "band", "gig", "fiddle" etc etc etc should stay well away from a pro outfit.

So 'band' or in the Hanover's case 'Band' is a 'casual' term for an orchestra... yes of course I do know that
but the point I was making ( or trying to make, very few responders seem to have understood) is that 'band' /' Band' is a colloquial or casual term that is very rarely found in the public, advertised name of a professional 'classical' orchestra, whether a symphony or chamber ensemble.
At a rough guess I'd say that 99% of the world's professional orchestras use the ubiquitous word - wait for it - 'orchestra' in their titles and their publicity.

So, is the The Hanover Band ( upper case definite article NB) unique in that 'band' respect?
Answers on a postcard please..... and by the way I have heard of the Michael Nyman Band.

[Sir Velo]

So, is the The Hanover Band ( upper case definite article NB) unique in that 'band' respect?
Answers on a postcard please..... and by the way I have heard of the Michael Nyman Band.

La Petite Bande?

[EdgeleyRob]

Schneiderhan for me!

with his beethoven-derived cadenza with timpani

That's the only version I have.

[Thropplenoggin]

I ditched Faust's thin vinegary tone on her first account on HM with the Prague Philharmonia/Jiri Belohlavek for something much more euphonious: Milstein/Steinberg/Pittsburg S.O.

I also have Walter/CSO w. Francescatti on a disc I bought for the Sibelius VC (Oistrakh/Ormandy/Philadelphia O.) which I've yet to hear.

[Barbirollians]

That's the only version I have.

Splendidly as Schneiderhan plays there is so much more to the work than in his rendition and the timpani cadenza for the piano version just does not work to my ears in the violin concerto .

[richardfinegold]

I ditched Faust's thin vinegary tone on her first account on HM with the Prague Philharmonia/Jiri Belohlavek for something much more euphonious: Milstein/Steinberg/Pittsburg S.O.

I also have Walter/CSO w. Francescatti on a disc I bought for the Sibelius VC (Oistrakh/Ormandy/Philadelphia O.) which I've yet to hear.

The Francescatti was my first recording. My best friend in High School owned it but told me to purchase the Oistrakh / clutters, and that turned out out to be a superb bit of advice.

[Roehre]

Splendidly as Schneiderhan plays there is so much more to the work than in his rendition and the timpani cadenza for the piano version just does not work to my ears in the violin concerto .

It is the only cadenza which can be said to be sort of contemporary with the concerto.
In a HIPP I prefer Beethoven-Schneiderhan's, otherwise it's either that one or Schnittke's.
That the latter is a 20c cadenza can not be used against it. Literally all others are from later years than from during Beethoven's life time anyway (the Clement cadenzas most likely gone lost ) and all are to show off the violinist's virtuosity in the style of the virtuoso's days.
These are interesting: Auer, Busoni, David, Joachim, Kreisler, Laub, Milstein, Saint Saëns, Wieniawski and Ysaye should all get an outing from time to time.

[CallMePaul]

Any recommendations for a good recording with the Joachim cadenza?

Szeryng/ Haitink and Kogan/ Silvestri both include the Joachim cadenza. The Kogan was the first recording of this work I heard and although I no longer have the LP I remember it as one of the finest available in the early 1970s. A pity though that Kogan, who was a KGB agent, used this to stymie the careers of many promising Soviet instrumentalists. He even managed to have Rostropovich banned from travelling outside the Soviet bloc for many years, by reporting to his KGB superiors his interest in western lifestyle. The great cellist found out who was responsible and refused to share a platform again with Kogan or Emil Gilels, who was also on that western tour (I think the jury is still out on how much Gilels was to blame).

Returning to cadenzas, there are many alternatives to Joachim, Kreisler and arrangements of Beethoven's piano cadenzas. Some go back to nearer the time of the concerto's premiere than Joachim's. Towards the end of his career, Ruggiero Ricci made a recording of the concerto in which he played virtually every cadenza he could find, ending with his own. I have not heard this CD and don't know if it is still available - I think he made a similar recording of the Brahms concerto at about the same time. But I am not aware of any other modern (ie not Kreisler's!) recording of the concerto in which the soloist plays or improvises his own cadenzas. Pianists often do so in Mozart and occasionally in Beethoven 1-4 (the cadenzas were all written later than the concertos and Beethoven wrote 3 for No1 and 2 for No4), so why don't some of our fiddlers do the same?