BaL 9.04.11 - Beethoven: Violin Concerto

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

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

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dQ2ihBH2l_s

- I think he made a similar recording of the Brahms concerto at about the same time.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VHplHiSUTRU

... I looked for this yesterday; hampered somewhat by the fact that I thought it was Oscar Schumsky who had made these recordings!

[amateur51]

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).

Fascinating stuff, CallMePaul - I had no idea

Weren't Kogan and Gilels related in some way?

[CallMePaul]

[QUOTE Weren't Kogan and Gilels related in some way? [/QUOTE]

No idea, but both were Jews of Latvian origin. "Gilels" is, I think, a Russianisation of "Hillel" with a Latvian nominative masculine ending. Perhaps someone whose Russian is better than mine can confirm this?

[BBMmk2]

What more recent recordings would people here recommend?

[amateur51]

No idea, but both were Jews of Latvian origin. "Gilels" is, I think, a Russianisation of "Hillel" with a Latvian nominative masculine ending. Perhaps someone whose Russian is better than mine can confirm this?

An interesting story about Gilels & the KGB, related by conductor Uri Segal ...

http://slippedisc.com/2010/12/the_secret_torments_of_emil_gi/

OT I'm sorry

[gurnemanz]

Kreisler with Barbirolli or Schneiderhan with Furtwängler.

On the Kreisler Icon box you get two Beethoven concertos - Barbirolli 1936 Abbey Road and Leo Blech 1926 Berlin. Although the latter has a slightly scratchy 78 style sound it has lovely acoustic and balance (recorded at the Berlin Singakademie which the Russians expropriated after the War). Both well worth having but in Berlin the soloist was 12 years younger and that much more in his prime. The slow movement is exquisite.

[amateur51]

What more recent recordings would people here recommend?

Mike aldren mentions several in msg # 34, Bbm

[waldo]

What more recent recordings would people here recommend?

Patricia Kopatchinskaja with Herreweghe - quite recent and absolutely terrific, though with a controversial cadenza. Exceptionally imaginative playing, sparing vibrato.

Isabelle Faust with Abbado - paired with the Berg concerto. Universally acclaimed when it came out in 2012.

[pastoralguy]

I've recently ordered the Kremer version with the Schnitke cadenza. ASMF/Marriner. Odd I don't have this one.

[Roehre]

I've recently ordered the Kremer version with the Schnitke cadenza. ASMF/Marriner. Odd I don't have this one.

IIRC the first recording of the Schnittke

[Barbirollians]

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.

Beethoven did not write it for the violin version though and I think it jars . Joachim and Kreisler's cadenzas rightly in my opinion remain the favourites.

[richardfinegold]

[QUOTE Weren't Kogan and Gilels related in some way?

No idea, but both were Jews of Latvian origin. "Gilels" is, I think, a Russianisation of "Hillel" with a Latvian nominative masculine ending. Perhaps someone whose Russian is better than mine can confirm this?[/QUOTE]

I had no idea that either of them wa a member of The (my) Tribe. Another KGB agent was the Borodin Qt Cellist Valentin Berlinsky, who was half a Hebrew.

btw, the Wiki entry on Kogan states he was Ukranian, not Latvian, and that he marrried Elisabeth Gilels, the sister of Emil, which therefore made them brothers in law.
the wiki entry on Gilels states that he is from Odessa, on the Crimean Peninsula,which depending on the day of the week and on Putin's mood, is either part of Ukraine or Russia but again ,not Latvia.

[Sir Velo]

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 rather like the Ysaye and the Busoni.

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

[Sir Velo]

Joachim and Kreisler's cadenzas rightly in my opinion remain the favourites.

Joachim 1 or Joachim 2?