Tchaikovsky Violin Concerto

[Dave2002]

Can't find any evidence of recent BALs, but Presto have this page - http://www.prestoclassical.co.uk/w/3...-D-major-Op-35 which lists various "hot" recommendations.

[pastoralguy]

Can't find any evidence of recent BALs, but Presto have this page - http://www.prestoclassical.co.uk/w/3...-D-major-Op-35 which lists various "hot" recommendations.

Some good recordings there Dave but I'd avoid the Tetzlaff since he fudges one of the high lying passages in the recapitulation. Very surprising from a player of his calibre.

[Dave2002]

Thanks pg. I did wonder about Balba Skride, and my guess is that Vilde Frang could also be worth a listen.

[pastoralguy]

Thanks pg. I did wonder about Balba Skride, and my guess is that Vilde Frang could also be worth a listen.

Both of those players are OUTSTANDING in this work, Dave. The conducting is very good too, not something one can necessarily take for granted in this work.

[Dave2002]

I don't know Balba's work well (much), but Vilde Frang is superb in most of what I've heard - e.g Sibelius.

[pastoralguy]

I don't know Balba's work well (much), but Vilde Frang is superb in most of what I've heard - e.g Sibelius.

Baibe Skride is, IMHO, a player's player. She's very subtle with no sense of the 'playing to the gallery' mentality that can affect other musicians. Her Schumann concerto recording is extremely good.

[Barbirollians]

Agree about the Frang - an uncommonly sensitive account.

[pastoralguy]

Today, I listened to a cd I had high hopes of. Arabella Steinbacher with the Montreal Symphony Orchestra under Charles Dutoit on Pentatone.

It has good things in it but I find the initial tempo really quite slow - almost a practice speed. It's very noticeable that she takes over 20 minutes in the first movement as opposed to, say, Mr. Heifetz who takes about 14' 35"! IMHO, it never really generates much excitement which I can respect but there has to be something else which I feel Steinbacher never really gives us. For me, Dutoit is a real drag since he never uses the first movement Tuttis to perk up the slight feeling of lethargy that has crept in. He doesn't really try to whip up any sense of excitement until the very end of the first movement and skates over Tchaikovsky's imaginative orchestration. The orchestra sound pretty disengaged from the performance too.

The second movement doesn't really vary the mood since there's insufficient variation of tempi from that set in the first movement. The wind are very good but the recording relegates them to second place when the soloist enters. The last movement attempts to inject some interest into the proceedings but, IMHO, all is lost.

4/10 and probably the least interesting of modern performances.

[Barbirollians]

Today, I listened to a cd I had high hopes of. Arabella Steinbacher with the Montreal Symphony Orchestra under Charles Dutoit on Pentatone.

It has good things in it but I find the initial tempo really quite slow - almost a practice speed. It's very noticeable that she takes over 20 minutes in the first movement as opposed to, say, Mr. Heifetz who takes about 14' 35"! IMHO, it never really generates much excitement which I can respect but there has to be something else which I feel Steinbacher never really gives us. For me, Dutoit is a real drag since he never uses the first movement Tuttis to perk up the slight feeling of lethargy that has crept in. He doesn't really try to whip up any sense of excitement until the very end of the first movement and skates over Tchaikovsky's imaginative orchestration. The orchestra sound pretty disengaged from the performance too.

The second movement doesn't really vary the mood since there's insufficient variation of tempi from that set in the first movement. The wind are very good but the recording relegates them to second place when the soloist enters. The last movement attempts to inject some interest into the proceedings but, IMHO, all is lost.


4/10 and probably the least interesting of modern performances.

A shame - her record of the Berg and Beethoven concertos with Andris Nelsons is excellent .

[pastoralguy]

A shame - her record of the Berg and Beethoven concertos with Andris Nelsons is excellent .

I agree. I've always been impressed with her recordings but this one is, IMHO, a bit of a damp squid.

[visualnickmos]

I agree. I've always been impressed with her recordings but this one is, IMHO, a bit of a damp squid.

Could be a new thread coming up: "Unlikely turkeys"

[cloughie]

Could be a new thread coming up: "Unlikely turkeys"

I vote for it not being at Christmas!

[richardfinegold]

I heard that I with Steinbacher. It is quite slooooow.

[Ferretfancy]

I agree. I've always been impressed with her recordings but this one is, IMHO, a bit of a damp squid.

All the squids I have come across are usually on the moist side!

[Flosshilde]

I was going to buy that a while back, but I listened to it first and I didn’t enjoy it. It could well be because I am so accustomed to a romantic approach to this work. I thought it lacked heart and soul and was strangely un-energetic. I’m getting deja vu, I think this recording has been discussed on here before.

Just listened to this (I bought the CD for Les Noces). I didn't have any strong feelings for or against the performance, but it's one of those irritating recordings where you have the choice of hearing the quiet passages & being blasted out of your socks (& incurring hearing problems) during the loud passages, or surviving the loud passages & only hearing about half the music.