Heifetz, is probably my most favourite violinist of the past. Today, I think has to be Tasmin Little.
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Don’t cry for me
I go where music was born
J S Bach 1685-1750 -
Much as I like Tasmin as a player and a person, there are loads of violinists I would prefer on disk except in the English repertoire. In the past, yes Heifetz but also Oistrakh and Grumiaux.Originally posted by Brassbandmaestro View PostComment
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Oistrach's rendition (with Horenstein/LSO) is, how can I put it, warmer - I'd heard it several times before I first heard the Heifetz (both in the late 60s), but have always found the latter, well, colder. Hard to put your finger on it - listen to the bagpipe drone at the start of the 2nd movement, for instance..... I've only heard it performed live once, by Kyung-Wha Chung with Previn/LSO, but have 3 recordings - Oistrach, Chung and Nicola B (I don't think we're going to argue about Nicola, are weOriginally posted by pastoralguy View Post
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Originally posted by Richard Tarleton View PostOistrach's rendition (with Horenstein/LSO) is, how can I put it, warmer - I'd heard it several times before I first heard the Heifetz (both in the late 60s), but have always found the latter, well, colder. Hard to put your finger on it - listen to the bagpipe drone at the start of the 2nd movement, for instance..... I've only heard it performed live once, by Kyung-Wha Chung with Previn/LSO, but have 3 recordings - Oistrach, Chung and Nicola B (I don't think we're going to argue about Nicola, are we).
There's absolutely nothing wrong with Nicola's recording of the the Bruch Scottish Fantasy.Comment
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Heifetz and Stokowski only ever collaborated once in their lives, for a 1934 recording of the Sibelius concerto. Evidently Heifetz objected to the balance, which favoured the Philadelphia Orchestra more than him, so he didn't approve the release. He re-recorded it the following year with Beecham instead but the test-pressings of the original Philadelphia performance survived, so it eventually saw the light of day. The finale is on You Tube, so one can easily make one's mind up as to the balance, poor or otherwise ...
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KWC's Scottish Fantasy is great .Comment
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Yes Oistrakh and Grumiaux, how could I forget!Originally posted by mikealdren View PostDon’t cry for me
I go where music was born
J S Bach 1685-1750Comment
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I have 8 different versions and I fully agree about the Oistrakh/Horenstein and it's beautifully recorded for the time. Oistrakh takes his time and it sings wonderfully with real emotional intensity. The last movement really sorts out the true virtuoso players from those who are merely good. Oddly, and very much in the virtuoso camp, Midori breaks up the flow with unmarked pauses that almost feel like poor edits.Originally posted by Richard Tarleton View PostOistrach's rendition (with Horenstein/LSO) is, how can I put it, warmer - I'd heard it several times before I first heard the Heifetz (both in the late 60s), but have always found the latter, well, colder. Hard to put your finger on it - listen to the bagpipe drone at the start of the 2nd movement, for instance..... I've only heard it performed live once, by Kyung-Wha Chung with Previn/LSO, but have 3 recordings - Oistrach, Chung and Nicola B (I don't think we're going to argue about Nicola, are we).
Listening now to James Ehnes, it's lovely playing, very sweet but none of the depth that Oistrakh finds, it seems to skate over the surface. As an aside, that to me is what marks out Heifetz's Bruch 2.
Must try KWC next, haven't heard it in ages.
MikeComment
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The fascinating Desert Island Discs with Campoli sent me to one of his choices - the 1947 Vieuxtemps 5 with Sargent - no wonder Campoli admired it so. It's quite marvellous ! Simply perfect playing.
The pre war Barbirolli Vieuxtemps 4,Sarasate and Saint Saens pieces with grade A accompaniment from Barbirolli are dazzling too. Available on Naxos.Comment
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I’m no violinist but Heifetz is the one player who switched me on with his Reiner/Tchaikovsky concerto. I’ve never understood the ‘cool’ labels applied to him. Just as there are many who unduly knock Leinsdorf for getting on with it (the Decca Walküre, for instance, or his Lohengrin).Originally posted by pastoralguy View Post
It seems fashionable for critics these days to do this.
Compare Heifetz in the Tchaikovsky with Vengerov, there’s no real comparison at all, JH nails it.Comment
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Heifetz was the greatest of the great!
Kreisler,Heifetz, Milstein, Oistrakh ...........Comment
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Michael Berkeley's guest on Private Passions yesterday was Paco Peña, in an uneasy interview.
One of PP's choices was Heifetz playing the Chaconne (like many guitarists he had come to the work first listening to it played by classical guitarists). I'd never heard Heifetz's rendition before, tho I own multiple versions of the sonatas and partitas - it is...I can only describe it as.....horrible. Fingernails on blackboard stuff. As though Heifetz had set out to play it as unbeautifully as possible.Comment
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[QUOTE=Barbirollians;665270]The fascinating Desert Island Discs with Campoli sent me to one of his choices - the 1947 Vieuxtemps 5 with Sargent - no wonder Campoli admired it so. It's quite marvellous ! Simply perfect playing.
Campoli, wonderful player, seriously underrated i always feel. Due to his light music side? My friend George Malcolm who accompanied him a lot rated him very highly.Comment
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[QUOTE=Lordgeous;687946]Indeed, its been a joy listening to Campoli's recordings in the new Decca Eloquence transfers - 2 CD sets .Originally posted by Barbirollians View PostComment
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Went back to this Heifetz Bruch 1 after reading that Ehnes interview on the Prokofiev VC 2 BAL thread. The slow movement does rather pass me by still except for the odd moment - the finale is extraordinary though. Should give the SF another chance.Comment
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