Brahms Violin Concerto

[Barbirollians]

I see that in this month's Gramophone in the section where they look at an old classic recording Rob Cowan seems less than 100 % keen on the Heifetz/Reiner whilst Charlotte Gardner puts the boot into the Oistrakh/Konwitchsny as being too slow and treacly .

Neither of these recordings are my favourites . I do admire Heifetz's playing enormously but it leaves me a bit cold in this piece and I have always preferred the Klemperer of Oistrakh's three studio versions that I know to the Konwitschny.

Strangely , a search shows me we have never had a thread on this particular concerto and our favourite recordings - so what's yours ? . Whilst perhaps nowhere near PG's list of Beethoven VC recordings I have far too many . Menuhin/Kempe and Perlman/Giulini being my first they remain high in my affections - of others Oistrakh/Klemperer, Haendel/Celibudache , Neveu , Morini , Mutter/Karajan and most recently Jansen/Pappano rank high .

I have probably missed out quite a few !

[rauschwerk]

I have Mutter/Karajan, Batiashvili/Thielemann (Busoni cadenza with timps!), Little/Handley, Perlman/Giulini (too stately for my taste). I was brought up on Oistrakh/Konwitschny but remember nothing of it. I return most often to Mutter.

[Stanfordian]

I have Mutter/Karajan, Batiashvili/Thielemann (Busoni cadenza with timps!), Little/Handley, Perlman/Giulini (too stately for my taste). I was brought up on Oistrakh/Konwitschny but remember nothing of it. I return most often to Mutter.

Hiya rauschwerk,

As you probably know Mutter was only 14 at the time of her recording with Karajan. It's an incredible performance for a violinist of any age. Mutter told me in an interview that because Karajan had young two daughters this seemed to help their relationship. I've seen Mutter twice, in concert and recital and on both occasions I found her an inspiring performer.

I often play the Mutter recording of the Brahms however the one I probably play more is Batiashvili under Thielemann with Staatskapelle Dresden; which I see you have also on your list. Despite acclaim in some quarters I didn't find any of Ginette Neveu recordings at all inspiring. Each to their own.

[Pulcinella]

Krebbers/RCO/Haitink, Little/RLPO/Handley, and Neveu/Philharmonia/Dobrowen here, supplemented by two BBC MM releases: Menuhin/BBCSO/Boult (1943) and Haendel/BBCSO/Rozhdestvensky (1982 Proms).
The Little and Haendel probably get the most outings.

[pastoralguy]

Although I don't have as many recordings of the Brahms as I do of the Beethoven, I do have a fair few! However, an oddity is of Ruggiero Ricci playing it with the Sinfonia of London under Norman del Mar which has 15 cadenzas. You simply programme the CD player to play whichever one you fancy! It's not flawless but it is an interesting exercise. Alas, the actual performance of the concerto isn't really distinguished but it's a nice disc to pull out occasionally. He treated the Beethoven Concerto to the same format but I've never been able to pick one up at a reasonable price.

[mikealdren]

I grew up with the Oistrakh/Konwitschny so that's always been a bit special for me. Just checked and found I now have 38 different recordings and it's impossible to identify a favourite, so many have much to offer.

I recently bought Isabelle Faust's recording, a chamber approach and very different. Not a primary library recommendation but well worth hearing.

[pastoralguy]

Krebbers/RCO/Haitink, Little/RLPO/Handley, and Neveu/Philharmonia/Dobrowen here, supplemented by two BBC MM releases: Menuhin/BBCSO/Boult (1943) and Haendel/BBCSO/Rozhdestvensky (1982 Proms).
The Little and Haendel probably get the most outings.

That BBC MM disc of Menuhin, Boult and the BBCSO from 1943 is incandescent, imho.

[Stanfordian]

That BBC MM disc of Menuhin, Boult and the BBCSO from 1943 is incandescent, imho.

Yes, I have this too and it's a fine performance with a lovely sweet violin tone.

[rauschwerk]

I used to have Krebbers on LP. He rushes some bars in the finale (the Penguin Guide wrongly blamed Haitink) so I didn't bother with the CD reissue. I'd really like to hear Jansen (whose playing I greatly admire) and Pappano.

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

It's my least favourite orchestral work by one of my favourite composers, I'm genuinely sorry to say. I prefer to read the score than to hear most recordings, which tend to lower the temperature and sluggern the tempi from what I understand from the text. (The soloist is usually far too close in the balance, too - not unusual for concerto recordings, but particularly damaging to this Symphony with Violin solo.) Heifetz/CSO/Reiner get closest to what I hear - genuine impetus here - but there's a ferocity to the recorded sound, too, which is a bit unrelenting: it needs to waltz as well (I suspect that this came across more in the studio than it does from the disc).

[Barbirollians]

That BBC MM disc of Menuhin, Boult and the BBCSO from 1943 is incandescent, imho.

I agree it is a cracking performance crying out for wider release.

[Barbirollians]

It's my least favourite orchestral work by one of my favourite composers, I'm genuinely sorry to say. I prefer to read the score than to hear most recordings, which tend to lower the temperature and sluggern the tempi from what I understand from the text. (The soloist is usually far too close in the balance, too - not unusual for concerto recordings, but particularly damaging to this Symphony with Violin solo.) Heifetz/CSO/Reiner get closest to what I hear - genuine impetus here - but there's a ferocity to the recorded sound, too, which is a bit unrelenting: it needs to waltz as well (I suspect that this came across more in the studio than it does from the disc).

Try Milstein/Steinberg

[Petrushka]

I'm very fond of the Brahms VC but it's true to say that I rarely play it and don't have as many recorded versions as I do the symphonies. My shelves yield up the 1943 Menuhin/Boult, Ferras/Karajan/, Mutter/Karajan, Heifetz/Reiner, Grumiaux/van Beinum, Szeryng/Haitink and Mullova/Abbado. If I had to choose one, I'd go for Mutter/BPO/Karajan.

The solo oboe melody of the second movement is one of the most glorious tunes in all music

[gurnemanz]

Krebbers/RCO/Haitink, Little/RLPO/Handley, and Neveu/Philharmonia/Dobrowen here, supplemented by two BBC MM releases: Menuhin/BBCSO/Boult (1943) and Haendel/BBCSO/Rozhdestvensky (1982 Proms).
The Little and Haendel probably get the most outings.

Very fond and vivid memories of an even earlier Ida Haendel Prom performance with Erich Leinsdorf and LPO in 1971. I was standing about five metres away and Ida was wearing a brilliant red dress that has also stuck in my memory. I don't know if a recording has ever been available. Coincidentally, Pulcinella, to whom I'm replying, was also there that night - on the programme, that is.

In recognition of the instigator of this thread I would also mention a very enjoyable Fritz Kreisler version with John Barbriolli (LPO again) in 1936 (on the Kreisler EMI Icon box).

Newly re-issued and recently recommended on Record Review I've just got this bargain Szigeti reissue box. You get two recordings of the Brahms. The 1928 one with Hamilton Harty and The Hallé is a great historical experience with some portamento going on and old-fashioned oboe playing in the slow movement introduction. (also on YouTube).

A favourite modern recording is Joshua Bell with the Cleveland Orchestraand and Christoph von Dohnanyi, coupled with the Schumann.

[Bryn]

For me, none have yet eclipsed Szeryng/LSO/Monteux. Strangely this is both hard to find and very expensive on CD.