Brahms Violin Concerto

[Stanfordian]

There's a Milstein/Pittsburgh/Steinberg recording available on YouTube:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4_9UZrBnpcA

... which I listened to a couple of times as a result of this nudge. I wasn't as impressed as I wanted to be - the fierce sound is almost certainly YouTube's fault, but the unpleasant oboe intonation in the first Movement certainly isn't, nor, I think is the over-prominent soloist - and I found myself getting tired of Milstein's "one size fits all" vibrato (the sort of thing verissm mentions - perfect in the Tchaikovsky, not what I want to experience all the time in Brahms). Some very good conducting, it has to be said - and Milstein's intonation is to die for!

Going through the recordings I own, the Mutter/BPO/Karajan struck me as by some distance the best overall - I'd completely forgotten how marvellous this is; soloist, orchestra, conductor, and recording team all at the top of their game ... and she was only 18 when this recording was made!!!!

Hiya Ferney,

Of course she was 18 when recording the Brahms in Sept 1981, earlier I wrote incorrectly she was younger. Nevertheless, it doesn't alter my opinion how wonderful Mutter plays the Brahms. For waht it's worth I think it's the finest recording she ever made. I've looked in my Karajan discography (Hunt) and she recorded the Beethoven with Karajan 2 years earlier in Sept 1979.

[Bryn]

There's a Milstein/Pittsburgh/Steinberg recording available on YouTube:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4_9UZrBnpcA

... which I listened to a couple of times as a result of this nudge. I wasn't as impressed as I wanted to be - the fierce sound is almost certainly YouTube's fault, but the unpleasant oboe intonation in the first Movement certainly isn't, nor, I think is the over-prominent soloist - and I found myself getting tired of Milstein's "one size fits all" vibrato (the sort of thing verissm mentions - perfect in the Tchaikovsky, not what I want to experience all the time in Brahms). Some very good conducting, it has to be said - and Milstein's intonation is to die for!

Going through the recordings I own, the Mutter/BPO/Karajan struck me as by some distance the best overall - I'd completely forgotten how marvellous this is; soloist, orchestra, conductor, and recording team all at the top of their game ... and she was only 18 when this recording was made!!!!

Just spun the first movement of the Mutter/BP/Karajan from the big DG Karajan box. To me she saws, rather than soars. Not for me, thanks.

Just for fun, I checked the current price of that DG box. It has more than quadrupled in price on Amazon since I bought it.

[visualnickmos]

Just spun the first movement of the Mutter/BP/Karajan from the big DG Karajan box. To me she saws, rather than soars. Not for me, thanks.

Just for fun, I checked the current price of that DG box. It has more than quadrupled in price on Amazon since I bought it.

Nor me; I have tried to enjoy Mutter's playing (Brahms, Sibelius, etc) but it really just doesn't do anything for me - I always lose interest after a couple of minutes. I can't identify what it is about her playing that I find so profoundly uninteresting... another of life's mysteries!

An aside; just listening to Brahms's vc with Boris Belkin, ably partnered with the London Symphony Orchestra and Ivan Fischer. Perhaps a tad too hard-driven for some, but this approach does make an impression. I'm liking it after not hearing it for a while.
(rec 1983, Kingsway Hall, Decca)

[Dave2002]

https://d27t0qkxhe4r68.cloudfront.ne...jpg?1524739180
Now available for about $20 as part of a large Monteux box from Sony, which also contains another version of the Brahms VC with Kogan, which is my personal favorite

Isn’t the Kogan concerto actually by Katchaturian? Maybe a slightly different box in the US.

[visualnickmos]

Isn’t the Kogan concerto actually by Katchaturian? Maybe a slightly different box in the US.

You may well be correct: the only Kogan Brahms vc that I know of, is on the EMI 'Artist profile' series double CD set. Grab one if you can - it's stunning.

[Bryn]

You may well be correct: the only Kogan Brahms vc that I know of, is on the EMI 'Artist profile' series double CD set. Grab one if you can - it's stunning.

amazon.co.uk has at least 3 different Kogan recordings of the Brahms Violin Concerto. It may be 4. since one has no details of orchestra or conductor.

[richardfinegold]

Isn’t the Kogan concerto actually by Katchaturian? Maybe a slightly different box in the US.

I have these recordings issued on the Guild Label.. I bought them in the UK at Harold Moore when I first started posting on this Forum. It pairs the Brahms and the Khatchaturian Concertos

Edit-- Dave is right- I just pulled the CD off the shelves--the Brahms is with Kiril Kondrashin conducting the Philharmonia, and the Khachaturian is with Monteux and the Boston SO. On my NAS file metadata, only Monteux and Boston are listed.

[Dave2002]

You may well be correct: the only Kogan Brahms vc that I know of, is on the EMI 'Artist profile' series double CD set. Grab one if you can - it's stunning.

However the Brahms recording in the box does seem to be the preferred one mentioned with Szeryng - so definitely worth having for that - https://www.prestomusic.com/classica...reo-recordings

[richardfinegold]

However the Brahms recording in the box does seem to be the preferred one mentioned with Szeryng - so definitely worth having for that - https://www.prestomusic.com/classica...reo-recordings

I ordered the Monteux box, so we shall see. I listened to the Kogan/Kondrashin recording last night. It is still my favorite recording of the piece, but the Sonics are very dated, boxy sounding early Stereo. It would be a good candidate for a scrubb remastering

[pastoralguy]

I listened to the Christian Ferras recording of the Brahms Concerto today. Very fine playing although I suspect his somewhat 'fluttery' vibrato won't be to everyone's taste. Karajan and Die Berliner Philharmoniker are simply peerless in their accompanying.

[Barbirollians]

I ordered the Monteux box, so we shall see. I listened to the Kogan/Kondrashin recording last night. It is still my favorite recording of the piece, but the Sonics are very dated, boxy sounding early Stereo. It would be a good candidate for a scrubb remastering

I have that Monteux box bought it for the Tchaikovsky and Richard Strauss items . Will play the Brahms now - Monteux recorded two superb Brahms 2s and a terrific accompaniment in the First PC for Katchen of course .

[Barbirollians]

There's a Milstein/Pittsburgh/Steinberg recording available on YouTube:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4_9UZrBnpcA

... which I listened to a couple of times as a result of this nudge. I wasn't as impressed as I wanted to be - the fierce sound is almost certainly YouTube's fault, but the unpleasant oboe intonation in the first Movement certainly isn't, nor, I think is the over-prominent soloist - and I found myself getting tired of Milstein's "one size fits all" vibrato (the sort of thing verissm mentions - perfect in the Tchaikovsky, not what I want to experience all the time in Brahms). Some very good conducting, it has to be said - and Milstein's intonation is to die for!

Going through the recordings I own, the Mutter/BPO/Karajan struck me as by some distance the best overall - I'd completely forgotten how marvellous this is; soloist, orchestra, conductor, and recording team all at the top of their game ... and she was only 18 when this recording was made!!!!

Not sure if it is the same one - I have not listened to it on YT but I suggested it speed wise as being more up your street.

Just started listening to the Szeryng/Monteux and it seems small scale Brahms from the soloist with a warm expansive accompaniment that sounds like it is crying out for Ida Haendel .

[Barbirollians]

Not sure if it is the same one - I have not listened to it on YT but I suggested it speed wise as being more up your street.

Just started listening to the Szeryng/Monteux and it seems small scale Brahms from the soloist with a warm expansive accompaniment that sounds like it is crying out for Ida Haendel .

I enjoyed it but the soloist is very prominently balanced even more so than in done of Perlman's recordings . There is a slight acidity to Szeryng's tone however that I am not sure I warm to .

[Bryn]

Having ordered the 'RCA' Monteux box, today I was advised of the forthcoming release of a 44 CD box of Sxeryng's Philips, Mercury and DGG recordings. THe lowest 'pre-order' price appears to ve that from HMV online (£79.99 with free p&p).



This new set will include his Haitink and Dorati recordings of the Brahms concerto.

Full listing on the Presto Classical site.

[pastoralguy]

Having ordered the 'RCA' Monteux box, today I was advised of the forthcoming release of a 44 CD box of Sxeryng's Philips, Mercury and DGG recordings. THe lowest 'pre-order' price appears to ve that from HMV online (£79.99 with free p&p).



This new set will include his Haitink and Dorati recordings of the Brahms concerto.

Full listing on the Presto Classical site.

This is to be my Christmas present from Mrs. PG. However, it was supposed to be released in September which was pushed back to October then November! I'm sure it'll be well worth waiting for.