Shostakovich Second Violin Concerto - any recommended recordings?

[Cellini]

She may be the vivacious Alina Ibragimova, but I'm out at 3.00pm , and I don't like her tiny sound and general lack of technique and musicianship ...

[Bryn]

Hmm, it was a bit of a disappointment.

[Cellini]

I thought I would give it a go and tried to get it on the iPlayer but gave up. The iPlayers not much good for finding things in the middle of a three hour programme.

[Stanfordian]

This concerto is one I have avoided over the years (don't quite know why) but, having attended a performance yesterday by Sergei Khachatryan, I was impressed by the music and his performance (he played beautifully). Any favourite recordings - or any to avoid?

I have several recordings of the Shostakovich Violin Concertos and have not a finer accounts than those played by Arabella Steinbacher and the Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra under Andris Nelsons. Recorded in 2006 a theHercules Hall, Residenz, Munich on Orfeo C 687 061 A. This is a favourite recording from my collection and I cannot recommend Arabella Steinbacher enough.

[HighlandDougie]

Stanfordian

Many thanks for this recommendation. Duly tracked down and ordered via German Amazon. I saw/heard Ms Steinbacher earlier this year with my "local" orchestra (Monte-Carlo Philharmonic) in the other Russian second violin concerto (the Prokofiev). She was somewhat let down by the conductor who clearly didn't know the piece very well and by the orchestra, which sounded as if it had had about 15 minutes of rehearsal time in this work (all the time having clearly gone into the Pathétique which followed the concerto). But her playing was excellent - good intonation and plenty of character. And she looked very glamorous (like much of the M-C audience - me, I go for the care-in-the-community look just to annoy them. Horrible place, Monte Carlo).

[BBMmk2]

Yes, I too like Maxim Vengerov with Rostropovich and the LSO. Self-recommending issue I would have thought. I also have Daniel Hope/BBCSO/Maxim Shostakovich but lacking Oistrakh in the second.

I had Oistrakh on vynl be great to hear that on CD!

[Stanfordian]

Stanfordian

Many thanks for this recommendation. Duly tracked down and ordered via German Amazon. I saw/heard Ms Steinbacher earlier this year with my "local" orchestra (Monte-Carlo Philharmonic) in the other Russian second violin concerto (the Prokofiev). She was somewhat let down by the conductor who clearly didn't know the piece very well and by the orchestra, which sounded as if it had had about 15 minutes of rehearsal time in this work (all the time having clearly gone into the Pathétique which followed the concerto). But her playing was excellent - good intonation and plenty of character. And she looked very glamorous (like much of the M-C audience - me, I go for the care-in-the-community look just to annoy them. Horrible place, Monte Carlo).

Thanks HighlandDougie,

Several conductors have told me that they think themselves lucky if they are allowed one rehearsal. So much for Celibidache demanding a dozen or so rehearsals.

I have played the Steinbacher recording of the two Shostakovich concertos at several local Recorded Music Societies and it has been remarkably well received. I now prefer Steinbacher with the Bavarian RSO/Nelsons on Orfeo to any of David Oistrakh's recordings.

[mikealdren]

I now prefer Steinbacher with the Bavarian RSO/Nelsons on Orfeo to any of David Oistrakh's recordings.

That's quite a recommendation, I'll have to try it.

thanks
Mike

[HighlandDougie]

That's quite a recommendation, I'll have to try it.

thanks
Mike

Well-justified. A pretty stunning account of both concertos but it's the second where, if I might dare say it, Steinbacher finds greater depths than Oistrakh. She has a lovely tone which is well-captured in a very fine recording. Excellent accompaniment by Nelsons and the Bavarian Orchestra (which has a good track record in Shostakovich recordings - Kondrashin's 13th, Schiff's Cello Concertos and various symphonies from Jansons). Well worth tracking down.

[Barbirollians]

Steinbacher and Nelsons made an excellent coupling of the Berg and Beethoven too which has been rather overshadowed by the Faust/Abbado . Her Beethoven is rather more traditional than Faust but a very fine account and to be honest I prefer her Berg - more emotional warmth for me .

She is world class.