BaL 06.07.24 - Korngold: Violin concerto

[Pulcinella]

3.00 pm
Building a Library

William Mival chooses his favourite recording of Korngold's Violin Concerto.

Premiered by Jascha Heifetz in 1947, Korngold's Violin Concerto was the first concert hall piece he had composed since his self-exile to America, fleeing Nazi persecution in his native Austria. The concerto's thematic material borrows music from the many film scores Korngold wrote during his time in America, and the work brims with romance, energy and dazzling tunes, now firmly established as one of Korngold's most popular pieces.

Link to the Presto site listing:

https://www.prestomusic.com/classical/works/51971--korngold-violin-concerto-in-d-major-op-35/browse

This has featured twice on BBC MM CDs.

Volume 18, Number 14: Andrew Haveron/BBCSO/Jiří Bělohlávek (Barbican, London, 19 February 2010)
Volume 27, Number 1: Jack Liebeck/Ulster Orchestra/Paul Watkins (Ulster Hall, Belfast, 26 November 2010)

William's choice:

Vilde Frang (violin)
Frankfurt Radio Symphony Orchestra
James Gaffigan (conductor)
Warner Classics 2564600921

[mikealdren]

Andrew Haveron's performance is very good. IIRC last time on BAL a performance by Tom Bowes came out very well but the later Heifetz performance is very special.

[Pianoman]

I have a few but keep coming back to Gil Shaham and Previn, which seems to me to get everything right in this piece.

[CallMePaul]

I am amazed that Presto lists 58 versions (OK, some duplications) and that so many leading violinists have wanted to play it. I bought the Perlman/ Previn version for about 50p some years ago in a charity shop but only played it once as I found the piece dull, nor was I too bothered about the couplings. I am sure many of you will strongly disagree, but for mr this is a classic case of "more corn than gold". I may give this one a miss!

[Serial_Apologist]

I am amazed that Presto lists 58 versions (OK, some duplications) and that so many leading violinists have wanted to play it. I bought the Perlman/ Previn version for about 50p some years ago in a charity shop but only played it once as I found the piece dull, nor was I too bothered about the couplings. I am sure many of you will strongly disagree, but for mr this is a classic case of "more corn than gold". I may give this one a miss!

You're not alone in finding the work dull, Paul. There is one brief passage which is quite nice in which I am sure I hear as cribbed from a passage in the Walton VC, which would be an irony, given the latter's propensity for, er, re-imaging the work of others.

[akiralx]

The only time I heard this live about 25 years ago (in Harrogate I recall) I noticed that there was a duet between the soloist and the back desk violinist - is that written in the score or was it a one-off gag?

[Pulcinella]

Streamed the Perlman/Previn recently, and followed it with the Goldmark: hard to decide which I thought was the worse.

https://www.prestomusic.com/classical/products/7961985--korngold-goldmark-violin-concertos

Maybe the Shaham/Previn is better?

https://www.prestomusic.com/classical/products/8117537--korngold-symphony-violin-concerto-film-music

In addition to the two BBC MM recordings, I do in fact have the Naxos Korngold/Goldmark coupling, but now can't think what on earth had encouraged me to buy it.
Both eminently liveable without, imho.

[Barbirollians]

Can't agree at all about the Perlman recording or the Goldmark - admittedly I have only ever heard Perlman and Milstein in the piece both sensational performances and I imagine it might be rather less attractive in less talented hands. One is reminded of that reviewer's remark about the Rustic Wedding Symphony - " last year when Sir Thomas Beecham conducted the Goldmark one wondered why it was so seldom played in concert - after hearing Mr X conduct it I understood why "

I digress, I am probably less fond of the Korngold but its a very enjoyable work and violinists clearly love recording it - Heifetz, Perlman, Shaham and most recently Frang are all excellent.

[pastoralguy]

Mr. Heifetz has surely got to be the ‘winner’ despite it being an older recording. Yes, other violinists play it extremely well but the Heifetz performance is incredible. It was absolutely tailor made for his phenomenal ability.

Mind you, if I could only have one recording of a violin concerto, it may well be Milstein playing the Goldmark concerto. IMHO, some of the most incredible violin playing ever recorded.

[Pulcinella]

Chacun and gouts: probably me who's at fault as (for instance) I very much enjoy the Walton and the Britten.

[Darloboy]

I have a few but keep coming back to Gil Shaham and Previn, which seems to me to get everything right in this piece.

Shaham/Previn was Jessica Duchen's recommendation when this was previously covered by BaL in May 2012.

[Ein Heldenleben]

Mr. Heifetz has surely got to be the ‘winner’ despite it being an older recording. Yes, other violinists play it extremely well but the Heifetz performance is incredible. It was absolutely tailor made for his phenomenal ability.

Mind you, if I could only have one recording of a violin concerto, it may well be Milstein playing the Goldmark concerto. IMHO, some of the most incredible violin playing ever recorded.

agreed re Heifetz .
never heard the Goldmark . Yet another work that Radio 3 seem to shun in favour of Korngold, Bruch , Tschaikovsky - all played regularly. I see that the Milstein recording has the bonus of some perfectly played retakes. Must have a listen,
The violin concerto is a bit of Scissors and paste job by Korngold standards . Much more interesting the rarely played Piano Quintet and Die Töte Stadt - a really fine piece I think.

[richardfinegold]

I have the Gluzman recording, acquired years ago after hearing him perform it in Chicago at a Music Festival of the North Shore concert, where was the Artistic Director. I like the piece but admit that it’s been a while since I heard it. I remember Gluzman making a short speech about how he fell in love with it after hearing the Heifetz recording.
Milstein makes the Goldmark sound like a major work. I certainly rate it higher than the Glazunov discmate. Perlman was forgettable by comparison.
Reviewing the Presto list it is striking how many of the soloists are relative unknowns.

[Barbirollians]

There is also of course the Mutter/Previn - haven't listened to that for yonks - may dig it out later.

[Pulcinella]

Michael Steinberg, whose book The Concerto is based on programme notes he has written, has a chapter on the Korngold, but not the Goldmark, written for San Francisco.

He seems to struggle to have much to say.
Out of the four and a bit pages, less than one is devoted to the music (the rest being biographical details, etc), and that does little more than tell us which film scores were used as the basis of each movement.
1: Another Dawn, Juarez
2: Anthony Adverse
3: The Prince and the Pauper

He makes the comment that Juarez is based on the novel Maximillian and Carlotta by Franz Werfel, the late husband of the concerto's dedicatee (Alma Mahler-Werfel).