BaL 2.04.16 - Brahms: Violin Sonata no. 1 in G

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

Last year I got the excellent and good value Rubinstein/Brahms box. His 1960 recording of the First Sonata with fellow Pole, Henryk Szeryng, has become a favourite.

- that boxed set is a fantastic bargain.

[LeMartinPecheur]

Aaagh, Slough of Despond time chez LMP!

Just checked my LP shelves for my long-time favourite Suk/ Katchen and there it isn't

Mice? Misfiling somewhere amid 3000-odd LPs? Sneak-thieves with unusually precise and elevated tastes?

That only leaves me "the excellent and good value Rubinstein/Brahms box"...

[richardfinegold]

This be one BaL, I hope to listen oo! I haven't this work in my collection, yet. Any boarders here have their recommendations?

I have Suk and Rosand. Suk is one of my favorite Violinists but I prefer Rosand, whose tone is like liquid gold. I'm intrigued by Elman.

[MickyD]

Faust/Melnikov here (... and CallMePaul : yes, you must get the other vol! )

- I also like Ilia Korol/Natalia Grogorieva. Ms Grigorieva plays an 1870 Streicher

Yes, I've also got the latter - now I must get hold of the Faust/Melnikov, already got the Horn Trio CD and very nice it is, too.

[BBMmk2]

Gosh you do sound enthusiastic, Bbm!

I only have the Josef Suk / Julius Katchen recording on Decca Legends, so may well be up for a more recent version. Faust/Melnikov sounds like the one to go for, though, even without listening to this BAL.....

Aha, the dreaded BBM typo! (Ah well!)

Perlman/Ashkenazy are two of my favourite artists but I hope to hear about some of the more recent ones.

[visualnickmos]

I have two versions:

Suk/Katchen (Decca) which is very fine, if a little dated, sounding.

Zukerman/Barenboim (DG) quite a bracing performance - I never tire of listening to it.

I'm certainly looking forward to this Bal.

[verismissimo]

Aside from Alpie's fine list, which I have several of, I'm now listening to Norbert Brainin and Carlo Levi Minzi, which I have on nla CD from 1993.

I first heard this sonata in a competition at school, played by two teenagers - Peter Cropper and Bruce Ogston - around 1961. They won! And I heard Peter play it again at Blackheath around 1989.

[BBMmk2]

I have two versions:

Suk/Katchen (Decca) which is very fine, if a little dated, sounding.

Zukerman/Barenboim (DG) quite a bracing performance - I never tire of listening to it.

I'm certainly looking forward to this Bal.

Zukerman/Barenboim? They always were, so this is no surprise!

[Don Petter]

I'm spitting feathers, just as when a newspaper article is headed with a picture which is given no caption as to where it is.

BaL was introduced with the start of the work, and I thought 'beautiful, I'll take that one now', but we were never told who were playing it! How to upset your listeners in one easy stroke.

[Don Petter]

I thought the Mullova a complete travesty. You seemed to be inside the lid of the piano, with the violin hardly audible and the players in an empty swimming pool. Can't think why it was ever considered.

Loved the old favourites, Goldberg, Busch, Ferras, and no objections to the final Suk/Katchen even though it wouldn't be my choice (like Suk, not so keen on Katchen).

[visualnickmos]

BaL was introduced with the start of the work, and I thought 'beautiful, I'll take that one now', but we were never told who were playing it! How to upset your listeners in one easy stroke.

Exactly my thoughts - and it's NOT the first time this has happened.

[visualnickmos]

....no objections to the final Suk/Katchen even though it wouldn't be my choice (like Suk, not so keen on Katchen).

My 'problem' or rather - issue - with this one is that I find the sound sort of old-fashioned, a bit ancient....

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

I thought the Mullova a complete travesty. You seemed to be inside the lid of the piano, with the violin hardly audible and the players in an empty swimming pool. Can't think why it was ever considered.

Recording techniques have not improved in the last 50 years.

[Barbirollians]

A good winner but to me from too short a list actually considered in the BAL .

[richardfinegold]

My 'problem' or rather - issue - with this one is that I find the sound sort of old-fashioned, a bit ancient....

Agreed. I've been listening to the Rosand a bit, not that much better sonically but least it doesn't sound like a candidate for the Pristine Audio treatment...