BaL 24.04.21 - Stravinsky: Violin concerto in D

[visualnickmos]

Thanks –it's a piece I'm incredibly fond of, so it was lovely to be asked to take it on. I've had about six weeks of intensive Stravinsky immersion and came out of that enjoying the piece even more.

It is a piece that (for me) seems to reveal yet another layer, on each hearing; almost like listening anew. I'm sure there must many 'gold standard' recordings. Very much looking forward to the BaL next week, I think, it is...

[Pulcinella]

Interesting that some big names never recorded it judging by that list Heifetz and Menuhin for example.

The Chung Cd is excellent but I think on LP it was originally coupled with the Walton.

It was (as mentioned in #29), with a very jolly cover picture of Chung with Walton.

https://www.discogs.com/Walton-Stravinsky-Kyung-Wha-Chung-London-Symphony-Orchestra-André-Previn-Violin-Concertos/release/4366211

The Walton appeared on CD coupled with Elgar's Cello concerto (Lynn Harrell/Cleveland Orchestra/Lorin Maazel) in the short-lived London The British Collection series,

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Elgar-Cello-Concerto-Walton-Violin/dp/B00000E3Q1/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=walton+chung&qid=1616756549&s=music&sr=1-1

and later in a Double Decca Walton set,

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Walton-Symphonies-Concertos/dp/B00076YNHS/ref=sr_1_6?dchild=1&keywords=walton+chung&qid=1616756549&s=music&sr=1-6

[Bryn]

I've found the Pat Kop/Vlad Jur and though it's rather too wayward to be a library choice, I do rather like that aspect, and Pat Kop's post-concerto cadenza.

[Pulcinella]

It is a piece that (for me) seems to reveal yet another layer, on each hearing; almost like listening anew. I'm sure there must many 'gold standard' recordings. Very much looking forward to the BaL next week, I think, it is...

I find that with Dumbarton Oaks, too.

[visualnickmos]

I find that with Dumbarton Oaks, too.

I wonder if that 'effect' occurs more often with certain composers ? I say that because however many times I hear the ballets, say - (and it's been a lot of times !) One never always knows what's around the next corner - musically speaking..... Maybe it's just me wandering, I don't know.

[cloughie]

Chung/Previn for me.

Me too! Though not a work I listen to very often.

[Darloboy]

Last covered on BaL in June 2000 when Peter Paul Nash made Zimmermann/Gelmetti his first choice. Perlman/Ozawa was his second choice.

[mikealdren]

The Perlman has not worn well, it sounds dull and dated against more recent performances.

[BBMmk2]

I’m surprised this work has caught up with so many responses. I have the Kyung-Wha Chung/LSO/Previn recording. Really recommend this one!

[Pulcinella]

Last covered on BaL in June 2000 when Peter Paul Nash made Zimmermann/Gelmetti his first choice. Perlman/Ozawa was his second choice.

Interesting then (to me, at least!) that Warner chose to include the Vengerov performance rather than the Zimmermann in their new 23CD box set (also being discussed on 10 April 2021); I wonder who decides which performance in their catalogue gets included in such big boxes, and what criteria are adopted.

[cloughie]

Listened to the Chung/Previn and really enjoyed it - I like the work more than I thought.

[BBMmk2]

Listened to the Chung/Previn and really enjoyed it - I like the work more than I thought.

I have that version, too. Rather good, isn’t it? I also have the composer’s own, violinist I can’t remember.

[cloughie]

I have that version, too. Rather good, isn’t it? I also have the composer’s own, violinist I can’t remember.

Isaac Stern?

[verismissimo]

Listening to the speedier first movement by Hahn/Marriner after Stern, Oistrakh and Grumiaux is quite a shock. Presumably they felt they were following better instructions, but it really doesn't feel right. And the other three movements by Hahn sound exemplary to me.

[Pulcinella]

Isaac Stern?

Which brings me back to a comment I made on the Pulcinella BaL thread, which was fairly roundly dismissed!

Stern was presumably CBS's recording artist/solo violinist of the day.
This is not to say that he was foisted on Stravinsky, or that Stravinsky was not happy with him.
Nor is it intended as any comment about his performance.
But if Stravinsky had not been recording with CBS, who might his soloist have been?
Who else was around (in the US) at the time, and why didn't they take the piece up and record it?
Maybe they did!
I have the impression too (though I may be mistaken) that, at least for the standard repertoire, it was often the orchestra's concertmaster (aka leader) who was the soloist in concertos, though whether this was for economic reasons or happened predominantly at performances other than main seasonal events (such as summer season ones) I'm not sure.
Perhaps rfg can give us his perspective from Chicago.