BaL 14.01.23 - Prokofiev: Violin Concerto no. 2

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

10.30 am
Building a Library
Ben Gernon chooses his favourite recording of Prokofiev’s Violin Concerto No 2.

This concerto is full of glorious melodies and deserves a place in everyone’s collection. Prokofiev was on a concert tour when he wrote the piece and later wrote, “The number of places in which I wrote the Concerto shows the kind of nomadic concert tour life I led then. The main theme of the 1st movement was written in Paris, the first theme of the 2nd movement at Voronezh, the orchestration was finished in Baku and the premiere was given in Madrid.” The concerto is more conventional than Prokofiev’s early experimental works and its romantic heart has made it a perennial favourite.

Available versions:-

Rouben Aharonian, Russian Philharmonic Orchestra, Samuel Friedmann *
Kristóf Baráti, Orchestra & Chorus of the Marinksy Theatre, Valéry Gergiev (DVD/Blu-ray)
Lisa Batiashvili, Chamber Orchestra of Europe, Yannick Nézet-Séguin
Joshua Bell, Orchestre symphonique de Montréal, Charles Dutoit *
Pavel Berman, Orchestra della Svizzera Italiana, Andrey Boreyko
Kyung Wha Chung, London Symphony Orchestra, André Previn
Glenn Dicterow, New York Philharmonic Orchestra, Zubin Mehta *
James Ehnes, BBC Philharmonic, Gianandrea Noseda
Zino Francescatti, New York Philharmonic Orchestra, Dimitri Mitropoulos *
Jennifer Frautschi, Seattle Symphony Orchestra, Gerard Schwarz *
Vadim Gluzman, Estonian National Symphony Orchestra, Neeme Järvi (SACD)
Augustin Hadelich, WDR Sinfonieorchester, Cristian Macelaru
Guro Kleven Hagen, Oslo Philharmonic Orchestra, Bjarte Engeset
Jascha Heifetz, Boston Symphony Orchestra, Sergey Koussevitzky
Jascha Heifetz, Centennial Symphony Orchestra, Sergey Koussevitzky*
Jascha Heifetz, Boston Symphony Orchestra, Charles Munch *
Jascha Heifetz, Lenigrad Philharmonic Orchestra, Evgeny Mravinsky *
Janine Jansen, London Philharmonic Orchestra, Vladimir Jurowski *
Ladislav Jásek, Prague Symphony Orchestra, Martin Turnovský
Leila Josefowicz, Orchestre symphonique de Montréal, Charles Dutoit *
Gloria Justen, Chamber Orchestra of Philadelphia, Ignat Solzhenitsyn *
Mayuko Kamio, Israel Philharmonic Orchestra, Zubin Mehta *
Mayuko Kamio, Halle Orchestra, Thomas Sanderling *
Rudolf Koelman, Musikkollegium Winterthur, Douglas Boyd
Leonid Kogan, London Symphony Orchestra, Basil Cameron
Leonid Kogan, USSR State Symphony Orchestra, Kirill Kondrashin *
Patricia Kopatchinskaja, London Philharmonic Orchestra, Vladimir Jurowski *
Geneviève Laurenceau, Orchestre National du Capitole de Toulouse, Tugan Sokhiev *
Anne Akiko Meyers, Radio-Sinfonie-Orchester Frankfurt, Dmitri Kitayenko *
Stoika Milanova, Bulgarian National Radio Symphony Orchestra, Vassil Stefanov *
Maria Milstein, Phion Orchestra, Otto Tausk
Shlomo Mintz, Chicago Symphony Orchestra, Claudio Abbado
Lydia Mordkovitch, Royal Scottish National Orchestra, Neeme Järvi
Viktoria Mullova, Frankfurt Radio Symphony Orchestra, Paavo Jarvi
Viktoria Mullova, Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, André Previn *
David Nebel, Bergische Symphoniker, Daniel Huppert
David Oistrakh, Philharmonia Orchestra, Alceo Galliera
Tedi Papavrami, Polish National Radio Symphony Orchestra, Antoni Wit
Itzhak Perlman, Chicago Symphony Orchestra, Daniel Barenboim *
Itzhak Perlman, Boston Symphony Orchestra, Erich Leinsdorf *
Itzhak Perlman, BBC Symphony Orchestra, Gennady Rozhdestvensky *
Rosanne Philippens, Sinfonieorchester St. Gallen, Otto Tausk
Franziska Pietsch, Deutsches Symphonie-Orchester Berlin, Cristian Macelaru
Michael Rabin, Kölner Rundfunk-Sinfonieorchester, André Cluytens *
Michael Rabin, Chicago Symphony Orchestra, André Vandernoot
Vadim Repin, Hallé Orchestra, Kent Nagano *
Ruggiero Ricci, Orchestre de la Suisse Romande, Ernest Ansermet
Ruggiero Ricci, Orchestra of Radio Luxembourg, Louise de Froment
Tossy Spivakovsky, New York Philharmonic, Thomas Schippers
Gil Shaham, The Knights, Eric Jacobsen
Gil Shaham, London Symphony Orchestra, André Previn *
Dmitry Sitkovetsky, London Symphony Orchestra, Sir Colin Davis *
Arabella Steinbacher, Russian National Orchestra, Vasily Petrenko (SACD)
Isaac Stern, New York Philharmonic, Leonard Bernstein
Isaac Stern, New York Philharmonic, Zubin Mehta
Isaac Stern, Orchestre National de la Radiodiffusion Française, Charles Munch
Isaac Stern, Philadelphia Orchestra, Eugene Ormandy *
Joseph Swensen, Scottish Chamber Orchestra
Henryk Szeryng, London Symphony Orchestra, Gennadi Rozhdestvensky
Matthew Trusler, BBC National Orchestra of Wales, Grant Llewellyn
Wandy Tworek, Danish Radio Symphony Orchestra, Thomas Jensen *
Maxim Vengerov, London Symphony Orchestra, Mstislav Rostropovich *
Ion Voicu, Hungarian State Symphony Orchestra, Sir John Barbirolli
Jean-Pierre Wallez, Orchestre National de France, Yuri Ahronovitch *
Wanda Wilkomirska, Philharmonia Slavonica, Henry Adolph *
Tianwa Yang, Vienna Radio Symphony Orchestra, Jun Märkl
Scott Yoo, Paraiba Symphony Orchestra, Eleazar de Carvalho
Frank Peter Zimmermann, Philharmonia Orchestra, Mariss Jansons

(* = download only)

[richardfinegold]

I just have Vengerov, Heifetz and Oistrakh (not the one mentioned, a poorly recorded Russian label now defunct. For some reason I have more recordings of the First. I 'd like to hear the Rabin readings

[Alison]

Unusual but not unwelcome recruit to library builder roster.

I only have Ehnes and Vengerov.

[Pulcinella]

Chung/LSO/Previn [10'52", 9'55", 6'16"]
Heifetz/BSO/Munch [8'58, 7'56", 6'01"]
Sitkovetsky/LSO/Colin Davis [11'11", 9'30", 5'51"]
Stern/Philadelphia O/Ormandy [10'25", 9'31", 6'01"]
here, as well as the BBC MM CD of a 1936 performance by the violinist for whom it was composed:
Soetens/BBCSO/Wood [10'04", 9'22", 6'05"]

Chung and Stern are my 'go-to' versions.

[HighlandDougie]

Unusual but not unwelcome recruit to library builder roster.

Standing in for an indisposed Ilan Volkov, Ben Gernon conducted it in October with the Oslo Philharmonic so should at least know the work. As Alison says, "unusual but not unwelcome".

[Pulcinella]

I've just listened to the five versions I have (listed in post #3) and been quite surprised at the differences in tempos for the movements.
Without a score, it's hard to comment on 'faithfulness', but what surprised me most was the differences between the 1936 Soetens (for whom it was written) and Heifetz, who gave the US premiere in 1937.
PS: I have edited that post to add movement timings.

[pastoralguy]

One of my very favourite concertos!

Mr. Heifetz is without equal in this work, the second movement being a super masterclass in legato playing. Other players are available…

[Pulcinella]

One of my very favourite concertos!

Mr. Heifetz is without equal in this work, the second movement being a super masterclass in legato playing. Other players are available…

Which particular Heifetz, pg?
I might need to check the timings again; I took the details from the CD liner notes, but the Presto site suggests 9'02" for the first movement in the BSO/Munch recording; still fast compared to others. Maybe now there's some space added between tracks.
And I suspect that Alpie has been misled by the Presto listings: the Heifetz/Leningrad/Mravinsky version listed is actually the BSO/Munch one too, coupled with the Leningrad/Mravinsky S6.

https://www.prestomusic.com/classical/products/8025627--prokofiev-symphony-no-6

[pastoralguy]

Which particular Heifetz, pg?

It doesn’t matter, Pulcinella. God is God, no matter who else is involved!

[Pulcinella]

It doesn’t matter, Pulcinella. God is God, no matter who else is involved!

My post was a little bit mischievous, pg, but I was surprised to see so many with him, even if one now looks spurious.
I wonder how much his interpretation changed since the 1937 US premiere he gave: maybe we'll find out.

Just listening to Pat Kop now; at 11'01" for the first movement, that's quite a contrast to the Heifetz/BSO/Munch I have.

[Lordgeous]

No Hilary Hahn?

[richardfinegold]

No Hilary Hahn?

I think she only did the First…(?)

[pastoralguy]

My introduction to this work was a sadly unavailable CfP recording by Maurice Hasson. It had an unusual coupling of Paganini’s First concerto. Hasson was a pupil of Szeryng who thought very highly of him. He recorded the Bruch g minor and the Scottish Fantasy with Sir Alex Gibson and the SNO which, again sadly, have never been released on cd.

[pastoralguy]

My post was a little bit mischievous, pg, but I was surprised to see so many with him, even if one now looks spurious.
I wonder how much his interpretation changed since the 1937 US premiere he gave: maybe we'll find out.

Just listening to Pat Kop now; at 11'01" for the first movement, that's quite a contrast to the Heifetz/BSO/Munch I have.

Mine was a bit tongue in cheek too, Pulcie. There was a radio programme many years ago discussing Mr. Heifetz and no less a musician than Hugh Bean played his later recording as one of his favourite Heifetz moments.

[Master Jacques]

My introduction to this work was a sadly unavailable CfP recording by Maurice Hasson. It had an unusual coupling of Paganini’s First concerto. Hasson was a pupil of Szeryng who thought very highly of him. He recorded the Bruch g minor and the Scottish Fantasy with Sir Alex Gibson and the SNO which, again sadly, have never been released on cd.

Now you're talking! I shall never forget a recital Hasson gave with Michael Isador (Dundee 1986) which I had the pleasure and privilege of attending - I still think of it as the best instrumental concert I ever heard live in my life. A great player, like his teacher, and equally at the music's service. He was doing the Debussy, Ravel and Faure 1st sonatas - the first and last of which they also recorded for CfP LP, later re-recorded beautifully with Christian Ivaldi on a treasurable Pickwick CD, which also includes the Franck sonata.