BaL 14.01.23 - Prokofiev: Violin Concerto no. 2

[Bryn]

Well that's marvellous. Why bother with anyone else?
......but I just wanted to know which of the Heifetz Prokofiev 2nds I should listen to...

I only know the Mravinsky offhand. There must, surely, be others.

[Ein Heldenleben]

Well that's marvellous. Why bother with anyone else?
......but I just wanted to know which of the Heifetz Prokofiev 2nds I should listen to...

Koussevitsky. Pretty sure that’s the one in the RR - the one with the fastish Andante.

[Barbirollians]

Koussevitsky. Pretty sure that’s the one in the RR - the one with the fastish Andante.

The perhaps better known version is the stereo account with Munch - and the Andante hardly dawdles there - it is 11 seconds quicker at 7.59 rather than 8.10.

[Ein Heldenleben]

The perhaps better known version is the stereo account with Munch - and the Andante hardly dawdles there - it is 11 seconds quicker at 7.59 rather than 8.10.

Interestingly he Koussevitsky is Enhes’ favourite version !

[Barbirollians]

Are you suggesting he told Ben Gernon that ?

[Ein Heldenleben]

Are you suggesting he told Ben Gernon that ?

It’s on this blog

https://blog.idagio.com/every-single-note-heifetz-played-was-better-than-any-hed-ever-play-a-violinist-chooses-his-top-b57a4d600f44

I’m assuming he’s referring to the 1937 recording.
The headline is a bit misleading . It’s from another violinist.

[jayne lee wilson]

My tolerance for historicals seems to lessen with age and infirmity, so I found the Heifetz/Koussevitsky 1937 sonics a sonic bridge too far in the two masterings I tried....the sound barrier remained unbroken.
Couldn't hear the orchestra properly, and I love what Prokofiev does with it here.

Boston/Munch went much better of course...
I can see the Heifetz attraction but.... can't join in the adulation.

Genuinely taken with Ehnes/Noseda, more on each revisit.... if I wish to hear these concertos I'll probably return to that...
Or for No.2, Kopatchinskaja (to whom I'm always drawn whatever she does - elective soloistic affinities are very subjective, aren't they...? Rooted deep in the temperamental soul....).
Marvellous orchestra too (especially the LPO lower strings, so important here and in Prokofiev generally). Jurowski matches her point-to-point for sheer originality and individuality, both leading and following his soloist with uncannily creative fidelity. Stunning partnership!

What a gift Qobuz has been to the curious ear!

[Barbirollians]

My tolerance for historicals seems to lessen with age and infirmity, so I found the Heifetz/Koussevitsky 1937 sonics a sonic bridge too far in the two masterings I tried....the sound barrier remained unbroken.
Couldn't hear the orchestra properly, and I love what Prokofiev does with it here.

Boston/Munch went much better of course...
I can see the Heifetz attraction but.... can't join in the adulation.





Genuinely taken with Ehnes/Noseda, more on each revisit.... if I wish to hear these concertos I'll probably return to that...
Or for No.2, Kopatchinskaja (to whom I'm always drawn whatever she does - elective soloistic affinities are very subjective, aren't they...? Rooted deep in the temperamental soul....).
Marvellous orchestra too (especially the LPO lower strings, so important here and in Prokofiev generally). Jurowski matches her point-to-point for sheer originality and individuality, both leading and following his soloist with uncannily creative fidelity. Stunning partnership!

What a gift Qobuz has been to the curious ear!

Pat Kop's record used to be available on Amazon Prime and I was rather taken with it but rather short measure - Chung's disc includes Prokofiev 1 as well as her classic Stravinsky account. I was fascinating to read something she said about Jurowski how she loved working with him but he refused to conduct her in Tchaikovsky's VC because he disagreed strongly with her interpretation.

[Ein Heldenleben]

Pat Kop's record used to be available on Amazon Prime and I was rather taken with it but rather short measure - Chung's disc includes Prokofiev 1 as well as her classic Stravinsky account. I was fascinating to read something she said about Jurowski how she loved working with him but he refused to conduct her in Tchaikovsky's VC because he disagreed strongly with her interpretation.

Shades of Richter / Karajan who went so far as to commit their disagreement on tempi in the Tschaik Bflat minor to record .

[Barbirollians]

Shades of Richter / Karajan who went so far as to commit their disagreement on tempi in the Tschaik Bflat minor to record .

Have you heard her recording with Currentzis - I think Jurowski has a point and I think IGI once of this parish gave it a kicking in his recent Gramophone collection on the concerto.

[jayne lee wilson]

Have you heard her recording with Currentzis - I think Jurowski has a point and I think IGI once of this parish gave it a kicking in his recent Gramophone collection on the concerto.

I was stunned with that Kop-Current Tchaikovsky, just adored it immediately, it was music renewed in an inspired act of defamiliarisation. And Les Noces was the perfectly poetically inspired coupling...
You need someone to do that, sometimes, with such a work - shake it up, break it up... put it back together in a new expressive form....

...and playing now....wow.!

[Barbirollians]

Just noticed Nathan Milstein's 1960s recordings must be out of the catalogue . I am rather fond of them.

[Barbirollians]

I think she only did the First…(?)

Like Julia Fischer I think.

[Nick Armstrong]

I couldn't agree more. I really do continue to wonder what criteria the reviewers / programme makers employ, in making their (very) shortlists.

Quite. A singularly unenlightening BAL I found (quite apart from any issue of partiality)

[Barbirollians]

Quite. A singularly unenlightening BAL I found (quite apart from any issue of partiality)

Great shame this wasn’t given to Marina Frolova Walker.