BaL 14.01.12 - Elgar: Violin Concerto

[pastoralguy]

I also have another 2 conducted by Menuhin. Sitkovetsky (RPO, 1994) and Leland Chen, (Armenian P.O., 1994)

Both good if not great performances.

[Gordon]

I can find the Walton recorded in Cincinnati but not the Elgar. The complete Heifetz edition offers just the 1949 recording with Sargent. Which label is the 1941 Elgar on?

Looking again at my database I see that I have collected from somewhere in the past [don't know where] an Elgar/Heifetz recorded in Cincinatti. I think the source data I used may be flawed and that that the version currently on Naxos is the only one he made. I get the impression that he didn't really take to the piece - he made no stereo version as he did others of the standard repertoire pieces. The coupling of the Walton from Cincinatti may have confused the compiler of my source?

I too can only find the Walton in Cincinatti in 41 and the Sargent in London 49. Heiftez was an RCA artist for almost all his life so I'd expect it to be on that label, at least in the USA and probably here too. Unless there's a radio/live performance out there somewhere?

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

Menuhin's second studio recording, with the New Phil and Boult is hardly given a mention these days, but it is the version I grew up on and I still hold it high in my affections.

[BBMmk2]

What's that recording in the EMI Elgar Edition?

[amateur51]

What's that recording in the EMI Elgar Edition?

Tis the Menuhin/Elgar, BBM

[Alison]

Nige, either version, or Ehnes for me.

[Barbirollians]

Menuhin's second studio recording, with the New Phil and Boult is hardly given a mention these days, but it is the version I grew up on and I still hold it high in my affections.

Me too . It was the first version i had on an HMV Concert Classics tape with Menuhin and Boult copying the picture of Menuhin and Elgar on the abbey Road steps . I still have a very soft spot for it .

Of all the versions I own the Ehnes is the one I like the least . Episodic with insensitive conducting.

[Parry1912]

Either of the Kennedy recordings for me. Latterly I've also grown fond of the Perlman/Barenboim.

[Petrushka]

Either of the Kennedy recordings for me. Latterly I've also grown fond of the Perlman/Barenboim.

It took me a long, long time to get into the Elgar VC and it was the Perlman/Chicago SO/Barenboim that did the business. As usual Perlman is closely recorded but I don't mind that and this would still be my first choice.

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

What's that recording in the EMI Elgar Edition?

Do you mean the edition of the composer's own electrical recordings, or the 30 CD box of EMI's major Elgar recordings?

If you mean the former, it's Menuhin/LSO/Elgar, but if you mean the latter, it's Bean/RLPO/Groves - both worth considering.

[Barbirollians]

I love lots of these recordings - Menuhin both with Elgar and Boult in the studio, Perlman/Barenboim , Kennedy/Handley, Bean/Groves probably being my favourites.

[verismissimo]

It took me a long, long time to get into the Elgar VC...

Me too, Petrushka.

I currently appear to have:

Marie Hall's abridged version with Elgar from 1916
Albert Sammons with Sir H Wood from 1929
Menuhin with Elgar from 1932
Menuhin with Boult from 1966
Zukerman with Barenboim from 1976
Kennedy with Handley from 1984

I shall review them all before next Saturday!

[BBMmk2]

Do you mean the edition of the composer's own electrical recordings, or the 30 CD box of EMI's major Elgar recordings?

If you mean the former, it's Menuhin/LSO/Elgar, but if you mean the latter, it's Bean/RLPO/Groves - both worth considering.

Ah, thank you, EA. It the latter with Hugh Bean etc. I have both the Kennedy recordings as well.

[amateur51]

If I could have only one recording, it would be the Albert Sammons/New Queen's Hall Orchestra/Sir Henry Wood performance - it was the first performance that I really got to know and I recall the frisson that went through the record-collecting world when EMI released it after A C Griffiths (I think) had worked his magic on it for the EMI retrospect series on LP

[mikealdren]

It took me a long, long time to get into the Elgar VC and it was the Perlman/Chicago SO/Barenboim that did the business. As usual Perlman is closely recorded but I don't mind that and this would still be my first choice.

It was the Heifetz that convinced me and it took me a while too, amazing intensity and he gets totally inside the work. I enjoyed a televised prom by Perlman and I bought his LP on the strength of that but was disappointed - personal taste, I never liked Zuckerman's versions either although my brother loves them.

Pastoralguy
Yes I like the earlier Kennedy too but was disappointed by the later Rattle version. I've heard him play it fantastically well live (and Martin Milner too with the Hallé years ago). I also like Igor Oistrakh's performance, David Oistrakh reputedly played the Elgar and Walton as part of a series of concerts on the Violin Concerto, if recordings they had survived!

I've lots of recordings but nothing recent - very keen to hear Ehnes and Little and others. So far, Heifetz and Sammons are top of my pile despite the recording quality.

Mike