Beethoven: Violin Concerto; Mozart: Sinfonia Concertante

Editorial Reviews
Amazon.com
Recorded live at London's Royal Albert Hall in 1963, this disc brings together three superb artists for two extraordinary performances. In Mozart's Sinfonia Concertante, with Menuhin conducting, Igor Oistrakh on violin sounds bright and radiant, his father, David, on viola dark and warm; with great charm, brilliance, and obvious mutual enjoyment, they play to and off each other in questioning, diverging phrases that come together in triumphant, ecstatic affirmation. Weaving a tapestry of transparent lines, they bring out Mozart's mercurial moods from devil-may-care exuberance and soaring lyricism to despairing lamentation. With David Oistrakh conducting, Menuhin plays the Beethoven concerto. Though he no longer had complete mastery of fingers and bow, the buoyancy of his rhythm, the incandescent intensity of his tone, and his deeply personal expressiveness were undiminished. The second movement is simply heavenly: very slow, calm, serene, inward, with a floating, disembodied air, absolutely perfect in tone, tempo, mood, it finally fades into the distance like a dream. His 1947 recording with the Luzern Festival Orchestra under Wilhelm Furtwängler (Testament STB 1109) offers a fascinating comparison. Here, his technique is impeccable, smooth, effortless, and, except for the truly incomparable slow movement of 1963, his playing is no less beautiful in tone and moving in expression. As was customary at the time but is rare today, Furtwängler constantly changes tempo along with character and dynamics; however, he was famous for his ability to make such liberties sound entirely natural and organic. --Edith Eisler

Tracks:

Brandenbutg Concerto No.3 In G First Movement
Overture No.3 In D Second Movement
Violin Concerto In E First Movement
Prelude In C minor
Jesu Bleibet Meine Freude (Chorus From Cantata No.147)
Overture No.2 In B minor Minuet And Badinerie
Oboe Concerto In D minor Second Movement
Brandenburg Concerto No.4 In G Third Movement
Musical Offering - Fuga canonica
Easter Oratorio - Overture
Minuet In D minor
Kommst Du Nun, Jesu, Vom Himmel herunter(From Choral Prelude BWV 650
Brandenburg Concerto No.1 In F Second Movement
Art Of The Fugue - Contrapunctus 9
Concerto For Flute, Violin, Harpsichord And Strings. Triple Concerto - Third Movement
Overture No.4 In D - Réjouissance
Concerto No. 1 in E: Spring
Concerto No. 1 in E: Spring
Concerto No. 1 in E: Spring
Concerto No. 2 in G minor: Summer
Concerto No. 2 in G minor: Summer
Concerto No. 2 in G minor: Summer
Concerto No. 3 in F: Autumn
Concerto No. 3 in F: Autumn
Concerto No. 3 in F: Autumn
Concerto No. 4 in F minor: Winter
Concerto No. 4 in F minor: Winter
Concerto No. 4 in F minor: Winter
Concerto for Flute, Strings & Basso Continuo in G minor, Op. 10, no.2
Concerto for Flute, Strings & Basso Continuo in G minor, Op. 10, no.2
Concerto for Flute, Strings & Basso Continuo in G minor, Op. 10, no.2
Concerto for Flute, Strings & Basso Continuo in G minor, Op. 10, no.2
Concerto for Flute, Strings & Basso Continuo in G minor, Op. 10, no.2
Concerto for Flute, Strings & Basso Continuo in G minor, Op. 10, no.2
Concerto Grosso in A minor, Op. 3, no. 8
Concerto Grosso in A minor, Op. 3, no. 8
Concerto Grosso in A minor, Op. 3, no. 8
Water Music - Alla Hornpipe
Xerxes - Ombra Mai Fu (Largo)
Messiah - And The Glory Of The Lord
Concerto Grosso In A Minor, Op. 6, No. 4 - Larghetto Affettuoso
Organ Concerto In F, Op. 4, No. 4 Allegro
Water Music - Air
Messiah - For Unto Us A Child Is Born
Concerto Grosso In B flat, Op. 3, No. 2 - Largo
Salomon - Sinfonia, Act 3
The Choice Of Hercules - While For Thy Arms
Water Music - Allegro (Suite No. 1)
Suite No. 5 In E - Air With Variations
Jephtha - How Dark, O Lord
Organ Concerto In F, Op. 4, No. 5 Alla Siciliana - Presto
Mi Palpita Il Cor (Solo Cantata) S'un Di M'adora
Water Music - Andante Allegro Da Capo
Concerto for Trumpet & Orchestra in E-flat: First Movement
Symphony No. 94 in G: Surprise Symphony-second movement
Concerto for Violin No. 2 in D: Third Movement
Flute Trio No. 31 in G: Second Movement
Symphony No. 31 in D: Hornsignal-First Movement
String Quartet No. 17 in F, Op. 3, no. 5: Serenade Quartet-Second Movement
Sinfonia Concertante in B-flat for Violin, Cello, Oboe, Bassoon and Orchestra-Third Movement
Concerto for 2 Horns & Orchestra in E-flat: Second Movement
Symphony No. 88 in G: Fourth Movement
String Quartet No. 77 in C: Kaiser Quartet-Poco adagio cantabile
Notturno No. 1 in C: Second Movement
Symphony No. 98 in B: Londoner No. 4-Fourth Movement
Eine Kleine Nachtmusik - first movement
Piano Concerto in A - second movement
Flute Concerto in D - Rondeau
Serenade - Minuet
Violin Concerto - first movement
Symphony No. 40 in G minor - first movement
Clarinet Concerto - second movement
Turkish March
Divertimento - Minuet
Horn Concerto No. 3 in E-flat - first movement
Symphony No. 5 in C minor, Op. 67-First Movement
Piano Sonata No. 14 in C sharp minor, Op. 27, no. 2: Moonlight Sonata-First Movement
Overture
O welche Lust (Prisoners' Chorus)
Ha, welch ein Augenblick (Pizarros's Aria)
Concerto for Piano and Orchestra No. 3 in C minor, Op. 37: Second Movement
Concerto for Violin and Orchestra in D, Op. 61: Third Movement
Piano Sonata No. 8 in C minor, Op. 13: Pathétique-Second Movement
Sympony No. 6 in F, Op. 68: Pastorale-First Movement
Fantasy for Piano, Chorus and Orchestra in C minor, Op. 80: Choral Fantasy - Finale
German Dance No. 1 In C
Impromptu Op. 90, No. 3 In G-Flat
Heidenroslein
Ave Maria
Der Lindenbaum
Quintet In A 'Trout Quintet' - Andante
Mass No. 6 In E-Flat - Kyrie
Die Schone Mullerin Des Mullers Blumen
German Dance No. 2 In G
Piano Sonata In B-Flat
Nachtgesang Im Walde
Winterreise - No. 15: Die Krahe
German Mass - Zum Sanctus (Heilit, Heilig Ist Der Herr)
Symphony No. 8 In B Minor 'Unfinished' - Second Movement
Waltz No. 1 in E-flat, Op. 18 Grande Valse brillante
Nocturne in E-flat, Op. 9, no. 2
Etude in G-flat, Op. 10, no. 5
Concerto for Piano and Orchestra No. 2 in F minor, Op. 21-Second Movement
Mazurka in D minor, Op. 33, no. 2
Prelude in D-flat, Op. 28, no. 15 Raindrop
Etude in C, Op. 10, no. 1
Nocturne in D-flat, Op. 27, no. 2
Impromptu No. 4 in C-sharp minor, Op. 66 Fantasy Impromptu
Scherzo in B minor, Op. 20
Piano Sonata No. 2 in B-flat minor, Op. 35-Third Movement
Concerto for Piano and Orchestra No. 1 in E minor, Op. 11 - Third Movement
Piano Concerto No. 1 in B-flat minor - first movement 113.String Seranade - Waltz
Violin Concerto - second movement
The Sleeping Beauty - Waltz
Capriccio Italien, Op. 45
Swan Lake - Waltz
Eugene Onegin - Polonaise
The Nutcracker - Waltz of the Flowers
Orchestral Suite No. 4 - Mozartiana - Third Movement
Swan Lake - Dance of the Swans
Symphony No. 6 in B minor - Pathétique - Third Movement
Hungarian Dance No.5
Lullaby
Symphony No.1 in C minor, Op. 68 - Third Movement
Intermezzo in E-flat, Op.117, no. 1
Concerto for Violin and Orchestra in D, Op. 77 - Third Movement
Waltz, Op. 39, no. 15
Concert for Piano and Orchestra No. 2 in B-flat, Op. 83 - Second Movement
String Quintet in G, Op. 111 - Second Movement
Symphony No.4 in E minor, Op. 98 - Third Movement
Intermezzo in A minor, Op. 76, no. 7
Hungarian Dance No.1 in G minor
German Requiem Selig sind die Toten (Final Chorus)
Die Fledermaus - Overture
Kaiser Waltz, Op.437
Thunder And Lightning Polka, Op. 324
Roses From The South Waltz, Op. 388
AnnenPolka, Op. 117
Vienna Blood Waltz, Op. 354
Eljen A Magyar Polka, Op. 332
Wine, Women and Song Waltz, Op. 333
On The Beautiful Blue Danube Waltz, Op. 134
Die Meistersinger Von Nurnberg - Overture
Tannhauser - Die Pilger sind's (Pilgims' Chorus)
Tannhauser - O du mein holder Abendstern (Wolfram's Aria)
Lohengrin - Act 3 Prelude and Bridal Chorus
The Flying Dutchman - Jo-ho-he Traft ihr das Schiff (Senta's Ballad)
The Flying Dutchman - Steuermann, lass die Wacht (Sailors' Chorus)
Die Walkure - Wintersturme wichen dem Wonnemond (Siegmund's Aria)
Die Walkure - Ride of the Valkyries
Siegfried Hoho! Hoho! Hohei! Schmiede mein Hammer (Siegfried's Forging Song)
Tristan und Isolde - Liebestod
Thus sprach Zarathustra, Op. 30 (excerpt)
Don Juan, Op. 20
Eine Alpensinfonie, Op. 64, I.Nacht
Don Quixote, Op.35, first movement: Introduction
Salome, Op. 54, Dance Of The Seven Veils
Der Rosenkavalier, Op. 59, Finale: Hab' mir's gelobt ihn lieb zu haben
Piano Concerto 2 In C minor, Op. 18 - First Movement
Vocalise, Op.34, No. 14
Prelude In G Sharp minor, Op. 32, No. 12
Piano Concerto No. 4 In G minor, Op. 40 - Third Movement
Symphony No. 2 In E minor, Op. 27 - Third Movement
Piano Concerto No. 1 In F sharp minor, Op. 1 - Second Movement
Rhapsody, Op. 43 On A Theme By Paganini
Hungarian Rhapsody No.2
Liebestraum No.3 in A-flat
Piano Concerto No.1 in E-flat - third movement
Angelus
Mephisto Waltz No.1 (Dance in a Village Tavern)
Prelude and Fugue on B-A-C-H
Dante Symphony - Finale. - Purgatorio - Magnificat
Les Préludes
Boléro
Daphnis et Chloé first movement: Nocturne
Rhapsodie Espagnole
Shéhérazade - first movement: Asie
Ma Mère l'Oye - fourth movement: La Belle et la Bête
Introduction and Allegro for Harp, Flute, Clarinet, and String Quartet
La Valse
Slavic Dance No. 1 in C, Op. 46, no.1
Symphony No. 9 in E minor, Op. 95 'From the New World' - second movement
Humoresque, Op. 101
Slavic Dance No. 8 in G minor, Op. 46, no. 8
Serenade for String Orchestra, Op. 22 - second movement
Romance for Violin and Orchestra In F minor, Op. 11
Symphony No. 7 in D minor - third movement
Melodie (Songs My Mother Taught Me)
Carneval Overture, Op. 92
Concerto for Cello and Orchestra in B minor, Op. 104 - third movement
Symphony No.4 In A, Op. 90. Italian - First Movement
Frühlingslied In A, Op. 62, No. 6
Wedding March (From A Midsummer Night's Dream, Op.61)
Duetto In F, Op.30, No.6 (From Songs Without Words)
String Symphony No.9 In C. Schweitzer Symphony - Third Movement
Concerto For Violin, Piano And String Orchestra No. 1 In D minor - Second Movement
Symphony No.3 In A minor, Op.56 Scottish - Third Movement"
Notturno (From A Midsumment Night's Dream, Op. 61)
Rondo Capriccioso, Op.14
String Symphony No. 12 In G minor - First Movement
Venetian Gondola Song In F Sharp minor, Op.30, No.6
Scherzo (From A Midsumment Night's Dream, Op. 61)
Violin Concerto In E minor, Op.64 - Third Movement
Peer Gynt - Suite No. 1, Op. 46 - Morgenstimmung
Holberg Suite, Op. 40 - I. Prelude. Allegro vivace
Holberg Suite, Op. 40 - IV. Air. Andante religioso
Arietta, Op. 12, no. 1
Homage March from Sigurd Jorsalfar, Op. 56
Peer Gynt - Suite No. 2, Op. 55 - Solveig's Song
Wedding Day at Troldhauen, Op. 65, no. 6
The Last Spring, Op. 34, no. 2
Peer Gynt - Suite No. 1, Op 46 - Anitra's Dance
Nordic Melody Op. 63
Notturno, Op. 54, no. 4
Elegie, Op. 47, no. 5
Peer Gynt - Suite No. 2, Op. 55 - Arabic Dance
Piano Concerto in A minor, Op. 16 - Allegro
Symphony No. 3 in E flat, Op. 97 - Rhenish - first movement
Traumerai (from Kinderszenen, Op. 15)
Mondnacht (from Eichendorff-Liederkreis, Op. 39)
Aufschwung (from Fantasietucke, Op. 12)
Triolett, Op. 114, no. 2
Tanzlied (No. 1 from Duets, Op. 78)
Symphony No. 4 in D minor, Op. 120 - second movement
Frühlingsgruss
Abschied (from Waldszenen Op. 82)
Dichterliebe, Op. 48 - Im wunderschonen Monat Mai
Manfred Overture, Op. 115
Romance in F sharp, Op. 28, no. 2
Die Rose stand im Tau
Liebesgarten (from Four Duets, Op. 34)
Warum? (from Fantasiestucke, Op. 12)
Kennst du das Land, Op.79, no. 29 (from Lieder der Mignon, Op. 98a)
Von fremden Landern und Menschen (from Kinderszenen, Op. 15)

Album Description

An extraordinary 20-CD collection of great works by Bach, Vivaldi, Handel, Haydn, Mozart, Beethoven, Schubert, Chopin, Tchaikovsky, Brahms, Ravel, Mendelssohn, Rachmaninoff, J. Strauss, R. Strauss, Schumann, Wagner, Dvorak, Grieg and Liszt. It also features worldrenowned artists such as Sir Neville Marriner, Martha Argerich, Ivo Pogorelich, Hermann Prey, Reiner Goldberg, Sylvia Sass, Jochen Kowalski, Peter Schreler and many more. This exquisite, copper metallic, deluxe boxed set is the perfect gift for the classical music neophyte.

Customer Reviews:

Mill. Classical review.......2007-05-13

This is a great set of recordings for the money, the only problem was I've had to clean some of the CD's before they played correctly.

classical music for the unitiated.......2007-04-01

This set is a good way to start listening to classical music. It's very well produced and easy to listen to. I purchased it to use as part of my world history high school class. It would have been nice to have some bio information on the composers. However, the product is exactly as advertised and good value for the money. The students were intrigued by how many of the excerpts they had heard before.

Some little gems there that I had forgotten!.......2007-03-30

Although I studied classical music at school, I had all but forgotten it until I bought this set. I heard several tracks I haven't heard for over 30 years, and I had been humming Brahms's 'Hungarian Dance no. 5' for years without ever knowing what it was and it was on the disc, so that was nice.

I found it to be a very good selection overall, but I felt too much had already been heard on TV, which of course is what lots of newcomers to classical music might appreciate. I managed to find about 2 hours of tracks that I wanted to keep, which works out quite expensive per disc, but I did find some wonderful music I had completely forgotten about, so it was worth it. All in all, it represents good value, and I have only knocked one star off as so much of it had been used in adverts.

It is definitely a good introduction to classical music, and it has made me want to listen to more of it, so I don't regret this 'expensive' purchase one bit!

Classical Masterpieces of the Millennium [20 CD Set]

A very helpful collection.......2007-03-24

I define this set as an excellent way to find out who you like, and who you don't, among 20 of the important composers. It opens the door to purchasing more complete pieces by composers you do like, and can save a lot of time and money in the process.
To criticize the set for not containing more composers, or more than just snippets of those who are in the set, is missing the point: it is a helpful introduction to finding your way in the huge maze of classical music. It succeeds admirably in this.
Sound quality is uniformly very good on an audiophile system.
Highly recommended.

Excellent!.......2007-03-08

A great way to start a classical music collection. It's nice to have a full CD of each composer. It makes it easy to keep track of selections/composers I already have and what composers I still need to puchase to complete my collection.

Average customer rating:

Casals Festivals at Prades, Vol. 2

Manufacturer: Music & Arts Program
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Quartets | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music

Quintets | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music

Trios | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music

Fantasies | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

Fugues | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Cantatas | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Masses | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music
Similar Items:

Pablo Casals: Festivals at Prades Vol. 1
Pierre Monteux Decca & Philips Recordings, 1956-1964
Clfford Curzon: Decca Recordings 1944-1970, Vol. 4
Martha Argerich and Friends: Live from the Lugano Festival, 2006
Beethoven: Piano Sonatas [Germany]

ASIN: B000HIVGWQ
Release Date: 2006-09-05

Average customer rating:

Mostly Magnificent Menuhin, with a Few Reservations

The Violinist
Yehudi Menuhin , Johann Sebastian Bach , Bela Bartok , Ludwig van Beethoven , Alban Berg , Johannes Brahms , Max Bruch , Arcangelo Corelli , Edward Elgar , Franz Joseph Haydn , Edouard Lalo , Felix Mendelssohn , Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart , Carl Nielsen , Niccolo Paganini , Camille Saint-Saens , Jean Sibelius , Pyotr Il'yich Tchaikovsky , Michael Tippett , Henri Vieuxtemps , Antonio Vivaldi , William Walton , Alberto Lysy , Anatole Fistoulari , Antal Dorati , Anthony Bernard , Gaston Poulet , John Pitchard , Mogens Woldike , Pierre Boulez , and Rafael Frühbeck de Burgos
Manufacturer: EMI Classics
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Fantasies | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music
Similar Items:

Beethoven: The Complete Symphonies and Piano Concertos
Beethoven - The Complete String Quartets / Alban Berg Quartet
Bach: Orchestral Suites & Concertos
The Glory of Rostropovich: 80th Birthday Tribute
Schubert: 8 Symphonies

ASIN: B0000BWTKJ
Release Date: 2003-11-04

Tracks:

I. Allegro
II. Affettuoso
III. Allegro
I. Allegro
II. Andante
III. Allegro Assai
I. Allegro
II. Adagio
III. Allegro Assai
I. Vivace
II. Largo Ma Non Tanto
III. Allegro

Tracks:

Rhapsody No. 2 (Lassu [Moderato] - Friss [Allegro Moderato])
I. Allegro Non Troppo
II. Andante Tranquillo
III. Allegro Molto
I. Andante
I. Allegretto (Scherzando)
II. Allegro
II. Adagio

Tracks:

Romance No. 1 In G Major
I. Allegro Ma Non Troppo (Cadenza: Kreisler)
II. Larghetto
III. Rondo (Allegro) (Cadenza: Kreisler)
I. Allegro Moderato
II. Adagio
III. Finale (Allegro Energico)

Tracks:

Romance No. 2 In F Major, Op. 50
I. Allegro Non Troppo (Cadenza: Kreisler)
II. Adagio
III. Allegro Giocoso, Ma Non Troppo Vivace - Poco Piu Presto
I. Allegro Molto Appassionato
II. Andante
III. Allegretto Non Troppo - Allegro Molto Vivace

Tracks:

I. Allegro
II. Andante
III. Allegro Molto
I. Andante Tranquillo
II. Presto Capriccioso Alla Napolitana & Trio (Canzonetta)
III. Vivace

Tracks:

I. Allegro Moderato (Cadenza: Menuhin)
II. Adagio Molto
III. Finale (Presto) (Cadenza: Menuhin)
I. Allegro
II. Andante Cantabile
III. Rondo (Andante Grazioso - Allegro Ma Non Troppo)
I. Allegro Maestoso
II. Andante
III. Presto

Tracks:

I. Allegro Non Troppo
II. Scherzando (Allegro Molto)
III. Intermezzo (Allegretto Non Troppo)
IV. Andante
V. Rondo (Allegro)
I. Allegro Non Troppo
II. Andantino Quasi Allegretto
III. Molto Moderato E Maestoso - Allegro Non Troppo
Introduction & Rondo Capriccioso, Op. 28
Havanaise, Op. 83

Tracks:

I. Allegro Maestoso (Cadenza: Emile Sauret)
II. Adagio Espressivo
III. Rondo (Allegro Spiritoso)
I. Andante - Moderato - Cadenza
II. Adagio Religioso
III. Scherzo (Vivace) & Trio
IV. Finale (Allegro)
I. Allegro Non Troppo
II. Cadenza
III. Adagio
IV. Allegro Con Fuoco

Tracks:

Serenade Melancolique
I. Allegro Moderato
II. Adagio Di Molto
III. Allegro Ma Non Tanto
I. Praeludium (Largo)
I. Allegro Cavalleresco
II. Intermezzo (Poco Adagio)
II. Rondo (Allegretto Scherzando)

Tracks:

I. Allegro
II. Largo
III. Allegro
I. Allegro Non Molto
II. Adagio
III. Presto
I. Allegro
II. Adagio
III. Allegro
I. Allegro Non Molto
II. Largo
III. Allegro
I. Vivace - Allegro - Adagio - Vivace - Allegro - Largo Andante
II. Allegro
III. Grave - Andante Largo - Allegro
Fantasia Concertante On A Theme Of Corelli

Customer Reviews:

Mostly Magnificent Menuhin, with a Few Reservations.......2004-01-06

The recent trend toward classical box sets focusing on the performer instead of the composer (see my reviews of the various DG/Decca "Original Masters" sets) continues with EMI's new "Yehudi Menuhin - The Violinist." Sure EMI's past sets have showcased individual performances by Samson Francois, Eugen Jochum and Rudolf Kempe to name a few, but it was always under the heading of a given composer's works, and in the cases mentioned above, to Chopin's piano pieces, Bruckner's Symphonies and Strauss' Orchestral Works respectively. Therefore, this Menuhin collection is the first of EMI's "Budget Box Sets" to showcase a performer playing the works of a variety of composers.

As Menuhin was an EMI recording artist for an incredible 68 years (1931-99), his performances for the label number in the hundreds. With so much music from which to choose, this 10-disc set aims "to highlight some of those alternative versions, including recordings that have not been easily available since the days of LP and others that have never previously appeared on CD." Therefore, the obvious mainstream, easily attainable recordings are omitted here -- for example, the Beethoven/Mendelssohn VCs with Furtwangler, the Elgar VC with the composer conducting, and the Bruch/Mendelssohn VCs with Susskind and Kurtz.

However, a lot of this material has been on disc before on titles which the serious collector most likely already owns. Most of the Bach is currently available as part of the Bach "Budget Box Series" title. The Bruch, Mendelssohn, Brahms and Vivaldi VCs were all available in the now out-of-print 2CD EMI Seraphim series. The Elgar and the Walton are still available in the "British Composers" series. And perhaps most annoyingly, the previously unpublished Beethoven VC and Tchaikovsky "Serenade melancolique" (available as a single disc), and the Beethoven Romance No. 2 (available on an EMI Encore title) were both reissued just a few months back.

But let's focus on the positive, which are the other rare performances, the most significant being the never before reissued 1954 performance of Mozart's Violin Concerto No. 4 with John Pritchard and the Philharmonia. Other elusive recordings include Viuextemps and Paganini VCs with Fistoulari, Lalo and Saint-Saens works with Goossens, and excellent Berg and Bartok accounts with Boulez. Though I'm delighted at their inclusion, of lesser importance is a 1965 Bartok VC No. 2 with Dorati -- his mono EMI with Furtwangler and an earlier account with Dorati on Mercury Living Presence are far superior. Also, neither the Sibelius (Boult, 1955) nor Nielsen (Woldike, 1952) Concertos are truly Menuhin's cups of tea.

My last complaint has to do with the packaging. I know I'm being rather trite but it seems that EMI has taken the "slim" out of slim, paper-sleeved box sets with their latest batch of releases. Both this title and the new box of Liszt Orchestral Works by Masur are noticeably thicker than previous EMI sets featuring a similar number of discs. A minor point, but us serious classical collectors need every centimeter of space on our increasingly crowded CD shelves, not to mention the amount of wasted packaging.

Overall though, despite the fact that "Yehudi Menuhin - The Violinist" is not as essential a reissue as its counterparts in the "Original Masters" series, it is a delightful set that most collectors will thoroughly enjoy.

Isaac Stern: My First 79 Years, A Musical Celebration

Average customer rating:

A WORTHY TRIBUTE TO A GREAT ARTIST
Good for beginners
A tribute to the artist

Isaac Stern: My First 79 Years, A Musical Celebration
Sergei Prokofiev , David Oistrakh , Eugene Istomin , Leonard Rose , Pinchas Zukerman , Emanuel Ax , Mstislav Rostropovich , Matthias Spaeter , Zubin Mehta , and Franz Liszt Academy Orchestra
Manufacturer: Sony
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Quartets | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music

Trios | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music

Classical Music | The Sony BMG Masterworks Store | Amazon.com Label Stores | Stores | Music

Classical Instrumental Music | The Sony BMG Masterworks Store | Amazon.com Label Stores | Stores | Music
Similar Items:

Isaac Stern 60th Anniversary Celebration
Mendelssohn: Violin Concerto In E Minor, Op. 64 / Tchaikovsky: Violin Concerto In D Major, Op. 35
Brahms: Violin Concerto; Double Concerto for violin and cello
In Tribute and Celebration
Isaac Stern Presents Encores

ASIN: B000028U11
Release Date: 1999-10-19

Customer Reviews:

A WORTHY TRIBUTE TO A GREAT ARTIST.......2007-05-07

ISAAC STERN WILL ALWAYS BE UNIQUE AS HE HAD A TONE AND TECHNIQUE WITH THE VIOLIN THAT DEFIES DESCRIPTION. ON THIS RECORDING LISTEN TO THE RONDO FROM BEETHOVEN'S VIOLIN CONCERTO OP 61 - IT IS SIMPLY SPINE TINGLING. ANOTHER EXAMPLE WOULD BE FRITZ KREISLER'S LIEBESLEID HOWEVER TO MY ESTIMATION THE FIRST CD RELEASE OF BEETHOVEN'S VIOLIN SONATA OP 30 NO 2 - 'ALLEGRO CON BRIO' HAS TO BE HEARD BY ANY LOVER OF THE VIOLIN AND IS IN MY OPINION ONE OF THIS GREAT ARTIST'S FINEST RECORDING - BUY THE CD JUST FOR THIS ALONE. EVERYTHING ELSE IS SUPERB SO DON'T HESITATE TO ADD THIS CD IN YOUR COLLECTION.

Good for beginners.......2003-03-01

I am a newbie to classical music. I love this CD. I realize that it doesn't do justice to many works due to the fact that only one track is played from each work, but to people like me, this is a good starting point. From here, I now know of areas of Isaac Stern's body of work that I want to delve into. I also have a better idea of which composers I want to take a closer look at. In my opinion, for a person just starting out in classical music, this is a good "sampler" of classical violin music. It's probably not something for a serious collector due to the fact that it is a collection of previously released works. I would consider it in league with a "greatest hits" album from a rock band. It's not for serious listeners, but it's a good starting point for beginners. This is a good starting point.

A tribute to the artist.......1999-10-20

Of course the playing is magnificent, absolute magic. But does this CD serve any purpose? Very few serious collections are without some Stern offerings in which he plays the COMPLETE WORK. I emphasize those words to get to a complaint I always have with programs that consist of parts of longer works that make little musical sense detached from the context for which they were intended.

The Dvorak "Humoresque," for example, stands up very nicely as a single work; while the first movement of the Beethoven Piano Trio Op. 70 makes you anticipate the wonderful second movement which never comes. And so on and so on. So one will not purchase this for the music but for the artist.

Tracks:

1. Allegro Non Troppo
2. Adagio
3. Allegro Giocoso, Ma Non Troppo Vivace
2. Andante
3. Allegro Molto
Note=104 - Note=120
5. Rondo: Agitato
6. Epilogo (Tempo Di Elegia)

Tracks:

1. Allegro Con Brio
2. Adagio Cantabile
3. Scherzo: Allegro
4. Finale: Allegro-Presto
3. Allegro Vivace
Theme-Variation 1: Animato-Variation 2-Variation 3: Maestoso-Variation 4: Lento-Variation 5: Marcato-Variation 6: Amoroso-Variation 7
2. Improvisation. Andante Cantabile
4. Rondo Alla Zingarese
Wie Der Alte Leiermann
Fuga Y Misterio
Oblivion

Beethoven: Violin Concerto; Mozart: Sinfonia Concertante

Average customer rating:

Beautiful but bad recording
The Recording of a Century
The Recording of a Century

Beethoven: Violin Concerto; Mozart: Sinfonia Concertante

Manufacturer: BBC Legends
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music

David Oistrakh

ASIN: B00000K2FB
Release Date: 1999-09-21

Tracks:

Concerto For VIolin And Orchestra In D Major, Op.61: l Allegro ma non troppo
Concerto For VIolin And Orchestra In D Major, Op.61: ll Larghetto
Concerto For VIolin And Orchestra In D Major, Op.61: lll Rondo. Allegro
Sinfonia Concertante For Violin, Viola And Orchestra In E Flat Major, K364: l Allegro maestoso
Sinfonia Concertante For Violin, Viola And Orchestra In E Flat Major, K364: ll Andante
Sinfonia Concertante For Violin, Viola And Orchestra In E Flat Major, K364: III Presto

Amazon.com

Recorded live at London's Royal Albert Hall in 1963, this disc brings together three superb artists for two extraordinary performances. In Mozart's Sinfonia Concertante, with Menuhin conducting, Igor Oistrakh on violin sounds bright and radiant, his father, David, on viola dark and warm; with great charm, brilliance, and obvious mutual enjoyment, they play to and off each other in questioning, diverging phrases that come together in triumphant, ecstatic affirmation. Weaving a tapestry of transparent lines, they bring out Mozart's mercurial moods from devil-may-care exuberance and soaring lyricism to despairing lamentation. With David Oistrakh conducting, Menuhin plays the Beethoven concerto. Though he no longer had complete mastery of fingers and bow, the buoyancy of his rhythm, the incandescent intensity of his tone, and his deeply personal expressiveness were undiminished. The second movement is simply heavenly: very slow, calm, serene, inward, with a floating, disembodied air, absolutely perfect in tone, tempo, mood, it finally fades into the distance like a dream. His 1947 recording with the Luzern Festival Orchestra under Wilhelm Furtwängler (Testament STB 1109) offers a fascinating comparison. Here, his technique is impeccable, smooth, effortless, and, except for the truly incomparable slow movement of 1963, his playing is no less beautiful in tone and moving in expression. As was customary at the time but is rare today, Furtwängler constantly changes tempo along with character and dynamics; however, he was famous for his ability to make such liberties sound entirely natural and organic. --Edith Eisler

Customer Reviews:

Beautiful but bad recording.......2006-04-20

The violin never sounded better and this is one of Beethoven's finest Violin concertos with the masters playing at their zenith, but the recording sounds like it was done in 1950, the technology now is so much better that it's much finer with a newer recording.

The Recording of a Century.......2003-03-15

This is perhaps the greatest recording of Mozart's Sinfonia Concertante around, equaled only by the Perlman/Zukerman recording and even that is a maybe. The playin contrasts two ages of the violin, the great age of Heifetz, Milstein, Menuhin and David Oistrakh in contrast to that of Kremer, Perlman, Zukerman and Igor Oistrakh. The first is a style of incredible freedom, personality and expression combined with aged discipline. The latter, is a playing with the strictest discipline imaginable, yet that of a warm romantic tone. The interpretation of the Beethoven Concerto by this declining Menuhin is maybe the last time the world saw the true greatness of this ultimate prodigy. The playing of the first movement is filled with a drama that touches your very heart, as does the second. The third is a exceptionally classical interpretation. Overall, the Beethoven is played with a warm, remarkably free, and somewhat reminiscent of Georges Enescu. Though there are some minute problems with technique, which many this cold day would scorn, the musicality and heart displayed here is perhaps only equaled by the greatest recording's of Bach's Chaconne.

The Recording of a Century.......2003-03-15

Average customer rating:

A great conductor, but not always shown off at his best
Exceptional conductor
Exceptional issue !
Exceptional finesse
Brilliant "Artiste" Rescued From The Vaults

Igor Markevitch

Manufacturer: Umvd Labels
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Minuets | Ballets & Dances | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Romantic (c.1820-1910) | Historical Periods | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

German | Languages | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Oratorios | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Oratorios | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music
Similar Items:

Ferenc Fricsay: A Life in Music
The 1950s Haydn Symphonies Recordings
The 1950s Concerto Recordings
Complete Recordings on Deutsche Grammophon
Paul Paray Conducts French Orchestral Music

ASIN: B00009LW31
Release Date: 2003-08-12

Customer Reviews:

A great conductor, but not always shown off at his best.......2006-03-14

I am as great an admirer of Igor Markevitch as the reviewers below who rhapsodize over this bargain 9-CD set from DG. But in truth there are few truly great performances contained here, the best of Markevitch's large output being readily available on DG, Philips, EMI, and Testament. He had the misfortune to suffer hearing loss at the end of his career and also to be associated too often with inferoir ensembles like the Lamouruex orchestra of Paris, caught here in rather awful, wiry sonics that DG has not remastered. So despite the general elation, I think it's worth examining these 9 CDs one by one. (I am adding short comments to the list prepared by a reviewer below.)

CD 1: Mozart 34th and 38th Symphonies with the Berlin Philharmonic (BP) from 1954, and Mozart's 35th Symphony (1957) and Gluck's Sinfonia in G Major (1958) with the Orchestre Lamoureux, Paris (OLP). MONO except for the Gluck
This is one of the best discs in the colleciton, featuring Markevitch's alert, lean, often rapid Mozart, played with great refinement by the Berliners. The sound is very good for the time, despite the expected edginess in the violins.

CD 2: Haydn Sinfonia Concertante (OLP, 1957), Cimarosa's Concerto for Two Flutes with flutists Aurele Nicolet and Fritz Demmler (BP, 1954) and Schubert's 3rd Symphony (BP, 1954). MONO
Unless you are a fan of spiky French instrumentalists, the elegant Haydn performance sounds cramped and sharp-edged. The much more minor Cimarosa is far better played. The Schubert Third gets the best sound by far. I'm not taken with Markevitch's clipped phrasing and lack of affection throughout, but it's a vigorous, committed performance.

CD 3 and 4: All Beethoven, with the exception of an insightful 15-minute, 1957 interview with Markveitch. Here we get Leonore III Overture (OLP, 1958), Symphony #3 'Eroica' (Symphony of the Air, 1956-57), Symphony #6 'Pastorale' (OLP, 1957), and the Coriolan, Fidelio, Name Day and Consecration of the House Overtures (all OLP, 1958). STEREO except for Sym. #3
All the overtures from the Lamoureux forces are thin and spiky, far from the usual Beethoven style. Fans may appreciate Markevitch's Russian-Gallic temperament here; I'm not so sure. The Eroica from Berlin is much better sounding, although the mono recording is boxy and somewhat muffled--in all his Beethoven Markevitch prefers fast tempi and sharp angles. Surprisingly, the Pastrole is in a different vein--warm and relaxed, with tempos often as slow as Klemperer's. But the Lamoureux orchestra's technical abilities are quite underwhelming, and I can't find a compelling reason to listen to the performance except in patches.

CD 5: Brahms Symphony #1 with the Symphony of the Air (1956), Alto Rhapsody (with Irina Arkhipova and the Russian State Academy Choir), Tragic Overture with the USSR State Symphony Orchestra (both 1963). STEREO
For the first time since CD 1 we get a compelling sense of Markevitch's stature. The Brahms First with Toscanini's (remaned) orchestra is fully the equal of anyone's--huge, heroic, and wonderfully played. The Russian performance of the Alto Rhapsody features the great Arkhipova, and for once the Soviet sonics are good. The Tragic Overture, dating from after Markevitch's decline in hearing (1963), seems a bit undernourished and is in dim, distant sound, but it casts a spell nonetheless.

CD 6: Brahms 4th Symphony (OLP, 1958), Kodaly Psalmus Hungaricus with tenor Robert Ilosfalvy (RSA Choir & USSR SSO, 1963). STEREO
The Brahms Fourth is a very good performance in the lean, propulsive Toscanini style. I don't fancy the scrappy playing of the Lamoureux orchestra, especially the coarse brass blatting away in the finale--other conductors like Szell have done better in this vein--but in its punchy, rough-and-ready way Markevitch's Brahms Fourth commands attention. We are in a differetn world with the Kodaly, however, which gets a stunning performance, and the brutish playing by the Russian orchestra really works.

CD 7: Orchestral music of Wagner--Preludes to Acts I and III of Lohengrin, Tannhauser Overture (all OLP, 1958), and Venusberg Music from Tannhauser, Siegfired Idyll and Ride of the Valkyries (all BP, 1954). MONO
The Berlin Phil. doesn't sound like the world-class orchestra it would become once again under Karajan, but these excerpts are well played and recorded for their time. Markevitch was a modernist in Wagner, favoring fast tempos and eschewing expressive profundities. The music can take it, but one is always aware that something deeper is necessary. An odd-man-out disc but enjoyable.

CD 8: French fare with Gounod's 2nd Symphony and Bizet's Jeux d'enfants (both OLP, 1957), and Debussy's La Mer and Deux Danses (both OLP, 1959). MONO except for the Debussy
These Lamoureux readings are Gallic to the core, of course, and thoroughly delightful. Everything that sounds wrong in Beethoven works perfectly here. The mono sound, however, is edgy and shrill at loud volume. Things improve for the Debussy--La Mer, a Markevitch showpiece, gets an alert, quicksilver performance with many individual otuches in phrasing. It comes closest to being great of anything in the whole ocllection.

CD 9: Tchaikovsky 6th Symphony (BP, 1953) and Francesca da Rimini (OLP, 1959). MONO and STEREO respectively.
The colleciton ends on a high note, since Markevitch was arguably the greatest Tchaikovsky conductor after Mravinsky. The mono sound for the Berliners is good for its era. This is a neurotic, anguished Pathetique of the kind we rarely hear today. Likewise the Francsca da Rimini, where the Lamoureux's shrill, thin woodwinds seem to add to the effect.

In sum, the half-dozen superior performances stand out fairly obviously, and all are worthwhile for any listener. Frankly, the rest belongs in the realm of specialty collecting, although naturally others may strongly disagree, especially anyone who likes the Lamoureux orchestra much better than I do.

Exceptional conductor.......2005-06-08

Markevitch was, once, part of Diaghilev's "Ballets Russe"'s ensemble, and understood Stravinsky, Tchaikovsky, and other Russian composers (and their intents) very-well, and very-dynamically. His Philips' recordings (1970) of Tchaikovsky symphonies (plus other works) are still, some of the best, integral cycles-of-interpretations to be had, and his expertise was not bounded-by Russian works - his (Berlioz) Damnation of Faust, among other interpretations - are some of the best that discipline can devise. A MARVELOUS conductor, as was the (also) Russian-born, Jascha Horenstein. ... Horenstein, Markevitch, & Sixten Ehrling were some of the BEST of the post-War (including some pre-War recordings) era, and very-much of ANY recordings of them are much worth-having ... including the present, DG set.

Exceptional issue !.......2004-09-09

Since I heard once on vynil the incredible apssionate and to me the greatest veriosn ever made of the First Symphony of Johannes Brahms ever made .
And believe me , I love this symphony and I have heard at least one hundred versions : with Furtwangler , Toscanini superb performance of the forties , Istvan Kertsez , Kubelik Chicago , Munch , and a long etc .
But the inner mood and the clear but cleverly established sequence of the right tone and the use of the concise tempo in every phrase make of that version unique and unrepeteable .
I know about the Mozart Symphonies with the Berlin Philarmonic that still in those ages sounded with the furtwanglerain mood . They are sublime .
But consider once more that only with this Brahms Symphony, all the rest of the set you may consider a special buy , a worthable and fundamental bonus. Igor Markevitch was a conductor unfairly neglected .
Watch this CD because it will let you astonished and will prove by itself all the virtues of that master conductor .

Exceptional finesse.......2003-11-14

Of all the nine, really adorable, boxed sets by DG it was this one that I hastened to grab since Markevitch's interpretations had always been to my liking.
To be more honest, it was his Lamoureux recordings that I was after. In these recordings, it is the wind sound that dominates, and especially the brass section. For this reason, his Damnation and his Mozart Coronation had always been my favourites.
The present box contains a splendid Brahms 4th with a Chaconne, at the end that really moved me with its intensity (Markevitch slows quite a lot in the middle section to allow his woodwinds express themselves and this pronounces much more the forceful brass-dominated outer sections).
By the way, this set gives quite an idea of Markevitch's popularity at the time (recordings in the US with Toscanini's NBC Orchestra - renamed Symphony of the Air, recordings in Moscow with Brahms and Kodaly plus the 2 great European orchestras: the Lamoureux and the Berliners - some years before Karajan's arrival).

Brilliant "Artiste" Rescued From The Vaults.......2003-08-13

Now that Deutsche Grammophon is part of Universal, we have seen some interesting things happen, and not all of them bad. What I'm referring to in this case is the new "Original Masters" Limited Edition Box Set series. Finally, the classical music world has taken a page out of the jazz reissue handbook -- put out a quality product featuring rare recordings but make its availability limited, and people will snatch it up.

Now in its second round of the "Original Masters" box sets, DG has chosen to follow-up on the success of the "Great Conductors of the Century" series. They have just released two glorious 9-disc collections of the performances of conductors Igor Markevitch and Ferenc Fricsay, the vast majority of which have been previously unavailable on CD.

This particular set, "Un Veritable Artiste," showcases some of the numerous recordings made by the great conductor Igor Markevitch for Deutsche Grammophon and Philips, many of which have been rare (and expensive) collector's items for years. As the track information is non-existent above, I will try to be of assistance.

The first disc contains Mozart's 34th and 38th Symphonies with the Berlin Philharmonic (BP) from 1954, and Mozart's 35th Symphony (1957) and Gluck's Sinfonia in G Major (1958) with the Orchestre Lamoureux, Paris (OLP).

Disc two features Haydn's Sinfonia Concertante (OLP, 1957), Cimarosa's Concerto for Two Flutes with flutists Aurele Nicolet and Fritz Demmler (BP, 1954) and Schubert's 3rd Symphony (BP, 1954).

Discs three and four are all Beethoven, with the exception of an insightful 15-minute, 1957 interview with Markveitch. Here we get Leonore III Overture (OLP, 1958), 3rd Symphony (Symphony of the Air, 1956-57), 6th Symphony (OLP, 1957), and the Coriolan, Fidelio, Name Day and Consecration of the House Overtures (all OLP, 1958).

Disc five is all Brahms -- the 1st Symphony with Symphony of the Air (1956), and the Alto Rhapsody (with the Russian State Academy Choir) and Tragic Overture with the USSR State Symphony Orchestra (both 1963).

Disc six continues with Brahms, his 4th Symphony (OLP, 1958), and ends with Kodaly's Psalmus Hungaricus with tenor Robert Ilosfalvy (RSA Choir & USSR SSO, 1963).

Disc seven focuses on orchestral music from the operas of Wagner. Here we have the Preludes to Acts I and III of Lohengrin and the Tannhauser Overture (all OLP, 1958), and Venusberg Music from Tannhauser, Siegfired-Idyll and The Ride of the Valkyries (all BP, 1954).

Disc eight features all French fare with Gounod's 2nd Symphony and Bizet's Jeux d'enfants (both OLP, 1957), and Debussy's La Mer and Deux Danses (both OLP, 1959).

The final disc, number nine, wraps things up with Tchaikovsky's 6th Symphony (BP, 1953) and Francesca da Rimini (OLP, 1959).

Despite the fact that many of these recordings are in mono (mostly the pre-1957 ones), the first rate performances more than compensate for any audio shortcomings. The stereo performances are the warm, glowing and brilliant accounts that vintage collectors have appreciated for years.

Well, I guess the consolidation of the music industry isn't so bad after all, as long as I can look forward to more reissues like Igor Markevitch: Un Veritable Artiste.

Average customer rating:

Oistrakh is better
Legendary but not the best!!!
A Must For Any Audiophile!!
Heifetz still reigns supreme ( this box set shows why )
Match it!

The Concerto Collection

Manufacturer: RCA
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Classical | Styles | Music

Classical Music | The Sony BMG Masterworks Store | Amazon.com Label Stores | Stores | Music

Classical Instrumental Music | The Sony BMG Masterworks Store | Amazon.com Label Stores | Stores | Music
Similar Items:

Bach: Sonatas & Partitas
Heifetz Showpieces
Bach: Concertos; Mozart: Sonata, K.454; etc.
The Art of Violin
Jascha Heifetz: The Supreme

ASIN: B000003FJN
Release Date: 1997-06-17

Tracks:

Concerto In D Major, Op. 61: Allegro, ma non troppo (Cadenza: Auer-Heifetz)
Concerto In D Major, Op. 61: Larghetto
Concerto In D Major, Op. 61: Rondo: Allegro
Concerto In D Major, Op. 77: Allegro non troppo (Cadenza: Heifetz)
Concerto In D Major, Op. 77: Adagio
Concerto In D Major, Op. 77: Allegro giocoso, ma non troppo vivace

Tracks:

Concerto In D Major, Op. 35: Allegro moderato
Concerto In D Major, Op. 35: Canzonetta: Andante
Concerto In D Major, Op. 35: Allegro vivacissimo
Concerto In E Minor, Op. 64: Allegro molto appassionato
Concerto In E Minor, Op. 64: Andante
Concerto In E Minor, Op. 64: Allegretto non troppo; Allegro molto vivace
Serenade melancolique, Op. 26
Serenade In C Major, Op. 48: Waltz

Tracks:

Concerto In D Minor, Op. 47: Allegro moderato
Concerto In D Minor, Op. 47: Adagio di molto
Concerto In D Minor, Op. 47: Allegro, ma non tanto
Concerto No. 2 In G Minor, Op. 63: Allegro moderato
Concerto No. 2 In G Minor, Op. 63: Andante assai
Concerto No. 2 In G Minor, Op. 63: Allegro ben marcato
Concerto In A Minor, Op. 82: Moderato
Concerto In A Minor, Op. 82: Andante sostenuto
Concerto In A Minor, Op. 82: Tempo I
Concerto In A Minor, Op. 82: Allegro

Tracks:

Concerto No. 1 In G Minor, Op. 26: Vorspiel: Allegro moderato
Concerto No. 1 In G Minor, Op. 26: Adagio
Concerto No. 1 In G Minor, Op. 26: Finale: Allegro energico
Scottish Fantasy, Op. 46: Introduction: Grave; Allegro cantabile
Scottish Fantasy, Op. 46: Allegro
Scottish Fantasy, Op. 46: Adagio; Andante sostenuto
Scottish Fantasy, Op. 46: Finale: Allegro guerriero
Concerto No. 5 In A Minor, Op. 37: Allegro non troppo
Concerto No. 5 In A Minor, Op. 37: Adagio
Concerto No. 5 In A Minor, Op. 37: Allegro con fuoco

Tracks:

Concerto For Violin And Cello In A Minor, Op. 102: Allegro
Concerto For Violin And Cello In A Minor, Op. 102: Andante
Concerto For Violin And Cello In A Minor, Op. 102: Vivace non troppo
Sinfonia Concertante In E-Flat Major, K. 364: Allegro maestoso
Sinfonia Concertante In E-Flat Major, K. 364: Andante
Sinfonia Concertante In E-Flat Major, K. 364: Presto
Concerto For Two Violins In D Minor, BWV 1043: Vivace
Concerto For Two Violins In D Minor, BWV 1043: Largo ma non tanto
Concerto For Two Violins In D Minor, BWV 1043: Allegro

Customer Reviews:

Oistrakh is better.......2004-07-07

As much as I love Heifetz and admire his musicianship, I cannot help but to prefer Oistrakh's warmth and tone in every performance in which I have had the luxury of comparing the two great violinists. I have always had a soft spot for the Brahms and Tchaikovsky concerti; after listening to Heifetz play the latter, it was a revelation to hear Oistrakh play the same concerto. You'll be moved to tears. Get this set, but get Oistrakh and compare the two

Legendary but not the best!!!.......2002-03-06

At the outset i admit that i have listened to only two of these concertos-The Beethoven and the Brahm's.these are good performances but that does not mean that Heifetz was the BEST EVER!I have listened to far superior performance of the Beethoven concerto By Sir Yehudi Menuhin who i believe own's this piece!He brings a sensitivity and otherworldly grandeur that i do not find in Heifetz playing.Yes Heifetz plays it faster but not better.As for the Brahms i find Isaac Stern's rendering matchless.Just listen to the Deep sighing and Rhapsody of his playing towards the end of the First movement of this concerto with Zubin Mehta conducting the New York Philharmonic.Again listen to his passionate playing in the second movement after a celestial Oboe theme.The heavenly beauty of this movement is matchless.Heifetz may be better in Pyrotechnics but certainly there are better violinists.What about David Oistrakh's Tchaikovsky?What about Perlman?These are truly great violinists who can hold their own and are unstoppable when inspired.
Yes for collectors these are a boon and worth possessing!

A Must For Any Audiophile!!.......2001-05-22

Jascha Heifetz has had the consensus among critics and fans of the violin alike as "The Greatest Violinist Who Has Ever Lived." No other violinist in the 20th Century has had such a major impact in modern violin playing than Jascha Heifetz. He has single handedly raised the standards in violin playing... His tempo is like a rock and does not waver like many violinists do. He DOES though tend to take the tempo on many pieces much faster than other violinist, but that's because most violinist are not able to play properly at such death defying tempos. Itzahk Perlman even once commented that while listening to a recording of Heifetz in a music class, he and his classmates wept, NOT because Jascha Heifetz was playing so beautifully, but because they knew they could never reach such perfection. This perfection is wonderfully put together in a Concerto Collection. For those who sadly never had the chance to listen to Heifetz, this collection is possible the BEST collective representation of some of his BEST work. The Tchaikovsky is worth noting separately because of such a strong connection with the composer himself. Tchaikovsky personally dedicated the concerto to Heifetz's teacher, Leopold Auer. At first, Auer refused to play the concerto on the grounds that it was "unplayable." After being rejected by other violinists citing it's terrifying passages, a young violinst by the name of Adolf Brodsky finally performed the work and the work was re-dedicated to him. Auer eventually performed the Concerto and improved the flow of the piece by adding and augmenting passages. In my personal opinion, the Auer Edition of the Tchaikovsky is much more difficult than the original edition. Importantly though, Auer introduced the piece to his budding young prodigy, Jascha Heifetz. Heifetz performed it with great flair and amazing ease at the age of eleven. This particular recording of the Tchaikovsky was recorded in the 50's and displays an older and wiser Heifetz (critically his best recording of the piece). Once you've listened to Heifetz completely tear apart the Tchaikovsky and then go back and listen to the other violinists, you will realize that many violinists will slow down in the more difficult sections of the piece. What I love about this collection is the quality of them. They have all been recorded after RCA began to release its recordings in stereo sound. Furthermore, the digital re-mastering have all been overseen by John Pfeiffer; a man who engineered the sound during the actual recording sessions with Heifetz! To let you know how crystal clear the recordings are, if you listen carefully you can actually hear Heifetz doing a quick tuning adjustment during the 3rd movement of the Tchaikovsky. I consider each concerto he recorded in this collection as a Gold Standard for other violinists. Two of the concertos, the Glazunov and the Prokofiev were comissioned for him to debut. I may receive some critcism by the devout fans of David Oistrakh(among other great violinists)saying that Oistrakh is greater, but even they cannot not deny the great influence Jascha Heifetz had on the violin and the large recording repetoire that will immortalize him forever. This Concerto Collection is a piece of that immortality.

Heifetz still reigns supreme ( this box set shows why ).......2000-03-13

Although it has been some time since I've listened to the "standard repertoire" ( having moved onto mostly 20th century modern / "contemporary" music ), Jascha Heifetz' artistry was the reason I was drawn to classical music in the first place. I can't possibly imagine better performances of the BRAHMS and SIBELIUS concerti. Some critics from days past have mentioned the Heifetz tendency to "rush" but I've always felt that in some of the ultra-romantic pieces ( TCHAIKOVSKY for example ) that this was a plus. Perhaps Itzhak Perlman's version of the BEETHOVEN ( Barenboim conducting ) surpasses the Heifetz but not by much. The "lesser" pieces of BRUCH and GLAZUNOV are elevated by Heifetz' extraordinary musicianship. My only possible