Sibelius: Concerto Op47; Prokofiev: Violin Concerto No. 2

Editorial Reviews
Amazon.com
Daniel Heifetz put the Sibelius Violin Concerto on the map, and though there have been many great recordings of the work since this one, this is the version to have if you must limit yourself to a single performance. The couplings are equally fine, and equally brilliantly played. Heifetz was one artist whose standing was confirmed every time he picked up his instrument. He was the finest violinist of his day, period. Though not always the greatest interpreter of every piece he played, when music and artist meshed, as they do here, the result was the stuff of legend. --David Hurwitz

Tracks:

Con in d, Op. 47: Allegro Moderato - Chicago SO/Walter Hendl
Con in d, Op. 47: Adagio Di Molto - Chicago SO/Walter Hendl
Con in d, Op. 47: Allegro/Ma Non Tanto - Chicago SO/Walter Hendl
Con No. 2 in g, Op. 63: Allegro Moderato - Boston SO/Charles Munch
Con No. 2 in g, Op. 63: Andante Assai - Boston SO/Charles Munch
Con No. 2 in g, Op. 63: Allegro Ben Marcato - Boston SO/Charles Munch
Con in a, Op. 82: Moderato - RCA SO/Walter Hendl
Con in a, Op. 82: Andante Sostenuto - RCA SO/Walter Hendl
Con in a, Op. 82: Tempo I - RCA SO/Walter Hendl
Con in a, Op. 82: Allegro - RCA SO/Walter Hendl

Amazon.com

Daniel Heifetz put the Sibelius Violin Concerto on the map, and though there have been many great recordings of the work since this one, this is the version to have if you must limit yourself to a single performance. The couplings are equally fine, and equally brilliantly played. Heifetz was one artist whose standing was confirmed every time he picked up his instrument. He was the finest violinist of his day, period. Though not always the greatest interpreter of every piece he played, when music and artist meshed, as they do here, the result was the stuff of legend. --David Hurwitz

Customer Reviews:

The Best of the Best.......2007-04-07

I have been studying the violin for over 45 years. Whenever someone asks me about Heifetz, I get them this CD. It is breath-taking in its artistry and depth. There's nothing more to say....

The Best Available Recording of the Sibelius Concerto.......2007-01-12

Jasha Heifitz (1900-1987) is often considered the greatest violinist of his time. He may be the greatest who ever lived. I submit this recording in evidence of the latter. The Sibelius concerto is one of the most difficult to play violin concertos ever written. Sibelius was a violinist himself and left this piece as a challenge to all concert violinists to come. Listen to any violinist's recording of this piece and then listen to Heifitz. There will always be some part that a performer will struggle over in this piece. Heifitz actually makes it sound easy to play and at a faster tempo! You also get Prokofiev's No. 2 and Glazunov's concerto here and Heifitz makes them sound easy too. He was a wizard with the bow.

Perfect Sibelius.......2005-12-29

The word I used to describe how I feel about Heifetz's Sibelius, although ostentatious in it's literal meaning, is somewhat frowned upon in it's artistic meaning. Most listeners want "explosive" or "deeply moving", but "perfect"? First off, one must understand that very few violinists have the God-given ability to play through the first movement of the Sibelius without major intonational miscues; fewer can accomplish that and still hold true to it's interpretation. In the case of Heifetz, technicality was not a problem.

I believe Heifetz was a man who above all respected the composers. He also understood the art of "withholding". What do I mean? Unlike the plebeian approaches of most modern violinists, Heifetz knew that contrast is attained not only through "more", but also "less". Here is a perfect example. In the first movement of the Mendelssohn, Heifetz has been infamously accused of playing the main theme using harmonics and flying through the movement with zero sentimentality. This demonstrates ignorance and a strong lack of respect on the modern generation. With the rise of 20th Century music (most of which Heifetz detested), appreciation for professionalism declined and indulgence in emotionalism became commonplace. Heifetz understood that there is no payoff, no climax to any piece of music, unless there is patience and sensitivity. After a slightly withheld first movement and a sweet second movement, Heifetz bursts open the doors in the third playing with more liveliness and accuracy than any other violinist can. The concerto climaxes towards the end when Heifetz passionately pounds through the main theme one last time then finishes with a flourish. This epiphany would not have been possible had he sentimentalized the whole concerto; one would not have been able to tell the difference in significance between the minor skirmishes of the opening movement, and the heroic triumph of the closing measures.

In the case of the Sibelius, Heifetz knew that this was a different composer with different intentions than the formal Brahms or the powerful Beethoven. This was a piece in which emotionalism and improvisation were required, although both would need to come in the context of the piece. The well-known and well-accepted myth that Heifetz does not know how to play with feeling is one of absolute ignorance. Such unfounded criticism needs to be challenged and defeated. The first movement includes some of the highest peaks ever brought forth from the Romantic Period. Many other violinists tend to slow down during the more challenging measures because of technical inadequacy, or in the words of the ignorant: "playing with feeling." Heifetz pours out waterfalls of sentimentality in the first and second movement, not by slowing down, but by utilizing different techniques to exploit the full range of tones available in a Stradivarius violin. For example, during the second movement, the first outpour of deep emotion comes with the violin taking the theme higher and higher with the orchestra following. Heifetz plays the theme on the G-string with a rapid vibrato. Most other violinists would play it on the D-string to attain the clear strong tone and try to make up the emotionalism with a slower tempo. Heifetz plays the measure in a high position so it sounds almost as if the violin is literally weeping, a tone one must hear with the heart, not understand with the mind.

Then of course, there is the 3rd movement, often imitated, never duplicated. Most violinists will start out strong with the main theme and maintain the same speed and energy for a while. But this movement shows no mercy on technical mediocrity. Sooner or later, the violinist will bow to the towering requirments of the movement, and will slow the tempo. This is not true for Heifetz. Even in the most difficult measures, one will not be able to find one moment in which he loses control. And unlike others, Heifetz doesn't need to overextend any passages to cover-up for a lack of technical/musical confidence.

Before I end, a word about Walter Hendl who directed the Chicago Symphony in place of an ill Fritz Reiner. One of the more less-known characteristics of Heifetz playing, was he actually preferred lesser-known conductors to well-known ones such as Maestro Reiner. This was so he could impose his musical ideas on the orchestra with less tension. THe Sibelius is a good example of this. However, the technical differences between a Hendl led orchestra and a Reiner led one, is sadly obvious. The tempo is at times uneven and the orchestra unbalanced. However, this should not be of any importance when considering whether to purchase this album. This is Heifetz's statement, not Hendl's.

None other .......2004-11-09

This was my first Sebelius experience and because of this album I haven't been satisfied with none other. The experience was overwhelming.

And I usually dislike Heifitz..........2002-09-08

Most of the time I have heard Heifitz recordings, I dislike him. He always seems to me as if his playing is the unwinding of a spring that's overtightened; one doesn't feel that he's living each note.

But this CD changed my mind.

I'm a violinist, and I played this CD to a violinist friend asking him to identify it. He identified the Sibelius from the very first 2 notes. (It is so, so beloved). Within 10 notes he knew the violinist was 'old school'. Within 20 he guessed Heifitz.

We both marvelled at the accuracy of his double stops and his spicatto is unmatched.

This CD is one of my car's 'top 5'.

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