Thread: Beethoven's violin concerto

Posts: 33
Page: prev 1 2 3 4 next

Post by Fugue June 11, 2015 (21 of 33)
If you want to hear crazy cadenzas, litten to the Gidon Kremmer recording on Philips: they are by Alfred Schnittke, and they take no prisoners!

Post by Chris from Lafayette June 11, 2015 (22 of 33)
Fugue said:

If you want to hear crazy cadenzas, litten to the Gidon Kremmer recording on Philips: they are by Alfred Schnittke, and they take no prisoners!

I remember when that recording first came out: our twins were just a couple of months old and my wife and I had to get up in the middle of the night (about 3 a.m.) to feed them. I turned on the radio - it was the Beethoven Violin Concerto playing, and I lapsed back into a state of semi-sleep while holding the bottle for our infant son. The first movement cadenza arrived, and I couldn't figure out what was happening: had I fallen back asleep and was I having this annoying dream about listening to the Beethoven Violin Concerto with a whacko cadenza? No! It was still waking life - just embellished by Kremer and his lame Schnittke cadenza on the radio! My wife was momentarily confused too, and the whole experience had this strange air of unreality about it! ;-)

Post by wehecht June 11, 2015 (23 of 33)
Fugue said:

If you want to hear crazy cadenzas, litten to the Gidon Kremmer recording on Philips: they are by Alfred Schnittke, and they take no prisoners!

The most egregious example of compositional chutzpah in my experience, though I heard Lisa Batiashvili play them in a live performance and found it somewhat less appalling than in the Kremer recording.

Post by hanser June 12, 2015 (24 of 33)
I love the adaptation of Beethovens cadenza for violin, although it is quite long. Especially the conversion of the lyrical second theme to a bright march, accompagnied by timpani, is pure genius!

Concerning interpretation I am still waiting for a definitive one, that takes into account that most probably an "alla breve" sign got lost in the print of the first movement and uses a much quicker tempo as usual. Rudolf Kolisch makes a most compelling case for this in his book "Tempo and Character in Beethovens Music".

Post by Adrian Cue June 12, 2015 (25 of 33)
Fugue said:

If you want to hear crazy cadenzas, litten to the Gidon Kremmer recording on Philips: they are by Alfred Schnittke, and they take no prisoners!

On the subject of Cadenzas, especially weird ones: I have a Mozart piano concerto, No. 20 KV 466 to be precise, part of ‘a major series of classical recordings available from selected Dillons Bookstores’ (Ken High in my case; long time ago!) in which the soloist, Peter Brainer, improvised (?) no less than three Cadenzas, one for each movement, which may be seen as the opposite to Mr. Schnittke’s in LvB: pure jazz. And, yes, he did use material of each movement. So, technically speaking: nothing wrong here. Most people, hearing it for the first time, think its sheer madness. I like it though. (1990 RBCD recording by HNH International Ltd.)

Post by Chris June 13, 2015 (26 of 33)
Hitters said:

Hahaha! OK, I expected this.


Back to LvB's violin concerto, I learned to love it via the Mutter/Karajan yellow label LP that sounded via my parents' huge Pioneer receiver. Later they bought another beautiful version by the young Kyung Wa Chung under Kondrashin on Decca. I still love that one. You should definitely get this Challenge recording. Being a DSD lover you will find the sound irresistible. It is in fact a masterpiece of recorded sound, besides the excellent performance.

Abrazos!

Hola Juan ,
I won't argue further regarding your feelings towards late Beethoven.

But having played through my recordings of the violin concerto yesterday and today,my absolute favourite is the Schneiderhan on a 1962 DGG LP. Ok I was a bit optimistic saying both my copies were mint,not quite,it turns out regarding the one I found today.
There is a fair amount of pops and clicks and surface noise to listen through, so to say. But once done this is just an amazingly well played recording.Albeit with the piano version cadenza adapted for the violin by Schneiderhan.
But he plays it so convincingly that I even prefer it to the standard Kreisler one.
Not only does he play absolutely superbly well. But it also remains the best recorded solo violin sound I have ever heard from DGG.
Much better than the thin edgy super close miked sound the same engineer taped for Annsofie Mutter decades later!
If it is available as hi res download or on SACD I would urge everyone here more than superficially interested in this work to hear it.
I am amazed Esoteric hasn't snapped this one up yet.
If any of the early 60s DGG concerto recordings are worthy of SACD treatment this is the one.
I may still get the Challenge Classics one, because the Faust/Abbado is the one I like the least.
It wouldn't surprise me though if we get this work from young Arabella too, sooner or later.
At least I hope so. Of all the DSD downloads,over ten of them,I have bought since returning home a month ago,three are with Arabella Steinbacher in works ranging from Mozart,to Bartok and Prokofiev. Ever since I heard her still rather unknown, and very young, play Schostakowich's 1st violin concerto live in Prague in 2006,I have followed her career. And Pentatone captures her pure sweet violin tone very well too.
Abrazos de Suecia frio e lluvioso Chris
PS I have the DECCA LP you refer to somewhere too but couldn't find it today.

Post by Hitters June 15, 2015 (27 of 33)
Chris said:
Not only does he play absolutely superbly well. But it also remains the best recorded solo violin sound I have ever heard from DGG.
Much better than the thin edgy super close miked sound the same engineer taped for Annsofie Mutter decades later!
Abrazos de Suecia frio e lluvioso Chris
PS I have the DECCA LP you refer to somewhere too but couldn't find it today.

Hej Chris

Thank you for the data. I am looking forward to getting this old recording you mention. As you say, it might be reconsidered for an SACD release or downloadable high-res transfer by any of the Japanese experts.

Greetings from sunny (albeit coldish) Buenos Aires.

Juan

Post by Arell June 15, 2015 (28 of 33)
Hitters said:

Beethoven/ Liza Ferschtman, Netherlands Symphony Orchestra, Jan Willem de Vriend is very, very good. Unfortunately, I have to agree on the reservations made by various reviewers regarding the cadenza. It simply does not work, feels awkward, and fades your attention on the piece. A pity, as it would be outstanding if the cadenza was the most popular one.

I've ordered the Fersctman today. Hopefully the cadenza is to my liking. Also ordered my firat Tacet surround record, the Ravel, and I do hope they arrive quickly from amazon UK.

Post by tommwi June 15, 2015 (29 of 33)
Chris said:

It wouldn't surprise me though if we get this work from young Arabella too, sooner or later.
... And Pentatone captures her pure sweet violin tone very well too.

Steinbacher recorded the Beethoven VC around 2009 with the radio orchestra in Köln (WDR) and Nelsons conducting (Orfeo records). For me it's a super performance. HIP free, a bit on the slower side and quite bold, beautiful and in every way a very serious performance and contender. A statement! A top 5 performance among the many I know. Of course Schneiderhahn deserves top recommendation too, but the cadanza is awkward! Chung is a no challenger for me.
In general Steinbacher on Pentatone is somewhat less successful than on Orfeo due to orchestra contribution. Dutoit and the Swiss orchestra for example, is lackluster in every way. Here I miss all the crispness, precision and well-rehearsed finesse Dutoit could create in Montreal. I have a feeling Pentatone is losing ground in the orchestra and conductor area.
I hope Steinbacher will have a chance to save a possible 2nd Beethoven recording for the days when she will be a household name with BPO, VPO and RCO. And that she will be!

Post by Fugue June 15, 2015 (30 of 33)
Chris said:

But having played through my recordings of the violin concerto yesterday and today,my absolute favourite is the Schneiderhan on a 1962 DGG LP.

That LP is hard to find. CD, no problem, but I prefer older recordings on LP.

Page: prev 1 2 3 4 next

Closed