# Sibelius Violin Concerto - Oistrakh



## Xytech

Hi All,

Recently I have been trying to expand my listening horizons, and the Sibelius Violin Concerto is one example of this. 

I have listened to a number of fairly renowned versions, including Ferras/Karajan & Mutter/Karajan, but I just keep coming back to Oistrakh. Specifically, his recording with Rozhdestvensky & the USSR RTV Large Symphony Orchestra (what a peculiar name). I am just struck by the absolute conviction and intensity of his playing, which leads to an incredible sense of excitement and anticipation. The strength of his playing is matched by the orchestra. That is not to say that it is all fury and passion though - the second movement in particular comes across as so incredibly intimate, vulnerable, and warm. I've listened to a few recordings of Oistrakh in particular with the Sibelius and this one is my favourite. It almost feels like he is reading it for the first time, and is putting everything he has into every single note. 

If you haven't heard this recording, I encourage you to seek it out (it is available on the "Oistrakh Edition" 5 cd collection). 

For those who have heard it, what are your thoughts on it and what are your thoughts on other interpretations that may also be worth a listen? 

Looking forward to hearing your thoughts!


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## itywltmt

I own three:

Gidon Kremer/Philharmonia/Muti - coupled with the Schumann 
Nigel Kennedy/CBSO/Rattle - coupled with Sibelius' Fifth
Henning Kraggerud/Bournemouth SO/Engeset - coupled with Sibelius' serenade, and Sinding's concerto and romance

They are all quite good. What makes the difference for me is the couplings: I find the Kraggerud most interesting of the three because I find the other selections are better balanced than with the other two.

I have never heard the Oistrakh you mention - I'll have to look for it.


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## Lukecash12

There's no need to go on a hunt for the recording, it's readily available here:






That's my Sibelius play list, so I hope you find a lot of things that you like Xytech. There's a good deal of meat in that play list.

And for everyone to have a quick listen, and see what Xytech is talking about, when it comes to Oistrakh's interpretation:


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## Delicious Manager

I have been familiar with the Oistrakh/Rozhdestvensky recording for around 40 years and I agree that it is one of the finest recordings of this piece ever made. You will find that Russian orchestras (especially ones within the old Soviet Union) often had rather long and fanciful names. Quite often this arises simply out of the difference in which such things work in different languages. The orchestra you cite is more commonly (and more neatly) known as the 'Moscow Radio Symphony Orchestra'. If one looks at the full names of other Russian orchestras from this time, one finds that the 'Leningrad Philharmonic Orchestra' is billed as the 'Symphony Orchestra of the Leningrad Stated Philharmonie' and the 'Moscow Philharmonic' as the 'Symphony Orchestra of the Moscow State Philharmonie'.


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## Taneyev

There's an other great recording with Ormandy and the Ph.O.


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## Tapkaara

I have this recording on Melodiya vinyl. I am not as familiar with is as other recordings as I do not listen to my vinyl as much as I listen to my CDs, but as I recall, it's a solis performance thourgh and through. The Russians are not always so successful with Sbelius for some reason, and Rozhdestvensky's cyce of Sibelius symphonies is terribly uneven, but he seems to have gotten it right with he concerto. And Oistrakh, of course, delivers the goods.


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## annie

my first two choices are kavakos/vanska and perlman/previn but i keep lin/salonen, hahn/salonen and chung/previn on the side


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## Itullian

Oistrakh is the man. pure gold.

get his Mozart Violin Concertos on EMI. greatness.


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## Steve Wright

This may be a classic case of the first version you hear always resonating with you, but I was introduced to Sibelius via the YouTube video of Vengerov/Barenboim, and though I've since bought Kennedy/Rattle I still find V/B very powerful - not least because MV is rather bewitching to watch.


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## Albert7

Hilary Hahn also does a fine number with this particular violin concerto as well. Should be on the Sony Classical label before she switched over to DG.


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## realdealblues

I have the Oistrakh/Ormandy recording which I enjoy. I haven't heard the other so maybe I'll seek it out.

My other favorites for the Sibelius Violin Concerto are: Heifetz/Hendl, Lin/Salonen, Mullova/Ozawa, Accardo/Leinsdorf, Francescatti/Bernstein,


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