# Tchaikovsky Violin Concerto - Recommendations



## Llyranor

Hi,

I'm trying to get into Tchaikovsky's Violin Concerto. I have a version played by Nigel Kennedy. I like the piece, but it doesn't wow me as much as I feel it should. It feels like it's lacking impact in some way.

Are there other versions you would suggest? I'm thinking about Arthur Grumiaux right now.

Thanks!


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## Olias

Llyranor said:


> Hi,
> 
> I'm trying to get into Tchaikovsky's Violin Concerto. I have a version played by Nigel Kennedy. I like the piece, but it doesn't wow me as much as I feel it should. It feels like it's lacking impact in some way.
> 
> Are there other versions you would suggest? I'm thinking about Arthur Grumiaux right now.
> 
> Thanks!


Two recent ones that have come out (I own them and HIGHLY recommend both)

Hilary Hahn (2010) - an excellent performance of Tchaikovsky's original version (as opposed to Auer's tweaked version). Hahn has gorgeous tone and her technical ability is really hard to beat. The sound quality is excellent too.

Julia Fischer (2006) - also a fantastic recording with beautiful sound quality and a very spirited interpretation.

For more classic recordings try Heifetz, Oistrakh, and Elman. I much prefer the higher sound quality of the modern recordings listed above but one cannot deny the historic importance of these interpretations.

Hope this helps.


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## Tschaikowsky

I agree with Olias, Hilary Hahn has a very good recording of this. I, personally, also enjoy Jasha Heifetz, classic recording.


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## myaskovsky2002

*Personally...*

I love David Oistrach. The best violin player ever. Jasha Heifetz is a bit commercial.

Mikhail


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## myaskovsky2002

*paying less?*

http://www.amazon.com/gp/offer-list...&ie=UTF8&qid=1296594361&sr=1-1&condition=used

Mikhail


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## Aramis

Welcome back, Martin


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## jurianbai

Aramis said:


> Welcome back, Martin


there're still Rimsky-korsakov, arensky, tchaikovsky, prokofiev, etc etc ... we are doom 

---

back to OP, I like the Sarah Chang version! but Isaac Stern' version is what I always know about Tchaikovsky violin concerto, it was recorded on Sony greatest violin compilation CD!


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## Rangstrom

Glinka said:


> I love David Oistrach. The best violin player ever. Jasha Heifetz is a bit commercial.
> 
> Mikhail


I was going to ask what in the world that meant, but I think you guys are correct.

The Heifetz/Beecham '35 recording is incandescent. Perhaps commercial means no one in their right mind should be without it.


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## myaskovsky2002

Welcome back, Martin 

oops!

Martin


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## myaskovsky2002

*Point of view....*

The Heifetz/Beecham '35 recording is incandescent. Perhaps commercial means no one in their right mind should be without it. 

When I was around 14 years old, my uncle who knew nothing about classical music but bought every single LP in USA gave me a LP by him.

It was a kind of mixt of every work requiring a virtuose (the guy was a virtuose indeed), I remember the flight of the bumblebee and Carmen stuff...I've never heard a complete concerto played by him. But I bought a box containing many complete concertos by Oistrach and Oistrach is considered...not just by me the maximum of the XXth century as Richter is for piano and probably Yo-Yo Ma (actually) or Pablo Casals

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Oistrakh

I found this interesting and would like everybody to take a look:

Oistrach or Heifez?

http://www.violinist.com/discussion/response.cfm?ID=7927

The discussion about the differences about the two of them is not new!!!!

Just a question of tastes!

For Oistrach fans, 17 CDs:
http://www.violinist.com/discussion/response.cfm?ID=7927

For the Heifez fans, 103 CDs
http://www.violinist.com/discussion/response.cfm?ID=7927 (ouch, it is expensive!)

Martin


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## YsayeOp.27#6

Glinka said:


> Jasha Heifetz is a bit commercial.
> 
> Mikhail


What does this mean?


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## YsayeOp.27#6

Ferraresi/Barbirolli, definitely!


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## myaskovsky2002

> Originally Posted by Glinka
> Jasha Heifetz is a bit commercial.
> 
> Mikhail
> 
> What does this mean?


Prejudices....I'm probably wrong...But during the 60's he was the most famous violinist in USA and many LP contained a real Pot Pourri

http://www.amazon.com/Heifetz-Showp...2?ie=UTF8&s=music&qid=1296681064&sr=1-2-spell

Commercial stuff as awful Sarasate's Czardas....requiring a very fast violin...He played really fast.

Martin, probably wrong


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## Llyranor

Thanks for the suggestions. Since making the threads, I've bought a few CDs. Oistrach, Heifetz, Szeryng. I think the latter is my favorite one so far; there's about the violin tone that's just incredibly sweet.


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## radiohlite

Milstein/Steinberg
Mutter/Previn


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## Chi_townPhilly

radiohlite said:


> Milstein/Steinberg


I have this one (among others). *And*- (last time I checked) this was being sold for less than a 5er... 
so it's the runaway leader in the "value-for-money" category.

I have a pretty special version by Michael Rabin & the Philadelphia Orchestra... 
but it's part of the dozen-disc "Centennial Collection" by that ensemble.


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## Vaneyes




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## Conor71

I like these 2 :


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## Sebastien Melmoth

Late here. *Hilary Hahn*'s recent reading is *f a n t a s t i c !*


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## Moscow-Mahler

I like Vadim Gluzman with Andrew Litton on *BIS*

*B0012P70U0*

The recording are top-notch (the violin isn't sharp and you can hear all the semi-tones) and Gluzmans' playing very good too. And Glazunov's concert as a bonus.


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## Donboy

Joshua Bell/Cleveland Orch/Ashkenazy. The sound is full and the tempi are just right!


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## appoggiatura

Janine Jansen is great in this concerto. She has a very good technique and her phrasing is moving. Some people think that her playing is just "too much", but when I think of Tchaikovsky I think it is required to play passionately. 
Give it a try.


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## violadude

I like Perlman's recording with Eugene Ormandy conducting the Philadelphia Orchestra.


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## Kevin Pearson

Of the different versions I have heard or own I really enjoy this 1982 version with Kyung Wha Chung. It's just simply amazing. It gets a five star rating on Amazon as well.









Kevin


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## moody

myaskovsky2002 said:


> Prejudices....I'm probably wrong...But during the 60's he was the most famous violinist in USA and many LP contained a real Pot Pourri
> 
> http://www.amazon.com/Heifetz-Showp...2?ie=UTF8&s=music&qid=1296681064&sr=1-2-spell
> 
> Commercial stuff as awful Sarasate's Czardas....requiring a very fast violin...He played really fast.
> 
> Martin, probably wrong


All violinists from Kreisler to Campoli to Szeryng, etc,usw, play this stuff I love it.


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## moody

Llyranor said:


> Hi,
> 
> I'm trying to get into Tchaikovsky's Violin Concerto. I have a version played by Nigel Kennedy. I like the piece, but it doesn't wow me as much as I feel it should. It feels like it's lacking impact in some way.
> 
> Are there other versions you would suggest? I'm thinking about Arthur Grumiaux right now.
> 
> Thanks!


The first LP I ever heard or bought was Ruggiero Ricci and the New Symphony Orchestra of London (whatever!!) on British Decca's (London) first 50 issue. It accompanied me in the army across the world and it flattened me. They redid it in 1965 in stereo with the LSO. I don't think it stopped there. Ricci is ,to me at least, the equal of Heifetz in the virtuoso stakes but with more heart. I also have the Leonid Kogan/Paris Conservatoire/Silvestri and the Nathan Milstein/Pittsburgh/Steinberg these are my preferred choices but I have others including the Elman reissued on Naxos Historical, this is the joy of Naxos but is it a fact that you cannot buy these everywhere? I'm sorry I don't have anything more up to date---don't really need it do I?


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## moody

That first LP above was conducted by Sir Malcolm Sargent.


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## eramirez

I am surprised that the name Perlman is not on the list - maybe I did not see it


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## motoboy

I know this is a zombie thread but my favorite is Stern. But here is a very interesting and enjoyable alternative:

http://www.amazon.com/Exquisite-Artistry-Malcolm-Mcnab/dp/B000VDDI5K

The concerto is played on trumpet by an artist everyone has heard but noone recognizes. Plus a little Zappa thrown in!


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## Pugg

​Boris Belkin.:tiphat:


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## Triplets

YsayeOp.27#6 said:


> What does this mean?


I would say that Heifetz sounds slick and glib. Oistrakh and Stern exude more Russian passion. I have not heard the other 8000 recorded versions


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## DavidA

Triplets said:


> I would say that *Heifetz sounds slick and glib.* Oistrakh and Stern exude more Russian passion. I have not heard the other 8000 recorded versions


I would suggest then that you listen again! Heifetz is incomparable but then so is Oistrakh in a very different way. I had an old mono recording of him playing this concerto and it is marvellous.


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## Steatopygous

My very favourite violinist, over the whole range, is Grumiaux. I have three different versions of the Tchaikovsky with him. But I certainly share the admiration for Heifetz (I have two different accounts by him) and Oistrakh, the latter of whom I regard as having the same virtues as Grumiaux. I have 24 versions of the Tchaikovsky, and also like Milstein, Repin, Huberman, Hahn and many others.


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## realdealblues

Zombie thread indeed...

Heifetz/Reiner
Oistrakh/Ormandy
Grumiaux/Haitink 
Milstein/Abbado
Stern/Ormandy

All great choices in my book from the Stereo era.


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## Steatopygous

realdealblues said:


> Zombie thread indeed...
> 
> Heifetz/Reiner
> Oistrakh/Ormandy
> Grumiaux/Haitink
> Milstein/Abbado
> Stern/Ormandy
> 
> All great choices in my book from the Stereo era.


It's odd to think of Milstein with Abbado, because Milstein was old enough to study (as a child) with Auer and Abbado has only just died. But Milstein had a fabulously long career, and the 1973 recording neatly fits into both careers.


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## Brahmsian Colors

Oistrakh/Ormandy and Grumiaux/Haitink


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## Judith

There is only one Violinist who can perform this concerto for me. Joshua Bell. Also my favourite concerto!!


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## Brahmsianhorn

To me the greatest exponent of this concerto, hands down - even more than Heifetz or Oistrakh - was Bronislaw Huberman. He had an improvisatory gypsy flair that fit the work perfectly. He gave us two recordings. The live 1946 I think is slightly more exciting, though the tone was more secure in the 1928 studio recording, which still sounds excellent for it's age. Both are essential especially as they are coupled with equally definitive Beethoven and Brahms concertos.


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## hpowders

Heifetz with Reiner provides more excitement than any other violinist, but the disfiguring cuts ruin the performance for me.

Still if you want to hear sparks fly....


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## Heck148

Llyranor said:


> Are there other versions you would suggest? I'm thinking about Arthur Grumiaux right now.


Heifetz/Reiner/CSO - a classic


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## Pugg

Heck148 said:


> Heifetz/Reiner/CSO - a classic


David Oistrakh (violin)

The Philadelphia Orchestra & York Philharmonic, Eugene Ormandy
Another classic.


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## Heck148

DavidA said:


> I would suggest then that you listen again! Heifetz is incomparable but then so is Oistrakh in a very different way. I had an old mono recording of him playing this concerto and it is marvellous.


Heifetz and Oistrakh are probably my 2 favorite violinists....both superb, but with very different tones and styles...both great musicians, amongst the greatest ever.


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## Heck148

Judith said:


> There is only one Violinist who can perform this concerto for me. Joshua Bell. Also my favourite concerto!!


I performed the Tchaik VC with Bell as soloist....it was fun...he sounded terrific...played it also with Salerno-Sonnenberg...she sounded great, also.


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## Judith

Heck148 said:


> I performed the Tchaik VC with Bell as soloist....it was fun...he sounded terrific...played it also with Salerno-Sonnenberg...she sounded great, also.


Would have loved to have been there! How long ago was it?


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## Merl

Lots of good 'uns around (most have been mentioned - Perlman, etc) but my current fave is Hilary Hahn.


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## Heck148

Judith said:


> Would have loved to have been there! How long ago was it?


With Bell, probably c 2008 or so....with Nadia, back in early 90s, IIRC, when she was first coming up...


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## Vaneyes

I could recommend Oistrakh for just about anything, but that wouldn't be any fun, would it. Repin remains my go-to. 
Two "youngsters" with ravishing tone and sparkling recorded sound intrigue--Koh, Batiashvili. :tiphat:


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## hpowders

Vaneyes said:


> I could recommend Oistrakh for just about anything, but that wouldn't be any fun, would it. Repin remains my go-to.
> Two "youngsters" with ravishing tone and sparkling recorded sound intrigue--Koh, Batiashvili. :tiphat:


I heard Repin live at the Mostly Mozart Festival in NYC. Beethoven, not Tchaikovsky, though.

He's impressive!


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## Pugg

Heck148 said:


> I performed the Tchaik VC with Bell as soloist....it was fun...he sounded terrific...played it also with Salerno-Sonnenberg...she sounded great, also.


Is that the one recorded for Television?


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## gHeadphone

Did anybody catch Pekka Kuusisto playing the Tchaikovsky Violin concerto on the BBC proms last year. Phenomenal performance.

Also the encore is a real surprise, 




Oh and for recordings Perlman for me.


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## AfterHours

Brahmsianhorn said:


> To me the greatest exponent of this concerto, hands down - even more than Heifetz or Oistrakh - was Bronislaw Huberman. He had an improvisatory gypsy flair that fit the work perfectly. He gave us two recordings. The live 1946 I think is slightly more exciting, though the tone was more secure in the 1928 studio recording, which still sounds excellent for it's age. Both are essential especially as they are coupled with equally definitive Beethoven and Brahms concertos.
> 
> View attachment 93355
> 
> 
> View attachment 93356


Never heard these, thank you for the heads up


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## Pugg

Joshua Bell - Tchaikovsky - Violin Concerto in D major, Op 35

For Judith and those who like Joshua Bell.


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## Judith

Pugg said:


> Joshua Bell - Tchaikovsky - Violin Concerto in D major, Op 35
> 
> For Judith and those who like Joshua Bell.


Thank you Pugg! Love this one!


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## DavidA

Rangstrom said:


> I was going to ask what in the world that meant, but I think you guys are correct.
> 
> *The Heifetz/Beecham '35 r*ecording is incandescent. Perhaps commercial means no one in their right mind should be without it.


I think it's with Barbirolli


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## DavidA

Heifetz recorded the Tchaikovsky twice with Barbirolli and Reiner. Both are pretty terrific. I also have Kennedy's which disappointed me as he pulls the rhythm about too much. Oistrakh I had years ago in a mono disc which again was tremendous playing


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## SONDEK

So, no love for PINCHAS ZUKERMAN or MAXIM VENGEROV in the Tchaikovsky?


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## mbhaub

Very much love for the Zuckerman...it was one of the first to play the concerto the way Tchaikovsky wrote it; without all of the cuts that Auer introduced.


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## 89Koechel

NICE, recent posts, 'bout Zukerman and Vengerov! ... WELL, the earlier considerations of Heifetz and/or Huberman still hold TRUE, even after many decades of their identities, so to speak. Yes, or no?


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## Kreisler jr

Many of the older ones (incl. Heifetz') are slightly abridged. I am not the greatest fan of the piece, so I don't mind these cuts that make it a bit more compact. But my favorite and the one that finally made me appreciate the piece more than an overplayed virtuoso showpiece is the live? recording with Repin and Gergiev (which would be worth it for the Miaskowsky in any case). It's without cuts, passionate and serious.


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## Tarneem

Pugg said:


> Joshua Bell - Tchaikovsky - Violin Concerto in D major, Op 35
> 
> For Judith and those who like Joshua Bell.


I love this too


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## SONDEK

Over recent days I have reviewed the First Movement of dozens of recommended Tchaikovsky Violin Concertos.

A few mentions:

I found HILARY HAHN's account pleasant enough.

JANINE JANSON's performances are heartfelt and wonderful, but...

The reading I keep returning to is DAVID OISTRAKH & EUGENE ORMANDY's 1961 account. It is just so well balanced and beautifully played. Oistrakh's playing is never less than sublime, but I feel that Ormandy and his Philadelphians have a large part to play in success of this outing.

So, this is my current go-to version.


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## Heck148

Tarneem said:


> I love this too


We played the Tchaik VC with Joshua Bell a few years back...he was great good to work with...


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## epistemophile

I love the recording featuring Lisa Batiashvili, conducted by Daniel Barenboim.


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## Chilham

Viktoria for me, every time.


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## allvinyl

Personally, I'm always going back to Leonid-Kogan-Paris-Conservatoire-Orchestra-Constantin-Silvestri:

https://www.discogs.com/release/145...Constantin-Silvestri-Violin-Concerto-Meditati


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## Animal the Drummer

Oistrakh for me too, in my case accompanied by the Dresden State Orch.under Franz Konwitschny. The Tchaikovsky concerto isn't a particular favourite of mine but I do enjoy Oistrakh's way with it.


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## RobertJTh

Animal the Drummer said:


> The Tchaikovsky concerto isn't a particular favourite of mine but I do enjoy Oistrakh's way with it.


Funny how that works. To me it's one of the least favorite pieces from one of my least favorite composers. I'm close to endorsing Hanslick's infamous verdict, that's how much I dislike it.


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## Kreisler jr

I don't much care for the piece either although by now it is less disliking anything when I listen to it than almost never feeling like listening to it... It does have a great tune in the first movement but so much stuffing around it... 
Repin/Gergiev somewhat saved it for me, so I didn't regret getting that recording (and I bought even that one mostly for the Miaskovsky). I find the Oistrakh/Ormandy (have not heard any other of Oistrakh's) too "philharmonic", "well behaved". 
I am not suggesting that the piece shouldn't be taken seriously but I prefer either a fast, lean, "show-off" like Heifetz' (I got all of them as discmates) or if serious, than more dramatic, like Repin.

The funny thing is because I had seen that Hanslick quotation about "stinking" music out of context, I always thought of it as stinking of too liberally applied cloyingly sweet cologne... But Hanslick explicitly spoke of smelling cheap booze and garlic at a Russian peasant's party, a totally different association... but one needs a very rustic interpretation of the last movement to get there.


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## Judith

Still is my favourite violin concerto and still love it performed by Joshua Bell


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## Judith

Heck148 said:


> We played the Tchaik VC with Joshua Bell a few years back...he was great good to work with...


That must have been a wonderful experience. Have seen him live twice and met him both times. Amazing violinist and lovely guy.


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## Rogerx

Julia Fischer- Arthur Grumiaux -Ida Haendel to name just a few. So many great player recorded it. 
The new kid on the block Daniel Lozakovich is doing fine, only the conductor is a but hasty at times.


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## allvinyl

*Heifetz/Beecham '35 Tchaikovsky recording information?*



Rangstrom said:


> ...
> 
> The Heifetz/Beecham '35 recording is incandescent...


Do you have a label and catalog number for the Heifetz/Beecham '35 recording? I can't find that detail.

Thanks...
John


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## Kreisler jr

allvinyl said:


> Do you have a label and catalog number for the Heifetz/Beecham '35 recording? I can't find that detail.
> 
> Thanks...
> John


It's 1937 and it's with Barbirolli; Beecham conducts the Sibelius from 1935. They are probably on Naxos historical; an older CD issue is a three disc box is BMG 09026617492(8)

ASIN ‏ : ‎ B000003FIU


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## wkasimer

Kreisler jr said:


> It's 1937 and it's with Barbirolli; Beecham conducts the Sibelius from 1935. They are probably on Naxos historical; an older CD issue is a three disc box is BMG 09026617492(8)
> 
> ASIN ‏ : ‎ B000003FIU
> 
> View attachment 164591


It's also on this CD, which is probably available cheaply on the used market:


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## allvinyl

Kreisler jr said:


> It's 1937 and it's with Barbirolli; Beecham conducts the Sibelius from 1935. They are probably on Naxos historical; an older CD issue is a three disc box is BMG 09026617492(8)
> 
> ASIN ‏ : ‎ B000003FIU
> 
> View attachment 164591


Thanks for the clarification for the info on the discs.


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## allvinyl

wkasimer said:


> It's also on this CD, which is probably available cheaply on the used market:
> 
> View attachment 164593


I was originally confused because of the post by Rangstom


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## Kreisler jr

I bet they are also findable on vinyl; usually these classics hardly ever left the catalogues and were frequently issued on LPs. I listened to the Sibelius a few days ago and found the sound very good for an early 1990s transfer of a 1935 recording. (Admittedly, it's a different recording but I didn't feel like the PIT concerto at all.)


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## RobertJTh

There's also this, once bought it because it was dirt cheap, don't know if it's still around.
















It has the 1934 Beethoven and Glazunov VC's, the 1937 Tchaikovsky (all with Barbirolli), the 1939 Koussevitsky Brahms and the 1949 Beecham Mendelssohn, plus some nice chamber music with Rubinstein and Feuermann.
Pretty awesome collection of all-time classics.


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## Triplets

allvinyl said:


> Do you have a label and catalog number for the Heifetz/Beecham '35 recording? I can't find that detail.
> 
> Thanks...
> John


It is easily available through Pristine Audio, either to be purchased as a CD, downloaded, or streamed


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## Op.123

Henryk Szeryng with Charles Munch is a very beautiful reading, rhapsodic with a wonderful sweetness to the tone. Heifetz recording with Reiner is a little hard-driven, I prefer his account with Barbirolli in 1937. Oistrakh is good too but I'm not as fond of his reading with Oistrakh as some others.


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## EvaBaron

Heifetz all the way! Glorious accompaniment as well from Reiner and the CSO


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## PeterKC

Maybe it's the music that isn't doing it for you. Try Bruch, or St. Saens.


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## Enthusiast

It is not a favourite work but there are so many excellent - even special - recordings that I can still enjoy it. I do think that both of Tchaikovsky's big warhorse concertos rely on strong first movements, following these with less strong music in the 2nd and 3rd movements. Recent recordings that have worked well for me (in being as special as the old classics) are Kopatchinskaja with Currentzis (nicely coupled with an excellent Les Noces) and Batiashvili with Barenboim (coupled with an excellent Sibelius concerto).


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## Kiki

Enthusiast said:


> It is not a favourite work but there are so many excellent - even special - recordings that I can still enjoy it. I do think that both of Tchaikovsky's big warhorse concertos rely on strong first movements, following these with less strong music in the 2nd and 3rd movements. Recent recordings that have worked well for me (in being as special as the old classics) are Kopatchinskaja with Currentzis (nicely coupled with an excellent Les Noces) and Batiashvili with Barenboim (coupled with an excellent Sibelius concerto).


I have to second these choices.

The Kopatchinskaja/Currentzis is wild and full of charisma. It is truly special.

The Batiashvili/Barenboim is excellent. It is more conservative (who isn't next to the amazing Kop?) but everything is still done brilliantly. A great modern version it is.

I'd also add the Mutter/Karajan as another great modern version, in which Mutter took centre stage with her uniquely distinguishable, mesmerising voice.


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## starcat

The versions I have saved on my Spotify account are those by Oistrakh, Heifetz and Hilary Hahn. Will have to listen to the Kopatchinskaja one as well.


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