# Beethoven: Violin Romances



## adriesba (Dec 30, 2019)

What are some good recordings of these two pieces?


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## CnC Bartok (Jun 5, 2017)

Not major works, but then again OK Beethoven is others' masterpiece....

I've always liked the Grumiaux recordings with Edo de Waart, coupled with the Violin Concerto (Davis) - one of the first CDs I ever bought.


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## Rogerx (Apr 27, 2018)

adriesba said:


> What are some good recordings of these two pieces?



Nice program as well .


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## Animal the Drummer (Nov 14, 2015)

CnC Bartok said:


> Not major works, but then again OK Beethoven is others' masterpiece....
> 
> I've always liked the Grumiaux recordings with Edo de Waart, coupled with the Violin Concerto (Davis) - one of the first CDs I ever bought.


His version of the concerto conducted by Galliera is even better IMHO. The slow movement in particular is otherworldly.


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## CnC Bartok (Jun 5, 2017)

Three-Nil to the Philips label so far....!


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## Josquin13 (Nov 7, 2017)

Since Beethoven's two Romances for violin & orchestra are shorter works, the coupling may be an important consideration. For example, a very fine recording of Beethoven's Violin Concerto might be an attractive bonus.

I. With that in mind, the great Russian violinist, David Oistrakh, plays Beethoven's two Romances as well as anyone, in my opinion. & you can purchase Oistrakh's DG recording of the two Romances, with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, conducted by Sir Eugene Goosens, on a program that includes violinist Wolfgang Schneiderhan's 'classic' recording of Beethoven's Violin Concerto, with the Berlin Philharmonic, conducted by Eugen Jochum:

https://www.amazon.com/Beethoven-Co...rakh+beethoven+romances&qid=1632066882&sr=8-3

Or, you can acquire Oistrakh's two Romances in the following 2 CD DG set devoted to the violinist, which again is strongly recommended: https://www.prestomusic.com/classic...ZK8CYF0N*MTYzMjAxNjI1Mi4xLjAuMTYzMjAxNjI1Mi4w

--David Oistrakh, Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, Sir Eugene Goosens (1961), DG:
Romance No. 1, Op. 40: 



Romance No. 2, Op. 50: 




However, these are analogue recordings from the 1960s, and you may wish to have more recent digital sound? (& if so, see my links below). Plus Schneiderhan's recording of Beethoven's Violin Concerto has been more recently remastered by DG in "original image bit-processing" on the following release, where it comes coupled with Schneiderhan's Mozart Violin Concerto No. 5, instead of Oistrakh's two Romances: https://www.amazon.com/Beethoven-Vi...ethoven+violin+concerto&qid=1632067200&sr=8-9. Personally, I don't find the "original image bit-processing" to be preferable to the earlier "Resonance" DG recording, sound-wise; in fact, I prefer the earlier issue. But that may just be me. So, I'd suggest that you sample from them, to see for yourself which Schneiderhan Beethoven VC recording you may prefer, sound-wise.

Of course, Oistrakh made other recordings of the Romances, with conductors Ancerl, Kondrashin, & Rozhdestvensky, so you may want to additionally sample some of those recordings, as well. However, the couplings will be different, and the sound quality may be variable.

--David Oistrakh, Czech Philharmonic, Karel Ancerl, :
No. 2: 




--David Oistrakh, USSR State Symphony Orchestra, or Moscow Philharmonic Orchestra, Gennady Rozhdestvensky:
1 & 2: 



No. 2: 




Here too are several other very fine older, analogue recordings--of both Romances--played by three great violinists that you may wish to consider & compare to Oistrakh:

--Josef Suk, Academy of St. Martin in the Fields, Sir Neville Marriner:
1 & 2: 




--Josef Suk, Prague Symphony Orchestra, Vaclav Smetacek:
No. 1: 



No. 2: 




--Karl Suske, Gewandhaus Orchestra, Leipzig, Heinz Bongartz--Here are the recording dates: the Violin Concerto was recorded in 1987 & is digital, while the Romances were recorded in 1971 & are analogue:

No. 1: 



No. 2: 



https://www.prestomusic.com/classical/products/8007655--beethoven-violin-concertos-romances
http://www.musicweb-international.com/classrev/2012/Aug12/Beethoven_VC_0300359BC.htm

--Arthur Grumiaux, New Philharmonia Orchestra, Edo de Waart:
No. 1: 



No. 2: 




II. While historically speaking, there are two very fine mono recordings by violinists Adolf Busch and Yehudi Menuhin (from the late 1940s, & early 1950s, respectively). However, the old mono sound may not be appealing to you, despite the extraordinary violin playing (& especially from Busch, who I like as much as Oistrakh in this music),

--Adolf Busch, New York WOR Radio Orchestra, Alfred Wallenstein (historical):
No. 1: 



No. 2: 




--Yehudi Menuhin Lucerne Festival Orchestra, Wilhelm Furtwängler (historical):
1 & 2: 




III. However, with all that said, if digital sound engineering is important to you, I'd additionally recommend sampling the following excellent recordings made during the digital era:

--Frank Peter Zimmermann, English Chamber Orchestra, Jeffrey Tate
No. 1: 



No. 2: 




--Salvatore Accardo, Orchestra Filarmonica della Scala or La Scala Philharmonic Orchestra, Carlo Maria Giulini. The Violin Concerto here may be slightly controversial, due to some of the slower tempi at times, but personally I like Accardo's violin playing very, very much, & this may be my top digital era pick:

No. 1: 



No. 2: 



Violin Concerto:













--Salvatore Accardo, Orchestra da Camera Italiana (a more recent Accardo recording):
No. 1: 



No. 2: 




--Uto Ughi, I Solisti Veneti, Claudio Scimone:
No. 1: 



No. 2: 




Here too are a handful of other recordings that I don't know as well, but they've been well reviewed, and I've liked each of these violinists in other music:

--Gil Shaham, Orpheus Chamber Orchestra (conductorless):
No. 1: 



No. 2: 




--Dmitry Sitkovetsky, Academy of St. Martins in the Fields, Sir Neville Marriner:
No. 1: 



No. 2: 



https://www.prestomusic.com/classic...ZK8CYF0N*MTYzMjAxNjI1Mi4xLjAuMTYzMjAxNjI1Mi4w

--Ronald Thomas, Bournemouth Sinfonietta, Ronald Thomas (violin & director): 
No. 1: 



No. 2: 




--James Ehnes, Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra, Andrew Manze:
No.1: 



No. 2: 




--& for a more unusual, different, or alternative interpretation: Gidon Kremer, Chamber Orchestra of Europe, Nikolaus Harnoncourt:
No. 1: 



No. 2: 




IV. Lastly, if you wish to hear a recording played on period instruments, the following recordings have been well reviewed, although I personally prefer Zehetmair's performances to Kopatchinskaja's, as well as Brüggen's Beethoven conducting to Herreweghe's (by a mile):

--Thomas Zehetmair, Orchestra of the 18th Century, Frans Brüggen:
1 & 2: 




--Patricia Kopatchinskaja, Orchestre des Champs-Elysées, Philippe Herreweghe:
No. 1: 



No. 2:


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