# Isaac Stern........



## Itullian

Where do you guys place him on the list of great violinists?
Opinions?


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## Ukko

I pointed out in a related thread that Stern and Milstein were considered giants in their time, each more popular on his own side of the Atlantic. In both cases at least some of that popularity either came from - or resulted in, one of those - a multitude of recordings. My personal consideration of Stern's playing is colored by his unfortunate willingness to make recordings after his pitch sense became eroded by age. That erosion was apparently a slow, steady process, making it difficult to predict how a recording is going to go by looking at the recording date.

In my fairly non-objective opinion, his musicianship was surpassed by Szigeti (before his deafness), several younger violinists, and of course by Mr. H (whose name stirs up dust).


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## worov

He's among my favorites along with Salvatore Accardo, Anne-Sophie Mutter and Maxim Vengerov.


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## DavidA

As Hilltroll says he probably entered the ungorgiving world of the recording studio too often when he was past it - rather like his colleague Rudolf Serkin in that. Both were superb musicians though and great ambassadors for music.
Stern was, of course, one of those Jewish musicians who refused to play with Karajan because of the latter's Nazi past


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## ComposerOfAvantGarde

I've never liked him as much as Itzhak Perlman...but he is very good and I do like his playing. Often though I check on YouTube to see if Perlman, Oistrakh or Heifetz has a version too that I might like more.


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## papsrus

I suppose talk of how Stern promoted certain musicians and perhaps was less than helpful to other musicians isn't anything new, but I stumbled across the below post the other day from violinist Aaron Rosand where he accuses Stern in no uncertain terms of sabotaging not only his career, but the careers of others.

I am not trying to light a fire, and don't have an ax to grind or anything like that, but I thought Rosand's post might be of some interest here.

Aaron Rosand accuses Isaac Stern of sabotaging his career


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## StlukesguildOhio

Most of what I have by Stern are small ensemble recordings... trios, quartets, etc... I find the majority of these to be quite marvelous...





































I can't really say that Stern is a violinist that I have consciously sought out (especially for concertos) in the same way that I have sought out Christian Ferras, Jascha Heifetz, Yehudi Menuhin, David Oistrakh, Joseph Szigeti, Henryk Szeryng, Arthur Grumiaux, Nathan Milstein, and others among the older artists, or Anne-Sophie Mutter, Gidon Kremer, Hilary Hahn, Andrew Manze, Rachel Podger, John Holloway, Elizabeth Wallfisch, and Itzhak Perlman among living/recording violinists.


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## Ukko

papsrus said:


> I suppose talk of how Stern promoted certain musicians and perhaps was less than helpful to other musicians isn't anything new, but I stumbled across the below post the other day from violinist Aaron Rosand where he accuses Stern in no uncertain terms of sabotaging not only his career, but the careers of others.
> 
> I am not trying to light a fire, and don't have an ax to grind or anything like that, but I thought Rosand's post might be of some interest here.
> 
> Aaron Rosand accuses Isaac Stern of sabotaging his career


Obviously I know none of the details. I have several of Rosand's recordings -Vox Candide I think - and can testify that he was an excellent violinist/musician.


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## Heliogabo

His playing of Bartok's violin sonatas is unbeatable to me. Awesome!


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## hpowders

Isaac Stern made three wonderful recordings with Leonard Bernstein and the NY Philharmonic-the Bartok Second Violin Concerto, the Hindemith Violin Concerto and the Barber Violin Concerto.

Sorry he didn't tackle the Schoenberg Concerto.

I haven't heard his performance of the Berg Concerto. I must seek it out!


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## hpowders

When I was a kid, I preferred Heifetz' technical wizardry to Stern's heavier, fat tone playing.

Now, it's just the opposite. I find Heifetz to be cold and his tone "thin". Stern digs into the music and connects with me emotionally-such a wonderful, warm musician!


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## Heliogabo

hpowders said:


> Isaac Stern made three wonderful recordings with Leonard Bernstein and the NY Philharmonic-the Bartok Second Violin Concerto, the Hindemith Violin Concerto and the Barber Violin Concerto.
> 
> Sorry he didn't tackle the Schoenberg Concerto.
> 
> I haven't heard his performance of the Berg Concerto. I must seek it out!


The Berg concerto with Stern and Bernstein is great. They've made together a recording of Bernstein's serenade for violin, strings and percussion too. Equally awesome music!


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## hpowders

Heliogabo said:


> The Berg concerto with Stern and Bernstein is great. They've made together a recording of Bernstein's serenade for violin, strings and percussion too. Equally awesome music!


Yes. I have the Bernstein Serenade with Gidon Kremer. I will pursue the Berg with Stern. The rent can wait another month!


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## AnotherSpin

Isaac Stern did first performance of Tchaikovsky's Violin Concerto I really loved, and it still mesmerizes me.


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