# My Picks: Beethoven - Violin Concerto



## realdealblues (Mar 3, 2010)

I made one previous blog posting like this and never continued on so I've decided it's time to write down some more of my personal preferences in regards to recordings of certain works. Others are of course welcome to read and comment but this list will also serve as a reference as to what my picks were at this time in my "listening career".

For this second entry I'll be dealing with Beethoven's Violin Concerto.

My Current Pick:









Violinist: Jascha Heifetz
Charles Munch & The Boston Symphony Orchestra

This is the must hear recording for me. Jascha Heifetz is absolutely astounding to hear. His flawless intonation, articulation, technique and control is jaw dropping. Charles Munch and the Boston Symphony are also fantastic in their power and rhythmic ability and match Heifetz at every turn making this one of the most remarkable performances ever captured on disc.

Now some may find Heifetz's blazing technique too fast (especially in the first movement) or feel that they need a different approach and I am all for having several copies of this wonderful work. For another equally valid perspective I have a second pick.









Violinist: Itzhak Perlman
Carlo Maria Giulini & The Philharmonia Orchestra

Itzhak Perlman is one of the finest violinists of our time and can match Heifetz's consistency and technical ability, but where Heifetz may have seemed emotionally cool to many, Perlman is the opposite. Here we have a more traditional and warmhearted recording of the Violin Concerto. Giulini and the Philharmonia are perfectly sympathetic to Perlman's playing and in perfectly in sync.

There are many others I would give as runner ups as well. I would not want to be without the likes of Grumiaux with his absolute gorgeous tone or Oistrakh with his rhythmic beauty, and I may revise this post listing my ten favorites but I will hold off on that for another day.

Current recordings of Beethoven's Violin Concerto that I own and have compared:

Anne-Sophie Mutter - Karajan/Berlin Philharmonic
Arthur Grumiaux - Galliera/New Philharmonia Orchestra
Arthur Grumiaux - Davis/Concertgebouw Orchestra
Christian Ferras - Karajan/Berlin Philharmonic
David Oistrakh - Ehrling/Stockholm Festival Orchestra
David Oistrakh - Cluytens/Orchestra National de la Radiodiffusion Francaise
Henryk Szeryng - Haitink/Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra
Herman Krebbers - Haitink/Royal Concertgetbouw Orchestra
Isaac Stern - Bernstein/New York Philharmonic
Itzhak Perlman - Giulini/Philharmonia Orchestra
Itzhak Perlman - Barenboim/Berlin Philharmonic
Jascha Heifetz - Toscanini/NBC Symphony Orchestra
Jascha Heifetz - Munch/Boston Symphony Orchestra
Joseph Szigeti - Walter/New York Philharmonic
Wolfgang Schneiderhan - Jochum/Berlin Philharmonic (1959)
Wolfgang Schneiderhan - Jochum/Berlin Philharmonic (1962)
Yehudi Menuhin - Furtwangler/Philharmonia Orchestra
Yehudi Menuhin - Klemperer/Philharmonia Orchestra
Zino Francescatti - Walter/Columbia Symphony Orchestra


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## lluissineu (Dec 27, 2016)

Perlman/Giulini is The one I like the most. I agree it Is a very warm recording, not only because of Perlman, Giulini was always so devoted to anything he recorded.

I know 7 of The recordings you own, even though despite being very dear to me, it is not my favourite violin concerto.

A few days ago I bought another recording with Heifetz and (I must check) Mitropoulos? Just played it once while driving, so I can't give my opinion.


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