# Please recommend some violin concerto recordings from today's violinists



## Tennessee Dave (Mar 30, 2018)

I have recently developed a renewed interest in expanding my music horizons. I have many symphony and opera recordings that I like. After reading the story of the $16M Guarneri from a couple of years back I listened and watch a couple of Youtube videos. It's time for me to add some violin concertos to my music collection. I know everyone has their favorite but I would appreciate your recommendations for violin concertos featuring today's violinists. Thanks in advance for your time and consideration.


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## bharbeke (Mar 4, 2013)

Here are some recommendations. I am not sure who is current enough, but I love all of these recordings.

Mozart: Perlman/Levine/Vienna Philharmonic for 2 and 5, Fischer for 1
Vieuxtemps: Chang/Dutoit/Philharmonia Orchestra for 5
Beethoven: Perlman, Faust, Schneiderhan, Heifetz, Repin are all fantastic players of this
Mendelssohn: Heifetz/Munch/BSO, Midori/Jansons/BPO, Vengerov/Masur/Gewandhausorchester Leipzig
Bruch: Heifetz/Sargent/New Symphony Orchestra of London for 3
Brahms: Mutter/Karajan/BPO
Tchaikovsky: Quint/Panteleev/Sofia Philharmonic


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## Larkenfield (Jun 5, 2017)

I highly favor the lady violinists of today... It's a veritable cornucopia of talent.


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## Rogerx (Apr 27, 2018)

I like the sound of : Nikolaj Znaider , pretty much everything and Joshua Bell.


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## ldiat (Jan 27, 2016)

Larkenfield said:


> I highly favor the lady violinists of today... It's a veritable cornucopia of talent.


i like Hilary and "Nickie" really!:kiss:


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## Rogerx (Apr 27, 2018)

ldiat said:


> i like Hilary and "Nickie" really!:kiss:


The playing or the looks


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## KenOC (Mar 7, 2011)

Just about anything played by Patricia Kopatchinskaja. Beethoven, Tchaikovsky, Stravinsky, Prokofiev, Bartok, Ligeti…all pretty special.


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## science (Oct 14, 2010)

Why not do some contemporary violin concertos performed by contemporary violin virtuosos? 

- Vasks: Violin Concerto "Distant Light" - Gidon Kremer 
- Gubaidulina: In tempus praesens - Anne-Sophie Mutter (to whom the work is dedicated) 
- Dutilleux: Sur le même accord: Nocturne for violin and orchestra à Anne-Sophie Mutter 
- Corigliano: Red Violin Concerto - Joshua Bell 
- Maw: Violin Concerto - Joshua Bell


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## Enthusiast (Mar 5, 2016)

KenOC said:


> Just about anything played by Patricia Kopatchinskaja. Beethoven, Tchaikovsky, Stravinsky, Prokofiev, Bartok, Ligeti…all pretty special.


Seconded - very much so. She is so exciting. But I am not sure any of her records would be my first choice for the work. They are all in the "must have alternative" category for me.

I also greatly like Isabelle Faust although I guess she has been around for quite a while now. In many ways she is an opposite to Kopatchinskaja as her playing is almost understated but her fresh approach never shortchanges you and can stand with the very best. In concertos, for example, her Beethoven, her Brahms, her recent Mozart, her Bartoks are all unusually excellent. I try to make sure I hear everything that Faust and Kopatchinskaja do.

There are so many wonderful violinists around these days. I have also greatly enjoyed Lisa Batiashvili's playing quite often (her recent - 2nd - recording of the Sibelius shows her maturing well - it is exceptionally good - and her earlier Shostakovich 1 was good) along with many of those already recommended. And I do think Vilde Frang has an unusual gift and can often be very worth hearing (her Sibelius, her Prokofiev 1, her Mozart K364 show this), as can Baiba Skride who often gives us slightly rarer repertoire (her Frank Martin is great and coupled with a good Stravinsky).

Oh dear - it is still an all women shortlist. Do record companies choose their artists partly for looks? Certainly, the covers of some CDs for some artists seem to suggest this. Is it easier to market young woman to sober male classical music fans? And, even, does a pretty face change what we hear? If so then presumably women fans are less likely to be swayed in this way as I don't see young male musicians being marketed for their looks.

Maybe men don't get recording contracts very easily but there is Frank Peter Zimmermann, who can be pretty impressive (although I didn't like his Shostakovich record, many did, and his Ligeti and his Szymanowski/Britten recordings are pretty good), and Daniel Hope has made some very good records (try his wonderful Britten and Berg record). And, I don't know much about him, but Sergey Khachatryan's recording of the two Shostakovich concertos is exceptionally good in a very crowded field.

These are times when we are all in awe of youth and desperate to regain our own (ideally without the angst and without sacrificing the wisdom of age). But there are compensations: it is interesting to hear what young players bring to music - not just because they are new but also because their playing is "young" - and these are good times to get access to this. Their playing with change as they age, won't it?


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## Bill Cooke (May 20, 2017)




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## janxharris (May 24, 2010)

Vaughan Williams - The Lark Ascending
London Philharmonic Orchestra
David Nolan - violin 
Vernon Handley - conductor.


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## Stavrogin (Apr 20, 2014)

Prokofiev 1&2 by Sayaka Shoji with Temirkanov and St.Petersburg PO

Sibelius & Nielsen by Maxim Vengerov with Barenboim/CSO

Tchaikosvsky & Glazunov by Maxim Vengerov with Abbado/BPO

Tchaikosvky & Myaskovsky by Vadim Repin with Gergiev and Kirov Orchestra


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## ldiat (Jan 27, 2016)

Rogerx said:


> The playing or the looks


OMG lo....errr Music of course!!


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## laurie (Jan 12, 2017)

Rachel Barton Pine is a great favorite of mine ... (hey, that rhymes!  )









And Gil Shaham is my go-to for the Barber; the other pieces here are also very good ~


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## Tennessee Dave (Mar 30, 2018)

Thanks for all the recommendations. Looks like I'll be spending a couple of bucks on some concertos.


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