Paganini: Concerto per violino e orchestra #1

Niccolò Paganini's violin concerto is fantastic anytime, but the second part is splendid for a peaceful weekend morning.
I now rename Perpetuela as "Flight of the Hummingbird", especially confirmed in the passage where the violin hovers in the background, and the flute comes in.
Salvatore Accardo does a magnificent job. Charles Dutoit conducts the London Philharmonic Orchestra, Galleria Deutsche-Grammophon CD.

Name	Key	Catalogue	Musicians	Observations
Concerto per violino e orchestra #1	D	op.6	Cadenza: Emile Sauret & Accardo	Allegro maestoso Adagio espressivo Rondo. Allegro spiritoso
Sonata Napoleone				Introduzione. Adagio Larghetto Andantino variato Variazioni I-III Finale
I palpiti				Larghetto cantabile Recitativo (con grande espressione) Tema. Andantino Variazioni I-III Coda
Perpetuela				Allegro vivace

Beethoven: Violin Concerto; 2 Romances

I must say that I was not thrilled by this CD. I mean, the pieces are fantastic, and the small orchestration allows for details that are not usually available in other more modern big philharmonic interpretations. Like the flute in the 3rd movement that is always hidden, or at least from me, in other versions. I personally think the cadenza is too ornamented and not in the same spirit as the concerto.

Of course, the period instruments of the Orchestra of the 18th Century allow for a very particular enjoyment  in addition to all else. All in all, it is a good buy, but I had higher expectations from Frans Brüggen. Zehetmair plays the violin in this Philips record.

Name	Key	Catalogue	Musicians	Observations
Romance for Violin No. 2	F	Op.50
Romance for Violin No. 1	G	Op.40
Concerto for Violin	D	Op.61		I. Allegro ma non troppo II. Larghetto III. Rondo. Allegro

Schubert: Streichquintett C-dur D 956

I have to say that it took me like 10 times to appreciate this quintet. I do not have memory of having heard it before I bought it. The first times, I just thought it was a waste of emotiveness. I had to listen to it a few times, to start identifying passages I liked.
Now I can say that it is among the music that I undoubtedly had to have in my collection. In the allegro, it has stubborn repetitions with accompanying lyricism, alternations of impetus and reflexions. I particularly enjoy the tension Schubert creates whenever he wants to emphasize. Listen particularly to the main theme of the adagio. The allegretto has a playful slavic air. It becomes stubborn too.

This is a live version by the Emerson String Quartet with guest Mstislav Rostropovich as second Violoncello.

String Quintet in C major, D 956 (op.posth. 163)

1. Allegro ma non troppo (19'15)
2. Adagio (14'50)
3. Scherzo. Presto - Trio. Andante sostenuto (10'02)
4. Allegretto (9'22)

[(blogginography note: draft initiated http://blistener.blogspot.com/2007/05/schubert-string-quintet.html)]

Albinoni: Concertos opus 10, #7-12

Nice baroque. Nice soft listening.
I solisti Veneti, conductor Caludio Scimone
violin Giuliano Carmignola (#7-#10) and Piero Toso (#11 & #12)

This continues the CD in post albinoni-concertos-opus-10-1-6

Name	Key	Catalogue	Musicians	Observations
Concerto for violin, strings and continuo	F	Op.10 no.7
Concerto for violin, strings and continuo	Gm	Op.10 no.8
Concerto for violin, strings and continuo	C	Op.10 no.9
Concerto for violin, strings and continuo	F	Op.10 no.10
Concerto for violin, strings and continuo	C	Op.10 no.11
Concerto for violin, strings and continuo	Bb	Op.10 no.12

Beethoven: The Complete Violin Sonatas Vol.II

These are beautiful. In Deutsche Grammophon's edition, the 1970 recording by Yehudi Menuhin and Wilhelm Kempff is superb.


I have listened to this many times, and I still cannot come up with something intelligent to comment on them. My experience is only one, and I cannot decompose it into aspects. Thank God for this!

Name	Key	Catalogue	Musicians	Observations
Disc 1
Sonata for Piano and Violin	A	op.30 no.1
Sonata for Piano and Violin	Cm	op.30 no.2
Rondo for Piano and Violin	G	op. 30 no.3
Disc 2
Sonata for Piano and Violin	A	op.47		Kreutzer
Sonata for Piano and Violin	G	op.96

Beethoven: The Complete Violin Sonatas Vol.1

These are beautiful. In Deutsche Grammophon's edition, the 1970 recording by Yehudi Menuhin and Wilhelm Kempff is superb.
After "Frühlings Sonate" there is not much that can be listened.
I personally think that Kempff played much better than Menuhin, esp. in CD1. My impression is that Menuhin played "a little bit dirty", but it adds to the playfulness of the recording, which no doubt was enjoyed very much by both interpreters.

Name	Key	Catalogue	Musicians	Observations
Disc 1
Sonata for Piano and Violin	D	op.12 no.1
Sonata for Piano and Violin	A	op.12 no.2
Sonata for Piano and Violin	Eb	op.12 no.3
Rondo for Piano and Violin	G	WoO 41
Disc 2
Sonata for Piano and Violin	Am	op.23
Sonata for Piano and Violin	F	op.24		"Spring Sonata"
Twelve Variations on "Se vuol ballare"		WoO 40		from Mozart's opera "Le nozze di Figaro"

Tchaikovski: Piano Concerto, Violin Concerto

Пётр Ильич Чайкoвский (Čajkovskij). Very nice works. Argerich sounds harsh while hammering on the keyboard, but the concerto calls for a forceful interpretation, perhaps?. On the other hand, Milstein is refined, subtle and virtuoso. This Deutsche Grammophon's Millenium Collection CD is to be bought for Milstein's interpretation.

Name	Key	Catalogue	Musicians	Observations
Concerto for Piano and Orchestra	Bbm	Op.23	Martha Argerich, Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, Charles Dutoit
Violin Concerto	D	Op.35	Milstein, WPO, Abbado

Albinoni: Concertos opus 10, #1-6

Nice baroque. Nice soft listening.
I solisti Veneti, conductor Caludio Scimone
violin Pero Toso, all except op.10#5:Giuliano Carmigola
This continues the CD in post albinoni-concertos-opus-10-7-12.

Name	Key	Catalogue	Musicians	Observations
Concerto for violin, strings and continuo	Bb	Op.10 no.1
Concerto for violin, strings and continuo	Gm	Op.10 no.2
Concerto for violin, strings and continuo	C	Op.10 no.3
Concerto for violin, strings and continuo	G	Op.10 no.4
Concerto for violin, strings and continuo	A	Op.10 no.5
Concerto for violin, strings and continuo	D	Op.10 no.6

Bach: Sonate e Partite per Violino Solo 2/2

Beautiful! At times it is hard to believe it is a violin solo playing.
Inspirational, energetic yet soothing.
Mark Lubotsky. Violin Guadagnini, 1728.

Name	Key	Catalogue	Musicians	Observations
Partita #2	Dm	BWV 1004
Sonate #3	C	BWV 1005
Partita #3	E	BWV 1006

Oistrakh: Beethoven, Mozart, Brahms, Prokofiev 2/2

What a lovely interpretation by David Ositrakh and Pierre Fournier. It is the second disc of the EMI Classics, double forte, that has Beethoven's Triple Concerto and Mozart's Violin Concerto No. 3.
Full of passages from where to make postcards, I loved especially the theme for the 3rd movement, Vivace non troppo - Poco meno allegro, directed by Alceo Galliera and the Philarmonia Orchestra. In the first movement, just after its first third, the intertwining of both soloists, just before the entrance of the orchestra is quite beautiful. It could well be one scene he wanted to capture while he was writing this next to a lake. It resembles to me those little tableclothes that are of picked cotton.
As for Prokofiev's Violin Concerto No. 2 in Gm, Op. 63, I can say what a graceful interpretation of a bland ouevre. With a comic British ending of the 2nd movement, I cannot say more.
The double forte 2CD edition seems to be out of print, but this is the most similar I found.

Name	Key	Catalogue	Musicians	Observations
Brahms: Double concerto	Am	Opus 102	Oistrakh(violin),Fournier(cello)
Prokofiev: Violin concerto #2	Gm	Opus 63

Beethoven & Brahms: Violinkonzerte

This is Jascha Heifetz soloist interpretation of 2 beautiful works:
Beethoven's op. 61 and Brahms Op. 77 concerts for violin and orchestra.

Beethoven's concert just leaves us begging life he had written more of these. With his usual mix of bass strings and high pitched themes of flute and violin. With rhythmic patterns in the strings giving way to sweet melodies.

Heifetz is not shy when trying to give his interpretation a sublime intent. He is playful whilst being sober, which as far as I can imagine is the way Beethoven might have wished this to be.

As for Brahms', Heifetz does a powerful first movement, with so sweet spots and a forceful cadenza. The second movement has also a very tender violin interpretation. And the third, with the timbral weaving of the presentation of the theme, turns it from pleasurable to beautiful.

I have to confess that it took me some active listening of Brahms' concert, to find the beauty beyond just following the tune. But that is what this endeavor is about.

A RCA Victor, Red Seal CD.


Beethoven, Concerto Op. 61, in D
Boston Symphony Orchestra, Chales Munch
recorded Nov. 27 & 28, 1955, Symphony Hall, Boston, USA
Cadenza 1st movement: Auer - Heifetz
Cadenza 3rd movement: Joachim - Heifetz

Brahms, Concerto Op. 61, in D
Chicago Symphony Orchestra, Fritz Reiner
recorded Nov. 21 & 21, 1955, Orchestra Hall, Chicago, USA
Cadenza 1st movement: Heifetz

Beethoven: Violin Concerto

Lovely and forceful. I am already addicted to period instrument orchestras.

Thomas Zehetmair plays the violin, and Frans Brüggen directs the Orchestra of the 18th Century, in this live recording 1997.

Along with Violin Concerto in D, op. 61, come Violin Romance 2, 1 (op 50, 40, resp.)

Vivaldi: Le Quattro Stagioni & Oboe Concertos

Ah Vivaldi!! I am always marveled at what expressiveness the Four Seasons achieves in such short works. Undoubtedly, it is my favorite work of all!

How emotional are the Four Seasons. Ton Koopman and the Amsterdam Baroque Orchestra make a beautiful interpretation of the Vivaldi's Violin Concertos Op.8.
With such an unobtrusive orchestration, I could listen to notes I had not realized existed in the work. It is like a wooden interpretation, versus the rubber ones I have heard before, where all the instruments blend into each other.... and I loved these concertos even then!

The Oboe Concertos, in Am RV461 and Dm Op8 No9 RV 454, are not quite so appealing, but of course Vivaldi's baroque is (almost) never bad (avoid Motezuma[sic: Moctezuma] opera, 1733).

I would bring the reader's attention to Ottavio Dantone's version with Stefano Montanari at the violin. It can be bought at Aguilar's collection, number 5. It brings a very peculiar interpretation of tempo, which, after I surpassed the shock, left me with a smile.

Please refer to this amazing document (at buywell.com) written by Graeme Skinner for an explanation of how Vivaldi structured and thought about this work.

Particular highlights (section deprecated, see buywell document ;-) )

Spring

•  

Summer

• Summer's first movement the contrast of the period instruments when going into full summer shower mode
• What clear attacks on Summer's 3rd movement! 

Autumn

• 
  

Winter

• Winter's second movement sounds beautifully as a fine clockwork ticking

Ton Koopman, conductor, harpsichord & organ
Marcel Ponseele, oboe
Andrew Manze, violin
Amsterdam Baroque Orchestra
Elatus

Name	Key	Catalogue	Musicians	Observations
Concerto per violino	E	op8#1 (RV 269)	Andrew Manze, violin	La Primavera, spring
Concerto per violino	Gm	op8#2 (RV 315)	Andrew Manze, violin	L'Estate, summer
Concerto per violino	F	op8#3 (RV 293)	Andrew Manze, violin	L'Autunno, autumn
Concerto per violino	Fm	op8#4 (RV 297)	Andrew Manze, violin	L'Inverno, winter
Concerto per oboe	Am	RV 461	Marcel Ponseele, oboe
Concerto per oboe	Dm	op8#9 (RV 454)	Marcel Ponseele, oboe

Mozart: Violin Concertos 4-5

Just as in the other CD, this one, Brilliant's 2-17, has a nice interpretation of Violin Concertos 4 (KV218) and 5(KV 219). Concerto No. 4 I believe delivers, but nothing of excellence. On the contrary, Concerto No.5 has forceful themes, and, sometimes, harmony beyond Mozart's time.
The orchestration is clear and compact.
Director: Marturet
Orchestra: Concertgebouw Chamber Orchestra
Violin: Emmy Verhey

Brahms: Double Concerto in Am, Op. 102, Disc 2

What a lovely interpretation by David Ositrakh and Pierre Fournier. It is the second disc of the EMI Classics, double forte, that has Beethoven's Triple Concerto and Mozart's Violin Concerto No. 3.
Full of passages from where to make postcards, I loved especially the theme for the 3rd movement, Vivace non troppo - Poco meno allegro, directed by Alceo Galliera and the Philarmonia Orchestra. In the first movement, just after its first third, the intertwining of both soloists, just before the entrance of the orchestra is quite beautiful. It could well be one scene he wanted to capture while he was writing this next to a lake. It resembles to me those little tableclothes that are of picked cotton.
As for Prokofiev's Violin Concerto No. 2 in Gm, Op. 63, I can say what a graceful interpretation of a bland ouevre. With a comic British ending of the 2nd movement, I cannot say more.

Bach: Violin Sonatas and Trio Sonatas

Sonata in Eminor BWV 1023 starts with a meditative, suggestive Prelude, worth noting.
The Sonata in G BWV 1021 shows a Bach more to what I had learned to expect, nice interweaving with the Basso continuo.
The ending of the Adagio from the Trio Sonata in G BWV 1039, couldn't but remind me of soul attempt to a new age Bach... confirming nihil novum sub sole.
Lively well rounded Trio Sonata in G, BWV 1038, especially the Vivace.

Bach: Violin Sonatas

Bach violin sonatas are nice, perpetuum mobile. BWV 1017-1019 (CD I-21) are graceful but not demanding too much virtuosism from the soloist, in this case Luis Otavio Santos (baroque violin) and Pieter-Jan Belder (harpsichord).

Mozart: Violin Concerto #3 in G

[This post is copied in Oistrakh entry too, as it compares that disc too]

I have heard 2 versions of Violin Concerto No.3 in G, KV 216. One in Oistrakh's interpretation in Emi Classics, double forte, the other in Brilliant's CD2-16 with Verhey playing the violin.
I have to say that I prefer Brilliant's orchestration with Eduardo Marturet directing the Concertgebouw Chamber Orchestra. But Oistrakh's intention and force well surpasses Verhey's.
Nice piece. As has been my general experience so far, Brilliant's is worth listening to, but this time Oistrakh's shouldn't be missed.


In Violin Concerto No.1 B flat KV 207, Verhey's cadenza in the end is quite charming. Though concertos 1 and 2 are quite umpretentious, the natural fluency of Mozart's themes and scales are always welcome.

Bach: Violin Sonatas

This was the time for Violin Sonatas 1, 2, 3 (BWV 1014-1016). Pieter-Jan Belder plays beautifully the harpsichord, with a nice interpretation of Luis Otavio Santos playing the baroque violin. As with baroque strings, the instrument has a clearly different tuning, according to modern standards. Added to the usual screechy string sound of this kind of instruments, the atmosphere is well captured in this recording, Brilliant CD I-20.
The distinctive profound keyboard work of Bach is well additioned by the joyful violin, giving a light-hearted hue to the work, yet still inviting to reflection.

Bach: Musikalisches Opfer

How more Bach can you get? Deep, playful, sweet, persistent. Just lovely.

This comes in Brilliant's CD I-19, along with BWV1072-1078, and Verschiedene Canones über die ersten 8 Fundamental-Noten der Aria aus den Goldberg-Variationen. This last one is also very suggestive.

I have to say that the Sonata sopr'il Soggetto Reale is just stupendous... lively. The flute just makes wonders as it transverses up and down.

Candy Thompson, violin
Marieke Schneemann, flute
Floris Mijnders, cello
David Jansen, harpsichord (Cembalo)
Krijn Koetsveld, organ+conductor
Netherlands Bach Ensemble

Name	Key	Catalogue	Musicians	Observations
Musical Offering		BWV 1079		includes: Sonata sopr'il Soggetto Reale a Traversa, Violino e Continuo Thematis Regii, Elaborationes Canonicae
Canon a 8		BWV 1072
Canon a 4		BWV 1073
Canon a 4		BWV 1074		2 parts
Canon a 2		BWV 1075
Canon a 6		BWV 1076
Canon a 4		BWV 1077
Canon a 7		BWV 1078
Canon a 2		BWV deest
Verschiedene Canones über die ersten 8 Fundamental-Noten der Aria aus den Goldberg-Variationen				15 Tracks