Concertos

[Late]

To start, can anyone recommend a superlative recording of Bach's Concerto for Violin, Strings and Continuo in E major? I've heard it so many times, but don't actually own a recording of it. (The last version I heard, on the radio, was Hilary Hahn's — technically flawless, perhaps too fast, and somewhat emotionless, but if she's given some space and breathing room to mature ... she is, after all, only 27.)

All recommendations for Bach and Beethoven concertos especially welcome. Mendelssohn, too. I'm actually open to any recommendations for "must hear" concertos. This part of my classical collection is direly lacking, and these days that's where my ears are headed.

Thanks for your expert advice!

[Tom 1960]

Well certainly no expert here, but one of my favorite concertos is Dvorak's Cello Concerto. A real keeper is this performance featuring the late Mstislav Rostropovich and the Berlin Philharmonic under Herbert von Karajan.

[Late]

Just tongue-in-cheek with the "expert" tag. But, actually, this board knows its classical recordings.

Thanks for the recommendation, Tom. That's also one of the concertos I've been meaning to own. I've really only heard (or paid attention to) Jacqueline du Pré's version. Anyone care to comment on how they compare?

[Chuck Nessa]

Quick recommendation for the 2 Brahms piano concerti by Fleischer/Szell (or a bunch of others) and a BMG disc of violin concertos played by Heifitz with Fritz Reiner of the Brahms and Tchaikovsky pieces.

[Peter Friedman]

Here some that I enjoy.

Tchaikovsky - Violin Concerto - Stern/Ormandy - Sony

Bruch - Violin Concerto - Heifetz/Sargent - RCA

The 5 Beethoven Piano Concerts - Fleisher/Szell - Columbia

Tchaikovsky Piano Concerto No 1 & Rachmaninoff Piano Concerto No.2 - Van Cliburn/Kondrashin/Reiner - RCA

Brahms Piano Concert No.1 - Rubinstein/ Reiner - RCA

Chopin Piano Concertos Nos. 1 & 2 - Rubinstein/Skrowaczewski/Wallenstein - RCA

[Tom 1960]

Speaking of Brahms Piano Concerto's, #2 with Richter and the Chicago Symphony Orchestra is a fine one. Great sonics.

[Chuck Nessa]

The Shostakovich pairs of violin, cello and piano concertos are fine.

Three piano concertos by Bartok are favorites too.

[BruceH]

Here some that I enjoy.

Tchaikovsky - Violin Concerto - Stern/Ormandy - Sony

Bruch - Violin Concerto - Heifetz/Sargent - RCA

The 5 Beethoven Piano Concerts - Fleisher/Szell - Columbia

Tchaikovsky Piano Concerto No 1 & Rachmaninoff Piano Concerto No.2 - Van Cliburn/Kondrashin/Reiner - RCA

Brahms Piano Concert No.1 - Rubinstein/ Reiner - RCA

Chopin Piano Concertos Nos. 1 & 2 - Rubinstein/Skrowaczewski/Wallenstein - RCA

What can I say---this list rules.

[BruceH]

Any Mozart piano concertos by Serkin/Szell are worth it.

[mikeweil]

For the Bach Concertos:

CD Universe has this for $ 6.59.

For the E major concerto in particular:

This series is the best for all Bach concertos and the Suites one can get at the moment, IMHO.

[mikeweil]

Chopin ctos are superfluous

Oh no - but they must be played with the right attitude - they're not for egomaniacal piano virtuosos.

Try this:

Chopin Vol 3 - Warsaw 1830 / Janusz Olejniczak

[mikeweil]

For the Beethoven concertos (can be had for $ 17.09 at CD Universe):

... or Jos van Immerseel's version with Tafelmusik and Bruno Weil, which also has the Violin Concerto, but they're oop.

If you want to be surprised with Beethoven, try this stunning disc:

[Late]

Thanks for the recommendations guys. Strangely enough, Tower had a number of the discs you all listed, and for a little less than CDUniverse! I ordered the Bach disc with Andrew Manze, Richter's Brahms No.2, and Heifetz doing Brahms.

Clem, I do have some of the Kammermusik. It is indeed good stuff.

A concerto performance that recently blew me away was Akiko Suwania playing Bruch's Violin Concerto. A truly beautiful performance, and every review I've read tends to rave. It's on Phillips, but I think it's out-of-print now. (My local library happens to have a copy.)

Also checked out for the first time Rostropovich on Dvorak's Cello Concerto. Stunning.

Still getting my ears around this stuff, but your recommendations have helped!

If a guy were to go the BMG route (on a concerto binge), what would you recommend from their offerings?

[Tom 1960]

Late, on quick glance I see the Janos Starker cello concerto performances of Schumann, Saint-Saens and Lalo. I also own this recording and recommend it without hesitation.

[poetrylover3]

Mitsuko Uchida:Mozart Piano Concertos (Complete)

Gil Shaham : Barber & Korngold Vioin Concertos

Martha Argerich: Rachmaninoff Piano Concerto #3 & Schumann

Wilhelm Kempff: Beethoven Piano Concertos

Claudio Arrau: Brahms Piano Concertos

Julius Katchen: Anything

Peace,

Jeff T

[mikeweil]

Mike-- I'll check Janus out; I'm always interested in period Chopin (& George Sand when she's not on her period, man some people get testy.) Have you heard his mazurkas/polonaise set?

If it's the other disc on Opus 111 you're talking about, yes. He's good and brings a certain "Polish" feeling to the music.

But the greatest Chopin solo piano disc I have is this one:

[mikeweil]

Back to topic: The one recording of the Beethoven Violin Concerto I love the most is this one, which can be had for $ 8.19 at CD Universe:

[poetrylover3]

Jacqueline Dupre: Elgar & any other cello concerto she recorded. A true genius of the instrument IMHO.

Peace,

Jeff T

[Late]

Maybe a silly question, but have there ever been any concertos composed for string bass?

[clifford_thornton]

As for Starker, I only have the Kodaly solo cello. Fantastic, though.

Willing to bet he does a number on the Bach solos, too...

[T.D.]

Maybe a silly question, but have there ever been any concertos composed for string bass?

There's some Edgar Meyer stuff, but some "purists" might consider him a bit crossoverish.

Wikipedia has a decent list of concertos

If you want to try something "modern" and extremely wild , try Galina Ustvolskaya's Composition II for 8 double basses, drum and piano. She's really a piece of work...

[clifford_thornton]

Moreso than Iancu Dumitrescu?!

[T.D.]

I'm not familiar with Dumitrescu, because most of his recordings seem to be on CD-Rs that I never had the courage to buy.

Ustvolskaya's pretty out there, though, especially if you consider her age...not just on the basis of weirdness, but on the fury of her music (given the monicker "The Lady with the Hammer").

[clifford_thornton]

Dumitrescu is pretty heavy, often using multiple basses or at least the bass of Fernando Grillo (which is like having three or four).

I'll have to check out the Hammer Lady. Sounds good.

[Shrdlu]

Late, this is a fantastic recording of a concerto usually considered hard to play: Artur Rubinstein playing the Brahms piano concerto #1, with Fritz Reiner and the Chicago Symphony, from 1954. It's on RCA and is actually in stereo! I have the LP, but it is on CD. The stereo version was not released until the 70s, as Artur made a later recording of this piece, in the 60s. But go for the 1954 version.

Then, if you can find them, try the David Oistrakh versions of the Beethoven and Brahms violin concertos. (On EMI.) They will make your hair stand on end. Oistrakh was the man on the fiddle! We were playing one of these once, and my very young son and his friend were in the room playing. The recording just hypnotized the room and the kids were really drawn in by it. If music is good, it will get to people!