Hilary Posted December 15, 2006 Report Share Posted December 15, 2006 Between these five concerti, which do you consider the most difficult? technically? musically? Also, what order do you suggest they be learned? Why do you like them? Hardest to preform? Most stamina required? Longest? Most beautiful second movement? Share any info. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
technique_doc Posted December 15, 2006 Report Share Posted December 15, 2006 Mendelssohn, easiest (thought not exactly a gift!) Tchaikovsky, my favourite, straightforward in a kind of 17 page 1st movement way Beethoven, most likened to watching "Lord of the rings" long, round in circles difficult to grasp! Stamina required and imagination...not for tech geeks like me! Brahms, the KING of all concerti, to be revered always, and best 2nd mvt. Truly the best vln concerto (IMHO) and possibly the number 1 desert island disk. and Sibelius, approachable (nasty last 2 pages 1st mvt) killer last mvt. Order to learn, EASY, (come on, test me more!!!) M - T - S - B - B. Fix the two B's round either way, horses for courses. T_D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
technique_doc Posted December 16, 2006 Report Share Posted December 16, 2006 Since this topic hasn't attracted much interest, maybe anyone would like to comment on how much they like these pieces or which they have tried. I most enjoy Tchaikovsky to play but rate Brahms as the better piece of music. I don't do Beethoven, I play 4 or 5 sonatas regularly (like 10 ? times a year) but the concerto is not really in my repertoire. I love the Sibelius, but it's not like the others, such an unusual structure and unique. Best recordings....now surely some posts on this? T_D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
allegro Posted December 17, 2006 Report Share Posted December 17, 2006 In my humble opinion, Vadim Repin's recording of the Sibelius is the best. I must admit that I have seen him play that concerto in person and it was just magnificent. We had the front row seat and we could not take our eyes off him for the entire performance of the Sibelius. Just simply superb. I also like both Perlman and Kennedy's version of Sibelius but Vadim is "the recording". I did a search on the net and here is Dorothy's Delay's Concerto Sequence: Group I Bach a minor, E major Haydn G Major and C Major Kabalevesky Mozart #2, #3, #4, #5 Conus Bruch G Minor Mendelssohn Khatchaturian Barber Wieniawski d minor and F# minor Lalo Dvorak Vieuxtemps #2, #4, #5 Saint-Saens #1 and #3 Paganini #1 Group II Tchaikovsky Sibelius Brahms Prokofiev d minor and g minor Bartok Glazunov Beethoven Group III Berg Walton Elgar Stravinsky Shostakovich Other 20th Century Composers Cheers, Allegro Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Erika Posted December 18, 2006 Report Share Posted December 18, 2006 quote: Originally posted by: technique_doc Best recordings....now surely some posts on this? T_D I'll play. I like Lin for Silbelius, Francescatti for Brahms, Oistrakh for Shostakovich, probably Kennedy for Elgar, and Mutter for Beethoven (I like my Beethoven Romantic rather than Classical, so her approach works for me). Not sure on the others offhand. Philippe Quint does a great Lalo but hasn't recorded it. Likewise, Vadim plays a terrific Prokofiev but I don't know if he's recorded it. Milstein is great on anything. For Mendelssohn, I'll vote for Salerno-Sonnenberg, mainly because I think the concerto is whiny (it's my least favorite concerto) and her interpretation is aggressive enough to overcome that. . IMO, of course. Your mileage may (and should) vary. My husband always votes for Mozart as the most difficult. He claims you can get away with more in the Romanic repertoire as long as you play with passion, whereas the Mozart concertos reveal even the tiniest flaw. Nice to have you back, T_D. We missed you! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
john j Posted December 18, 2006 Report Share Posted December 18, 2006 Hi Hilary, great question, here is a short opinion from an old violinist who has tried to perform the Beethoven. Even though it may be from a technical standpoint the easiest of the concertos,the Beethoven is without question the greatest violin concerto ever written in every other way! Most of todays Concert violinists will agree along with all of the older generation of Concert violinists! If anyone has the chance, read what Perlman has to say about this Concerto and performing it in public. john j Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
4fiddlinkids Posted December 18, 2006 Report Share Posted December 18, 2006 As far as a "power" piece, nothing beats the Brahms (IMHO). I listen to the first movement at least three times a week on the way to work to get blood pumping (full volume). In my opinion, Milstein takes first and second place (love his cadenza). The Beethoven is amazing. How can something so "easy" as triplets and arpeggios be so gorgeous? Mendelssohn was my first love and for this one I have to choose Hillary Hahn. After listening to her recording, I am not sure we even play the same instrument I also like Hillary's interpretation of Paganini #1. Not sure if it my favorite recording, but definitely different from others I have heard. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hilary Posted December 18, 2006 Author Report Share Posted December 18, 2006 quote: Originally posted by: john j Hi Hilary, great question, here is a short opinion from an old violinist who has tried to perform the Beethoven. Even though it may be from a technical standpoint the easiest of the concertos,the Beethoven is without question the greatest violin concerto ever written in every other way! Most of todays Concert violinists will agree along with all of the older generation of Concert violinists! If anyone has the chance, read what Perlman has to say about this Concerto and performing it in public. john j Perlman answers, "Its simplicity. There is nothing in the piece that lets the performer hide." He explains that there is not a lot of bravura, a lot of bombast and excitement and fireworks behind which to hide. "It's a very exposed piece. You're just 'out there.'" Is that what you were referring to? So you would consider Beethoven technically easier than Mendelssohn? Both require this 'cleanness' and both are very, very open. I love GInetter neveu's Brahms and Sibelius! GORGEOUS! Did anyone ever hear them? Oistrakh for Tchaik, though Huberman is quite good... a bit unique. I like it thouhg. Anything Hahn records is generally awesome... Her Paganini sounds effortless! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
technique_doc Posted December 19, 2006 Report Share Posted December 19, 2006 Thanks Erica.....You sure have an interesting list here of players and pieces. Francescatti for Brahms...I've never heard this but I have a very good double recording with Fournier. Kennedy for Elgar......well, could be. Kennedy also plays Sibelius very well on an early recording with Simon Rattle. I have played for both (though not at the same time!) and one day I heard the complete thing driving home late at night from a concert....fabulous. I bought the disk a few days later. I think Mullova did a Mendelssohn not so long ago that I enjoyed greatly. Vadim....well....enough said, very popular with UK orchestras. quote: Milstein is great on anything. Bless him......such a great player, I grew up on his Brahms. A D-G recording with a Violin on a chair on the front cover. I still enjoy the Red Seal Heifetz Tchaikovsky and found it on CD. Mozart is hard to get just right (no surprise!) and Beethoven, well Hilary's comment expands well the issue..... Nice story, I went to see Gil Shaham play the Sibelius. After the concert we went backstage. He signed for one after the other, they all said they were students (of the Violin) and he gave encouragement and was very friendly. It came to the end of the line. He looked at me and asked...are you a student too? to which I replied....no, not this time, I'm the teacher!!! We talked for a few minutes and I thanked him for the inspiration his recordings have provided to me and my pupils....nice guy. T_D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
technique_doc Posted December 19, 2006 Report Share Posted December 19, 2006 I've seen this list before..... Bach a minor, E major Haydn G Major and C Major Kabalevesky Mozart #2, #3, #4, #5 Conus Bruch G Minor Mendelssohn Khatchaturian Barber Wieniawski d minor and F# minor Lalo Dvorak Vieuxtemps #2, #4, #5 Saint-Saens #1 and #3 Paganini #1 Interesting, (as a teacher) if it is real. IMHO Bach E major well after Haydn G and Mozart #2. Kids rush into this piece and tend to play it very poorly. The intonation and stamina are greater than most people think. Lalo (to me) seems easier than Wieniawski d and Saint-Saens #3 can be tried earlier. Of course this list makes little sense if you only play 1st and 2nd mvmts. Kabalevsky is a lot of fun.....but many have tried to jump straight to Bruch and failed......what is it with this? I knew of a player who tried to go from Kabalevsky to S-S #3..... T_D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rutherford Posted December 20, 2006 Report Share Posted December 20, 2006 I just put on the Shaham live recording of Brahms - it's a real thing of beauty. There is a Brahms DG Oistrakh? Does anyone have it? I'm feeling lazy this morning and OT but is anyone going to hear anything wonderful live this holiday season? Heard Mahler's 5th in London a few weeks back - very nice. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.