Top 10 Living Soloists - your vote

[Rue]

Taking off from another thread...and I know we've done this before, but maybe it's time for another one!  Who do you think the top 10 living violin players are?

 

I'll start a list, it will change as more votes come it, and then I'll make a final compilation when the thread comes to a close!

 

I'll start:

 

1. James Ehnes

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

8.

9. 

10.

[Greg F.]

Hilary Hahn

[Rue]

1. James Ehnes

2. Hilary Hahn

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

8.

9. 

10.

[Ron MacDonald]

I'm not as familiar with the contemporary ones as I am with those of the past but having attended a master class and a recital by James Ehnes this week, I would not hesitate to rank him with the earlier greats.

[Rue]

Excellent!  Thank you!

 

1. James Ehnes (2 votes)

2. Hilary Hahn

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

8.

9. 

10.

[Rue]

1. James Ehnes (2 votes)

2. Hilary Hahn

3. Leonidas Kavakos

4.

5.

6.

7.

8.

9. 

10.

[Alex l. Reza]

It is so hard to choose just one  

 

Lisa Batiashvili

Sergey Khachatryan

Maxim Vengerov

[henrypeacham]

Rachel Podger

[baroquedance]

Zuckerman

[Rue]

It is so hard to choose just one

 

Lisa Batiashvili

Sergey Khachatryan

Maxim Vengerov

 

Well, just this once....

 

1. James Ehnes (2 votes)

2. Hilary Hahn

3. Leonidas Kavakos

4. Lisa Batiashvili

5. Sergey Khachatryan

6. Maxim Vengerov

7. Rachel Podger

8. Anne-Sophie Mutter

9. 

10.

[Hippolytus Huffmaker]

How come Hillary has one vote but she's ahead of all the others with one vote?  Are the Russians hacking the system?  Show us your tax returns.

[reedman]

Augustin Hadelich

[DR. S]

No order - except I'd say Perlman #1 in his prime (# 2 all time of those we have decent recordings of)

 

Hillary Hahn
Anna Sophi-Mutter

Julia Fischer

Perlman (past prime - should he be on "past" list?)

Zukerman

Cho Liang "Jimmy" Lin

Maxim Vengerov
Sarah Chang

Josh Bell

Jame Ehnes

 

(Despite all the complaining here, there is no shortage of great living violinists!  I could add 10 more easily)

[Rue]

This isn't a list of all possible existing soloists, but only of those who you think are legitimately int the top 10 world wide.  That's why I asked for only 1 vote per MN'er. 

 

Also...listed no particular order.  I'm just trying to keep tabs for now.  I'll rearrange the list later.

 

1. James Ehnes (3 votes)

2. Hilary Hahn (2)

3. Leonidas Kavakos

4. Lisa Batiashvili

5. Sergey Khachatryan

6. Maxim Vengerov (2)

7. Rachel Podger

8. Anne-Sophie Mutter (2)

9. Pinchas Zuckerman

10. Augustin Hadelich

11. Julia Fischer

12. Itzak Perlman

13. Ida Haendel

14. Sarah Chang

15. Cho Liang "Jimmy" Lin

[Rue]

How come Hillary has one vote but she's ahead of all the others with one vote?  Are the Russians hacking the system?  Show us your tax returns.

 

 

Did you vote? 

[Karl Peterson]

Hahn

[uncle duke]

Salvatore Accardo and Susanne Lautenbacher.

[Rue]

1. James Ehnes (3 votes)

2. Hilary Hahn (3)

3. Leonidas Kavakos

4. Lisa Batiashvili

5. Sergey Khachatryan

6. Maxim Vengerov (2)

7. Rachel Podger

8. Anne-Sophie Mutter (2)

9. Pinchas Zuckerman

10. Augustin Hadelich

11. Julia Fischer

12. Itzak Perlman

13. Ida Haendel

14. Sarah Chang

15. Cho Liang "Jimmy" Lin

[Hippolytus Huffmaker]

Did you vote? 

I'm waiting until the last instant in case they mess up on stage or have some email trail of nefarious activity revealed.

[Dani Tsui]

Perlman

[BassClef]

Kavakos

 

Batashvilli

 

Hahn

 

Frank Huang

[mendicus]

Reinhard Goebel and Rachel Podger

[Violadamore]

In no particular order, based on my personal tastes, Joshua Bell, James Ehnes, Itzak Perlman, Anne-Sophie Mutter, Pinchas Zukerman, Nadja Salerno-Sonnenberg, Rachel Barton Pine, Hilary Hahn, Anne Akiko Meyers, Nicola Benedetti 

[Jeff Jetson]

Poor Rue has her hands full. Tally, tally, tally!

[Melvin Goldsmith]

What do we mean by 'TOP' soloist....The most famous? The one who makes the most money or has the biggest concert fee...the one who is the best player in technique or integrity or  interpretation? etc...All being equal, could it be the one who like Menuhin gives  back in terms of spreading the gift of music to those who it might otherwise not reach?....I think it is easier to choose from a list of soloists of the past who have completed their careers!

 

One thing I feel is significant is the regard in which good orchestras hold soloists and the degree to which they enjoy collaborating with them ... this can be a very good measure.

 

I can think of more than 10 very obvious names that are missing from the list on this thread so far and I also feel that there is no shortage of hidden gems in this current generation as has always been the case. Of course being a great soloist is not just about being a great player it is about having the rare energy and sheer courage to tour and perform excellence on demand and sacrifice what most would consider a normal family life. I see some very obvious default choices on this list so far with one or two a bit leftfield...I think we listeners have a duty to ourselves listen to as many soloists as we can...not just big names in big concerts. thus ...when in 40 years time if we are still alive and an unknown from this generation becomes famous later we can say that we were there and heard them.