To the classical buffs around here... I have been asking myself this for about 20 years so here we go.

Being a regular listener of classical music, I always had a soft spot for instrumental music (like solo piano) and concertos, usually for piano. I do have clear preferences for some piano sounds (Gilels, Rubinstein or Edwin Fischer rather than Richter on a bad day), but I struggle finding such differences between violin players.

One of the very rare violinists I can recognize almost instantly is Heifetz, though I admire him more for his authority and architecture than for his sound. Milstein's violin seems to have a very fine sound on his Sonatas & Partitas (which I am not particularly fond of otherwise, compared to Grumiaux). I also like Menuhin's Partitas very much but certainly not for his sound.

That's about all I know about violin sound. I have read a million times that Oistrakh was the reference of all references in this regard, but I can simply not hear what the fuss is about. Unless I am not informed enough which recordings are worth listening to.

Can someone give me suggestions so I can fill that gap in my musical knowledge ? Thanks.

You mentioned the most beautiful sounding violinist in my view in your post! Artur Grumiaux! Not only do his recordings of Bach Sonatas and Partitas contain the most wonderful performances, but in my view some of the nicest sounding violin playing on records.

Another great sounding violinist was Fritz Kreisler, though in say the Brahms concerto the orchestra really sounds much less beautiful, as sound. But Kreisler is well caught with his characteristic warm tone, which is also wonderfully focussed. [1927 HMV with the Berlin State Opera Orchestra under Dr Leo Blech]

Another grand sounding violinist and every bit the grand musician like Grumiaux, Oistrakh, and Kreisler is Alfredo Campoli, whose splendid [1954 Decca] recording of Elgar's Violin Concerto with the LPO and Sir Adrian Boult has recently been reissued on Beulah. That is another example of great playing with glorious solo-violin tone.

Personally I cannot enjoy Heifetz' sound-world which to my ears is too fierce, and unralenting, though I do realise not everyone would agree with me!

Of the players of the Baroque Violin, I have been to concerts and listened to recordings of Rachel Podger [mainly on Channel Classic in Bach] and she has easily the most alluring sound of all the HIP fiddlers, and is my favourite current violinist on any style!

George

PS: Agree about Edwin Fischer's Piano playing!

quote:

You mentioned the most beautiful sounding violinist in my view in your post! Artur Grumiaux! Not only do his recordings of Bach Sonatas and Partitas contain the most wonderful performances, but in my view some of the nicest sounding violin playing on records.

Thanks FF and that's kind of making me feel comforted in my tastes, because actually I thought too that those two discs were an absolute and unique marvel in the history of violin sound and timing if I can use that term. Truth is, Milstein's instrument sounds totally different to Grumiaux' and it has its charm, but I rarely managed to listen to all of Milstein's Chaconne in one go. Not to be compared with Grumiaux' Chaconne, which I am currently listening to and there are two spots that never fail to make me weep, and I can tell you I have listened to it hundreds of times. An indescribable gem which deserves to be placed on a spaceship so it would survive for the couple of million years it deserves to.

There was a time when I played those Grumiaux discs almost every day, and that experience was instrumental (ha!) in nurturing my love of Bach. Having listened almost exclusively to (albeit adventurous and challenging) rock/pop up to that point, it was hearing music for the first time again.

I second George's Podger recommendation - quick, but not at all screechy; full of gaiety, but not lacking in profundity where needed. You will have no trouble distinguishing her playing from Grumiaux's!

Regards
Nigel

Cheese,
I was once told of a recording of Vivaldi's Four Seasons in which Accardo plays a different violin in each of the four movements. This could perhaps be interesting, though I must admit that I have not heard it myself.
Ken

I'll second Podger's Sonatas & Partitas.

I quite like Beethoven violin concerto in D [Op.61] Yehudi Menuhin
New Philharmonia Orchesra/Otto Klemperer.
HMV 1996 vinyl.
Munch

quote:

but I rarely managed to listen to all of Milstein's Chaconne in one go. Not to be compared with Grumiaux' Chaconne, which I am currently listening to and there are two spots that never fail to make me weep, and I can tell you I have listened to it hundreds of times. An indescribable gem which deserves to be placed on a spaceship so it would survive for the couple of million years it deserves to.

....I was lucky enough to flip to BBC 4's 'Early Music' series just in time to see & hear Viktoria Mullova explain how over time she learned to make the Chaconne possible in her playing repertoire including the use of a short bow, and then play it. It was to me a marvellously emotional sound. I have no yardstick by which to judge it in terms of 'Beauty of sound' but was captured by her utter focus and the force of her playing. She took a few seconds to 'come back' from wherever she had gone to summon the playing.

I will have to get the Grumiaux.

regards
Geoff

quote:

Originally posted by Edot:
I'll second Podger's Sonatas & Partitas.

And I shall third this. And also draw the attention to Ingrid Matthews´ recording on Centaur, also a period performance.
And even more beautiful violin sound comes from Christian Tetzlaff´s firat recording (on Virgin) even if it is not srictly period.

quote:

Originally posted by pe-zulu:
And I shall third this.

Well what else can I do but to order it.

Thanks for your help guys.