Customer Reviews

Beethoven, Brahms: Violin Concertos (1939, 1940)

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Heifetz's virtuosity shines in these early recordings of the Beethoven and Brahms violin concerto.

The Beethoven was recorded with Arturo Toscanini and the NBC Symphony. Though I would generally agree that Toscanini favored the "correct tempi" over brisk tempi, that does not apply here. Heifetz's expressive capacity is limited by Toscanini's strict tempo. Though he favored this, Toscanini was first and foremost an opera conductor and had one of the most wonderful ears for rubato in accompanying a singer. So his inflexibility is quite surprising.

By contrast, Koussevitzky's Brahms is much more expansive and expressive, which allows Heifetz to explore an enormous range of expression.

Though Toscanini's adherence to tempo was quite alarming, he was the consummate master of interpreting Beethoven. That, coupled with another master Beethoven interpreter, made this recording of Beethoven's concerto memorable and powerful. The Brahms with Koussevitzky is dramatic and is quite a thrill to listen to. Heifetz was the greatest violinist to have lived and this recording, in his younger years, shows it.

Heifetz was known as "the King of violinists" and called "God" by Perlman. On these recordings, it is easy to see why.

These are historical recordings, made in 1939 and 1940, but have been restored brilliantly and Heifetz's playing is indescribable; at least by me, check out the review on the Gramophone site.

The sound on the solos is excellent; of course there is some background hiss and popping, but it is minimal and should definitely not deter anyone from this masterpiece.

I own these recordings on 78, 33 1/3, and now on CD. The reviewers before me have discussed the performances very well, so I'll focus on the transfer. The recordings maintain some pop and fizz, but don't have the revolving 78 rpm fizz that was the only mar in the LP version (although the adagio from the Beethoven has some). I also compared surface noise, and it indicated that the CD was made from different copies than those used to make the LP versions.

The transfer seems to have seen minimal correction - aside from the pops, instances where someone bumps a mic (e.g., 1:50 into the Brahms) and other facets that usually get unintentionally filtered out are clearly heard. The recording has tremendous clarity and brightness, and in these, it far exceeds the LP and almost matches the 78 - no small feat for transfers of this sort.

The surface noise doesn't bother me - they are easily ignored by old and scholarly ears. If you're interested in crystal-clarity, you should look at the Reiner-Chicago and Munch-Boston recordings, even though the performances are not as great.

These are my favorite Heifetz recordings. They were made with conductors who wanted to showcase the orchestra and orchestration in these pieces, not just the soloist. And Heifetz seems to have agreed with their vision, or at least tolerated it. The result is a fluidity and simple beauty that Heifetz never fully captured again, and that these two weighty, complex and intricate works have seldom seen since. Simplex munditiis, to quote Horace.

The liner notes (by Tully Potter) seem to be new, and preserve some of the historical material (soloists in the orchestra, etc.).

Jasha Heifetz(1901-1999)like Pau Casals and Wilhelm Kempff, epitomized the legend of the hero in art playing. Nobody like him or Casals or Kempff have been capable to climb such heights with such expression power, sublime phrasing and overwhelming perfection.

This album is an absolute reference and contains two of many evidences that support this statement.

The heroic vision conveyed by Toscanini and Heifetz in Beethoven has no paragon. And the patrician refinement in Brahms violin concerto is peerless. Such facts make of this CD an obligated parameter for any hard lover music.

Don't miss this memorable and priceless musical document.