Beethoven, Mozart: Violin Concertos / Schneiderhan, Jochum

Ludwig van Beethoven (Composer), Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (Composer), Eugen Jochum (Conductor), Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra (Orchestra) | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Orchestra: Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra
• Conductor: Eugen Jochum
• Composer: Ludwig van Beethoven, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
• Audio CD (February 13, 1996)
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Deutsche Grammophon
• ASIN: B000001GQ0
• In-Print Editions: MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (11 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #143,007 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

25 of 26 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A classic Beethoven, an excellent Mozart, March 21, 2002

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[e-mail] (Cambridge, MA USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Beethoven, Mozart: Violin Concertos / Schneiderhan, Jochum (Audio CD)

This disc is one of the highlights of DG's Originals series, and indeed of the entire classical catalog. This is the finest recording ever of Beethoven's Violin Concerto. Jochum's elegant, beautifully phrased introduction sets a high standard, but there is no deviation from it throughout the performance. Schneiderhan's tone is gorgeous throughout his register, but particularly in the highest reaches, where he produces a wonderfully pure, silvery tone. One of his greatest strengths is his legato in the highest reaches of his range, which is especially important in this concerto. Beethoven wrote it with a violinist in mind, Franz Clement, who had many of the same strengths as Schneiderhan. Schneiderhan's phrasing and singing line in the first movement is glorious, and the expressive, elegant atmosphere he and Jochum create is amazing. Schneiderhan uses his own adaptation of the cadenzas from Beethoven's arrangement of this concerto for piano. This is a controversial choice, but I think it works fine. The slow movement's stillness and lyricism have never been so clearly and compellingly conveyed as they are under Jochum and Schneiderhan. The phrasing of the themes is, again, particularly wonderful: passionate, expressive and simply gorgeous. The finale's playfulness, good humor and rhythmic drive set it apart from all other performances. Just to pick one highlight of it: Schneiderhan phrases and plays the gorgeous subsidiary theme at 4:18 with extraordinary beauty and passion. An indispensable performance.

The Mozart, with Schneiderhan both playing and conducting, is not quite as good, due to Schneiderhan's style and sound, which I think are better suited for later repertoire than Mozart. Comparison with Grumiaux's magnificent performances on Philips only strengthens my impression. Grumiaux has a purer sound and a cleaner style which, in my view, are better suited for Mozart than Schneiderhan's. Still, this is a very fine, even excellent performance, benefiting from the glorious phrasing that makes the Beethoven such a great performance.

This disc is a member of the tiny, elite group of unchallenged classics that are the foundations of every classical recording collection. It is mind boggling that the Mutter/Karajan recording was chosen over this performance of the Beethoven for DG's Complete Beethoven Edition, but I'm glad that DG looked past the Karajan PR people and issued this, fabulously remastered (not that the sound needed much work), in their Originals series. I can't say enough positive things about this recording. Enjoy!

11 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars One the best classical recordings avaliable, March 24, 2000

By 

Vidar Palsson (Garðabær, Iceland) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Beethoven, Mozart: Violin Concertos / Schneiderhan, Jochum (Audio CD)

Many may find S. Mozart a bit romantic. But the mainwork here is Beethoven. Beethoven composed this concerto with a particular violinist in mind. This violinist was an expert in high singing notes and a pure tone. Fortunetly this is also S. speciality. The concert comes of very charming. Jochum is perfect and S. arrangement of the piano cadenza is brilliant. The slow movement is breathtaking and the third crisp and clear. I've heard some versions where the orchestra gets it at Jochums level but never heard S. level.

This is not only for the Beethoven fans but for all who want to get their hands on a quality performance of a high quality composition. No wonder that this is in the "Originals".

8 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars SPECIAL BEETHOVEN..., August 27, 2006

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Sébastien Melmoth (Hôtel d'Alsace, PARIS) - See all my reviews

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This review is from: Beethoven, Mozart: Violin Concertos / Schneiderhan, Jochum (Audio CD)

This is a special realization, and no mistake!

We're so used to hearing the Kreisler cadenzas in Beethoven's Violin Concerto, that Schneiderhan's reworking of Beethoven's adaptation for piano strikes us as stunning.

This is an unusual thing: Beethoven prepared a piano version for his unique Violin Concerto.
Since Beethoven did not write the cadenzas for the violin version--(he did, however, write the piano version out)--Schneiderhan has re-adapted the piano version for violin usage.

How does it work? Odd--but it does work!
And the strangeness could disappear with familiarity.