Customer Reviews

Beethoven: Violin Concerto (CBS Great Performances)

5 star:		(1)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

The duo Bernstein/Stern produced here one of the most intense recordings of the Beethoven Violin Concerto. There is an undescriptible feeling of warmth and joy in this recording. The performance is excellent and much better than the Karajan/Ferras or the Nigel Kennedy recordings (despite the slight bakground noise, perhaps due to the analogic source). I only gave it four stars because of this slight noise (mostly audible when listening to the recording with headphones)

This one is the best peformance of the Beethoven violin concerto I have listened to, and I have listened to many. I own 4 of them, all played by well known violinists.
Stern is playing emotionally, yet with srong performance where needed. The NY Philharmonic sounds great with Bernstein.
Highly recommended!

This listen to this piece brings joy and memories that are undiscribable. I hope you all will enjoy as well.

Isaac Stern is one of my all time favorite violin virtuosos, but Fritz Kreisler owns the Beethoven Violin Concerto. Despite
the quality of the 1936 recording, the performance is still the most dynamic ever. If you want a more modern recording with less background noise I would recommend Nathan Milstein's or Zino Francescatti's (with Kreisler's cadenzas played stunningly). The eccentric Bronislaw Hubermann made a very good recording in 1935, but you'd have a hard time finding it.