Beethoven: Violin Concerto, Op. 61 (Great Recordings of the Century) [Original recording remastered]

Ludwig van Beethoven (Composer), Carlo Maria Giulini (Conductor), Philharmonia Orchestra (Orchestra), Itzhak Perlman (Performer) | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Performer: Itzhak Perlman
• Orchestra: Philharmonia Orchestra
• Conductor: Carlo Maria Giulini
• Composer: Ludwig van Beethoven
• Audio CD (January 12, 1999)
• Number of Discs: 1
• Format: Original recording remastered
• Label: EMI Classics
• ASIN: B00000GCA5
• In-Print Editions: MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (24 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #120,658 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

17 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A recording of resplendent beauty., January 1, 2001

By 

Miles D. Moore (Alexandria, VA USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Beethoven: Violin Concerto, Op. 61 (Great Recordings of the Century) (Audio CD)

I have heard Perlman perform the Beethoven concerto live, and was entranced by his rich, golden tone and enormous depth of feeling. This CD with Carlo Maria Giulini reproduces that live performance as much as any recording could hope to do. Perlman has been unfairly typed as a performer of mere surface flash, and this CD demonstrates just how unfair that charge truly is.

17 of 19 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars I like Giulini with Accardo much better, September 30, 2005

By 

Santa Fe Listener (Santa Fe, NM USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Beethoven: Violin Concerto, Op. 61 (Great Recordings of the Century) (Audio CD)

I agree with the reviewer here who writes, "Perlman's Beethoven is technically sound, and in tune. It is not, however, bold, exciting, unique, or interesting." And I find Giulini's accompaniment too cautious and reverential. Where's the drama?

The Beethoven concerto is a warhorse that also hapens to be a masterpiece, and like the Fifth Sym., we've heard it a hundred times--it needs something fresh to come to life. Perlman and Giulini don't provide that. It's as if they wnated to mkae an officially great document for posterity.

I much prefer Giulini's Sony recording with Salvatore Accardo, who plays with soulful Romaantic ocnviction, not the only approach to Beethoven but better than what we hear on this CD.

13 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Great Performance, August 29, 2003

By 

Alan Beggerow (Sterling, IL USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Beethoven: Violin Concerto, Op. 61 (Great Recordings of the Century) (Audio CD)

This recording was originally released in the LP era. The sound quality was quite good, with much presence and depth to the sound. This transfer to CD seems to have lost a little of that quality. The presence isn't quite there.

Giulini's accompaniment is rather dry, which the CD transfer seems to make more evident. But the performance by Perlman is excellent. Truly a virtuoso of the highest order!

Perhaps not the greatest overall performance, but one well worth hearing!