Customer Reviews

Beethoven: Violin Concerto, Op. 61 (Great Recordings of the Century)

5 star:		(14)
4 star:		(5)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

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.

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.

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!

When the original LP came out in the early 80', it was told that Perlman went straight to London, did one recording only without rehearsals with the Philharmonia Orchestra, and then "it was done".
I wore out my LP by listening over and over again, and enjoy it still as being the best LP (and CD) I've ever bought.
The playing by Perlman is superb in his usual recognizeable style.
As "must have" for every collector of Beethoven - and others

Beethoven's violin concerto, considered one of the if not the best ever written, has been recorded by every great violinist, and each brings their own strenghs to it. Perlman's strengh lies in the emotion his manages to convey in his superb playing. Giulini and the Philharmonia are wonderful partners in this recording and while I don't consider this the best recording (that honor falls to Heifetz and the Boston Symphony in my humble opinion) it is one that I truly enjoy and keep near the top of my list.

Itzhak Perlman gives a rhapsodic, yet pensive account of Beethoven's violin concerto which is replete with warmth as well as technical brilliance. Here he shows an introspective side to his playing which admirably suits Beethoven's score. It deserves recognition as among the finest performances ever recorded of Beethoven's violin concerto. Giulini's reading of Beethoven's score is replete with slow tempi, yet his pacing and phrasing are quite appropriate. And the Philharmonia Orchestra responds enthusiastically with a brilliant, technically superb performance. The sound quality is also superb, aided by the latest digital remastering technology. This fine recording certainly deserves recognition as among the definitive versions of Beethoven's violin concerto.

This is quite a good performance, but I agree that it appears to have lost a bit in the transfer to CD. It's not always noticeable and is still a great buy.

What I like about Perlman is his tone and even pace. Each note and detail is clearly heard and rendered beautifully. He makes the Beethoven sound majestic, as it should. The 2nd movement is especially lyrical and haunting. Perlman is not afraid to play slowly, exposing every note and ornamentation. Being a violin student, his rendition is easy to follow and appreciate. Others might put more fireworks into it, or play too fast, obscuring or crushing some notes. But not Perlman, he appreciates taking his time to express and cherish each note. The cadenza is by Kreisler, for those interested in following along.

Some people complain that Perlman's reading with Giulini is 'boring' or 'tedious'. But to me, he grabs the primary essence of "the classical concerto" in an interpretation thats so smooth and sensitive that it can bring tears to your eyes.
Of course, all the notes are dead in-tune and the technicalities of this decievingly difficult concerto are simply not an obstacle for the virtuoso.
I also admire the way that the violin solo and the orchestra are in synchronization. It's a classical concerto, therefore, both parts should be equally sounded and are both equally important except those few places of soloistic and orchestral take-overs. Which is exactly what this recording captured.
Sound Quality is great.
The Cadenzas are absolutely stunning.
This is definetly one of the legendary Perlman recordings.

I just recently bought this CD and was not at all disappointed with it. I like this version MUCH better than Zuckerman's recording with Zubin Mehta and the LA Philharmonic. I was wondering why all the fuss about this concerto--now I know!

It only gets 4 stars instead of the deserved 5 stars b/c this CD is only 44 minutes long. In this day and age, I believe that is unacceptable. How hard would it have been to fill up the 30 minutes of blank space with a violin sonata or romance or SOMETHING?! 44 minutes just doesn't cut it with all of the competition and options out there. EMI, are you listening?