Favourite Violin Concertos

Ludwig van Beethoven (Composer), Johannes Brahms (Composer), Felix [1] Mendelssohn (Composer), Pyotr Il'yich Tchaikovsky (Composer), Bernard Haitink (Conductor), Colin Davis (Conductor), Jan Krenz (Conductor), New Philharmonia Orchestra (Orchestra), Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra (Orchestra) | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Orchestra: New Philharmonia Orchestra, Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra
• Conductor: Bernard Haitink, Colin Davis, Jan Krenz
• Composer: Ludwig van Beethoven, Johannes Brahms, Felix [1] Mendelssohn, Pyotr Il'yich Tchaikovsky
• Audio CD (April 12, 1994)
• Number of Discs: 2
• Label: Philips
• ASIN: B00000419A
• In-Print Editions: MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #245,282 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

14 of 18 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Buy It for the Beethoven, July 1, 2001

By 

M. Donahue (Elk Grove, CA USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Favourite Violin Concertos (Audio CD)

The Beethoven and Brahms concerti and worth twice the price, the P.T. concerto is expendable, being a childish toy (nonetheless good in its own way) in comparison. I have enjoyed this recording of Beethoven (and Brahms) for about 20 years now, since the neanderthalish days of vinyl inscribing, and yet I still find beautiful little phrases in the Beethoven that pop out as never having been noticed before. Grumiaux was in a poetic mode when he recorded this with Colin Davis and the best word for his delivery is lyrical. Davis brings out a powerful force from the orchestra and every single note is perfectly on key (a rarity). This is music for people who really listen to every note, every feeling. The orchestra all by itself is truly stunning; the violin playing of Aurthur G. is charming and enticing and depending on your mood, way beyond sublime. And way beyond many other words too !

A good friend of mine used to say how he was absolutely convinced that Beethoven intentionally put little surprises in his music, and he said Ludwig could never stay too serious for too long. He suggested that Beethoven contrived quick mood changes and sudden outbursts of energy to keep those upscale audiences of the 1800s in Vienna, who tended to be smug, self-satisfied, and sometimes drowsy, on the edge, that is, attentive. I find many such surprises in the Beethoven work, and Davis and Grumiaux have played with every nuance and brief excursion into and out of melodrama and they also brought out many other miniscule timing changes that many recordings have apparently missed. Arthur Grumiaux was an artist like few others in the 20th century, and many of his recordings are full of beauty and strengths, but this delivery of the Beethoven Concerto is a lyrical masterpiece. I am still spellbound going into my third decade of hearing this recording. And the Brahms, ah the Brahms, well, thats a different story. It is just as good. And there's a bonus ! See if you can hear the truck driving by (no doubt just outside the recording hall) during the first movement, its a momentary giggle and does not detract from the whole. Otherwise, another pure-gold Grumiaux delivery. Oh, if only I had seen Mr. G. play a live performance before he departed this earth ! Alas, my friends, alas !

6 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Brilliant Tchaikovsky Concerto, November 19, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: Favourite Violin Concertos (Audio CD)

I am reviewing this two-disc set only for the Tchaikovsky concerto. I had heard Grumiaux's solo Bach, but never any recordings of him playing major concerti. A friend of mine had this disc and just for interest I flipped over to the 3rd movement of the Tchaikovsky. I sat there stunned. Grumiaux's virtuosity and tone were magnificent, and he tossed of this very, very difficult movement with seeming ease. This set will soon be in my collection, and you should buy it too, because you can't beat playing this great on two cds for 16 dollars with a stick.

5 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Buy It for the Beethoven, July 1, 2001

By 

M. Donahue (Elk Grove, CA USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Favourite Violin Concertos (Audio CD)

The Beethoven and Brahms concerti and worth twice the price, the P.T. concerto is expendable, being a childish toy (nonetheless good in its own way) in comparison. I have enjoyed this recording of Beethoven (and Brahms) for about 20 years now, since the neanderthalish days of vinyl inscribing, and yet I still find beautiful little phrases in the Beethoven that pop out as never having been noticed before. Grumiaux was in a poetic mode when he recorded this with Colin Davis and the best word for his delivery is lyrical. Davis brings out a powerful force from the orchestra and every single note is perfectly on key (a rarity). This is music for people who really listen to every note, every feeling. The orchestra all by itself is truly stunning; the violin playing of Aurthur G. is charming and enticing and depending on your mood, way beyond sublime. And other words too !

A good friend of mine used to say how he was absolutely convinced that Beethoven intentionally put little surprises in his music, and how he could never stay too serious for too long. He said Beethoven implanted quick mood changes and then sudden outbursts of energy to keep those upscale audiences of the 1800s in Vienna, who tended to be smug, self-satisfied, and sometimes drowsy, on the edge, that is, attentive. I find many such surprises in the Beethoven work, and Davis and Grumiaux have played with every nuance and brief excursion into and out of melodrama and they brought out many other miniscule timing changes that many recordings have apparently missed. Arthur Grumiaux was an artist like few others in the 20th century, and many of his recordings are full of beauty and strengths, but this delivery of the Beethoven Concerto is a lyrical masterpiece. I am simply spellbound going into my third deceade of hearing this recording. And the Brahms, ah the Brahms, well, thats a different story. It is just as good. And there's a bonus ! See if you can hear the truck driving by (no doubt just outside the recording hall) during the first movement, its a momentary giggle and does not detract from the whole.