Customer Reviews

Heifetz in Performance [VHS]

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4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(1)
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This 1971 recording is full of Heifetz's energy and virtuoso. This video recoding has
1. Rondo, from Serenade no. 7, K. 250 / Mozart
2. March, from The love for three oranges / Prokofiev
3. The girl with the flaxen hair / Debussy
4. Daises / Rachmaninoff
5. It ain't necessarily so / Gershwin
6. Chaconne, from Partita no. 2 in D minor / Bach
7. Scottish fantasy, op. 46 / Bruch

I especially love his 'Bruch'. He is playing with the French National Orchestra without the conductor. That's why he is conducting the Orchestra while his playing. Chaconne from Bach's Partita II is full of his energy and mastery. The 'Debussy' is so lovely; played with the muter, I cannot forget the high-noted ending.

This 1971 video-recording quality did not interfere with my appreciating Heifetz at all. This is in color, while other Heifetz videos in B/W. Another his video-recording titled 'Heifetz & Piatigorsky' shows more about his playing in private such as scaling and practice techniques. If you have a little violinist at home, it would be good idea to show this one.

Jascha Heifetz was born in Russia, played in public aged five, and at six played the Mendelssohn concerto. He came to America in 1917 when he was 16.

Here is a funny saying by Heifetz.
"I occasionally play works by comtemporary composers and for two reasons. First, to discourage the composer from writing any more, and secondly to remind myself how much I appreciate Beethoven." <Jascha Heifetz, Life, 1961>

This video presents Heifetz's favorite performance pieces. Unlike other videos of Heifetz this one was done in 1971 when videotape technology was improved enough to give a better quality color presentation. Unfortunately, by this time Heifetz was beyond his prime and uncharacteristically misses a few notes and stumbles on a couple of passages. I bought this video for one reason, to watch him play the Bach Chaconne. I wasn't disappointed, even though I know it wasn't his best performance. If there's a better video performance of this piece I'd love to see it. Heifetz was the master, and even a less than stellar performance from the master is well worth watching. It was also nice to see him in some lighter moments, even smiling on occasion. If you like Heifetz I can't imagine you passing this one up.

Wonderful, crispy clear video from the early 1970s of Heifetz performing the Bruch Scottish Fantasy, a signature piece of his. Video includes some nice footage of Heifetz playing a Bach Chaccone with a couple of his students from USC as well as a nice vignette of the violinist walking along the beach in Santa Monica talking about music. This is like a bottle of vintage 1971 wine. Most enjoyable !

This was a disappointment because:

1. The filming quality is very lousy- reeks of "budget filming" everywhere (except in the choice of the performer, of course!)

2. While there was a short interview with Heifetz, I believe more could be and was expected to be said or opened up about Heifetz "the man". One gets a sketchy idea of who Heifetz was, and probably doesn't learn more than they already know. I'm not asking for the moon, because I realize Heifetz was a very private person, but I expect each different publication on him to have their own "nuggets."

3. The set-up for the videoing of Heifetz was not at particularly great or varying angles.

Now, if you don't mind overlooking those obstacles and you just desire to watch Heifetz perform, this does well enough.

Seeing him perform Bach's Ciaccona from memory, flawless, and with seemingly NO effort is certaily dumbfounding. Also, Bruch's Scottish Fantasy is fun; especially to watch him almost "conduct" the orchestra during a rest in the his violin part.

A good video, but sadly it falls short of the glory it could have held.