Customer Reviews

Jascha Heifetz: The Supreme

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If ever there was a Grabbit, this one is it. The recent RCA Victor release <Jascha Heifitz, the Supreme> (74321-63470-2) is a two-for-the-price-of-one CD set featuring the Master in seven major works for violin: Bach's "Chaconne," Bruch's "Scottish Fantasy," and the violin concerti of Brahms, Tchaikovsky, Sibelius, and Glazunov. Then as a special treat, we have Heifitz' own arrangements for violin and piano of Gershwin's "3 Preludes." It doesn't get better than this.

These recordings span the years 1955 to 1970 and feature such orchestras as the Chicago Symphony (for the Brahms, Tchaikovsky and Sibelius), the New Symphony Orchestra of London (for the Bruch), and the RCA Symphony Orchestra (for the Glazunov).

The critics at the time had some quibbles with the recorded sound on one or two of these pieces, but they were all lavish in their praise of the performances: "incomparable," "this disc is a must," and so on. So what if you probably have all these selections on other recordings? At mid-price to get all this is heaven. And what a gift for discerning friends!

A wonderful collection of Heifetz playing. This 2 CD set if perfect for a young violinist who needs examples of the finest playing ever. For a cost minded buyer, this set offers a great number of pieces, played by the best ever, for a great price.
For the die hard collector of violin music, though, there is better.
For the Die hard, or anyone else who loves Heifetz, and will pay the price for better sound and more music, try getting the seperate components.
The two concertos are avaliable now in the remastered "livinvg stereo" format, which blows the socks off this CD version.
The Caccone from the Sonatas and partitas in this set is amazing, but so are the rest of the Sonatas and partitas, so buy the whole set of them, it is worth it.
The Glazunov, and Gershwin are not the greatest pieces, I think, you should try the Living Stereo Beethoven and Mendelssohn instead.
The Scottish fantasy is a great piece, but you could get it in another CD along with Bruch's concerto and Vieuxtemps, which make for one great CD.
You can buy all these separate recordings right here at Amazon, try them, you won't be diassapointed.

But if you just want a nice collection of Heifetz music for a person who has none, this is a perfect start.

I am also a violinist myself of 13 years. I have played most of these violin concertos almost a year ago.
Heifetz delivers his interpretation to the audience. I always viewed Heifetz as very stern and a reserved man, that he did not show any emotion.
After listening to this CD, my judgment was suddenly changed.

To start with, the Bach Chacconne deserves much credit. Heifetz recorded this live (I have the video)around the age of 70. Despite his age, he performed this piece with such passion and power. His vibrato was perfect for Bach's baroque style. I have listened to this over 300 times (no exaggerating).

Then, there's the Brahm's violin concerto. Heifetz DID play a little fast, but his interpretation made up for it. I personally loved his 3rd movement, which was flawless. As I listened to it, I could feel his bow contact with the violin string. It was unbelievable.

Then, the favorite of mine, Tchaikovsky's violin concerto was incredibly played. Even Kyung Wha Chung's musical ideas could not compete with Jascha Heifetz's perfection. I loved the musical parts, which was very emotional. It was great. Also, I just want to point out the 3rd movement. In his harmonics (the notes that sound like whistling) it was so pure and neat that I simply could not describe it in words, You must hear for yourself.

The Bruch's Scottish Fantasy was one of my favorites. The introduction was so mellow and sad. Once again, I really cannot describe it in words. I advise you to listen to this right now.

The Sibelius Violin Concerto, one of my favorites, was simply played inconceivably. His tone quality was exceptional, and I could not believe such power that Mr. Heifetz had in him.

His Glazunov Concerto was great too. I loved his tone quality and interpretation.

Finally, his Gershwin preludes added a final jazz touch to the album which would enlighten all the listeners after all those minor keyed concertos.

I encourage, no recommend, no COMMAND you to get this album now. I promise you. You will not regret it.

Jascha Heifetz is the most influential violinist of the 20th century. No contest. He played the most difficult pieces with unnerving speed that most professionals today would prefer to slow down. In Jascha Heifetz: The Supreme, there is a select few of violin pieces that are very commonly played in his vast repertoire. Of this I particularly enjoyed the Bach Chaconne, Bruch Scottish Fantasy, Brahms, Sibelius, and Tchaikovsky Violin Concertos. I was most pleased when I heard Heifetz play Tchaikovsky for it is a piece I am currently playing and it was hard for me to find a recording of the Auer version, notably harder than the original score. Heifetz plays it flawlessly. The Finale is played in the style of Auer, his teacher. Auer merely took out parts the seemed repetitive in this fun movement. However, Tchaikovsky is not the only reason why I highly recommend you to buy this CD. The other pieces are performed at the usual Heifetz perfection. This select 2CD represents the top works of Heifetz, showing his supremacy.

This 2CD contains three of the five most popular violin concerti out there -- the Brahms, Sibelius, and Tchaikovsky. In addition, it contains Bruch's Scottish Fantasy, Glazunov, and two "extras" in the way of the Gershwin Three Preludes and Bach Chaconne (from Partita #2). And except for those two later pieces, they are all wonderful examples of highly romantic violin with orchestra music -- just the type of music Heifetz excelled at.

Suffice it to say, there are many people with opinions on might be considered the "best" of something. For me, the Chaconne from the Partita #2 for Solo Violin by J. S. Bach amoung the best of the best of any music anywhere. I don't think I'll ever tire of this piece, in its original or one of the number of arrangements. Heifetz here plays the piece very romantically, which may be a deterent to some purests, but this piece is simply of a timeless quality that oversteps any notions of Baroque that most of Bach's music has, and if nothing else, it's very emotional here and I for one love it.

While I'm not always too keen on Brahms, his Violin Concerto is one of those pieces that I do enjoy, especially the final movement. Heifetz does very well here, and you can really feel the Hungarian influence in the final movement. In the Tchaikovsky he doesn't quite push the same level, but it's still very good.

Bruch's Fantasy is another favorite of mine, especially the final movement. Once again, Heifetz really digs into the music and pulls out all the stops, closing out with a final movement that will have you humming along to the wonderful tune. Sibelius's Concerto is his only full-length concerted work, and it's justly popular. As with so much of his music, it contains moments that just 'hook' you, and forgive me for being repetitive, but Heifetz shines here as well. He never lets up in the first movement, which is a mistake that many make, and the finale goes along at the perfect rate.

The Glazunov concerto is slightly different from normal, being a shorter piece played without pause. The once again the highlight is the finale, with its fanfare and what must be incredibaly virtuosic pizzicato work that Heifetz of course pulls of wonderfully. The final work is his own transcription of the Three Preludes by Gershwin, and they show off a different side of his violin playing, and come off well.

So, unless you are allergic to a bit of hiss, which is pretty minor compared to many recordings from the era these were done in, or simply hate violin music, there's no reason not to get this if you don't own any of the recordings here. For the newbie and vet alike, one would be hardpresses to find 2CDs of violin music with as constant quality, both in music and musicality, as this set.

What can I say, it's Heifetz! His playing is simply incredible. The tone and intonation are virtually perfect, and the power with which he plays is rivaled almost by none. From the greatness of the Brahms and Tchaikovsky concertos to the more intimate Glazunov and Gerschwin preludes, Heifetz shows that he truly is one of the greatest, if not the greatest, violinist ever.

Even if you find his unique style of playing somewhat offensive, it must be admitted, his playing offers a different style of playing which only he can provide. He gives a new perspective on some passages in the violin repertoire. Perhaps the most controversial selection on this CD is the Chaconne, from Partita No.2 by Bach. It plays almost 50% faster (yes, 50% faster) than several other recordings, and it is here that Heifetz shows his characteristic style of playing best. Although I would not go so far to say as his style of playing the Bach is the best way to go about it, it certainly makes you think about the music.

This is a collection of incredible music. If you love great music, buy this!

In my humble opinion, there are only 2 truly great recordings of Tchaikovsky's Violin Concerto in D Major - Haifetz with the Chicago Symphony and Kung-Wa Chung's. These are the only peformers who capture for me the gypsy spirit of this magnificent piece. The CD mastering of the Heifetz version in this recording is terrible. Even on a good system, it is screechy and irritating. I have a Time-Life LP recording of this performance which is much better, crackles and all. Lovers of this masterwork who like to hear it played with a full range of emotion would be better advised to get the Kung-Wa Chung version which has been recorded with more up-to-date technology. This CD does no service to the great Heifetz.

I'll admit the first time I heard Heifetz, his formalistic and restrained sound came as a then-unwelcome surprise. But my first encounter came almost two years ago, and now it is the violinists of today who I look at with a critical, unforgiving eye. This is completely due to these 1950s recordings of the grestest violinist of this century. Heifetz's charm and warmth is subtle, but he has a power of technique, perfection, and overall grace that is unmatched by other violinists of the recorded age. This disc, representing Heifetz in his mature, arguably rushed approach, holds a distinct advantage over his earlier, more relaxed, sweeter self because of the sound quality--so necessary to hear all the subtleties of his playing present in all 6 decades of his magic. Honestly, though, Heifetz was perfect as a child prodigy in 1917 and was just as perfec when he retired in 1972. You can't ask perfect to get better.
Note: Most famous in Heifetz is in the Tchaivoksky: the build-up to the first orchestral rendition of the theme in Movt. 1 where instead of playing double-stops (two strings at once) leading into the theme as every other recorded violinist does, he plays three notes together--adding a bottom drone. This is what Tchaikovsky wrote, and Heifetz is the only violinist gifted enough to play it.

I'll admit the first time I heard Heifetz, his formalistic and restrained sound came as a then-unwelcome surprise. But my first encounter came almost two years ago, and now it is the violinists of today who I look at with a critical, unforgiving eye. This is completely due to these 1950s recordings of the grestest violinist of this century. Heifetz's charm and warmth is subtle, but he has a power of technique, perfection, and overall grace that is unmatched by other violinists of the recorded age. This disc, representing Heifetz in his mature, arguably rushed approach, holds a distinct advantage over his earlier, more relaxed, sweeter self because of the sound quality--so necessary to hear all the subtleties of his playing present in all 6 decades of his magic. Honestly, though, Heifetz was perfect as a child prodigy in 1917 and was just as perfec when he retired in 1972. You can't ask perfect to get better.
Note: Most famous in Heifetz is in the Tchaivoksky: the build-up to the first orchestral rendition of the theme in Movt. 1 where instead of playing double-stops (two strings at once) leading into the theme as every other recorded violinist does, he plays three notes together--adding a bottom drone. This is what Tchaikovsky wrote, and Heifetz is the only violinist gifted enough to play it.

No one has quite the volcanic sound that Heifetz does - it is ironic that his stage persona led to charges of emotional coldness. The truth is, with Heifetz's blend of sound and technique, emoting wasn't necessary.

I bought this set primarily for the Brahms (a piece to which I am slavishly devoted). This disk has the 1955 recording with Reiner and the Chicago. Heifetz sustained shoulder injuries two years earlier but the gleam of near-absolute perfection still clings to his playing.

Heifetz slices ferociously into the Brahms from the first note, laying bare its rugged passion, situated within an impeccable musical structure. This is one of the most difficult of all violin concertos (hence Joachim's comment that Brahms wrote it against rather than for the violin), but at age 54 Heifetz sails through the multiple stops, broken chords, running-scale passages, and rhythmic patterns. The performance is urgent and unforgettable, and well-matched by the burnished sound of the Chicago under Reiner. Heifetz's playing in the wistful second movement, particularly in the upper reaches of the music, is so beautiful as to feel like a blade piercing the heart. I would have paid many times over for this disk if it only had this performance on it.

The other performances are so much additional treasure. I must say the Tchaikovsky, which immediately follows the Brahms, sounds cheesy by comparison, but that's not Heifetz's fault. The Tchaikovsky is a lovely piece but in terms of depth of musical ideas it is no match for the Brahms. Heifetz takes the allegro portions of the Tchaikovsky at a very fast clip (the fastest I've ever heard), and in my opinion the speed here, even with Heifetz's technique, sounds rushed and deprives the music of some nobility, although it certainly provides thrills. It reminds me of the fabled Horowitz/Toscanini recording of the Tchaikovksy First Piano Concerto, in which the two giants duked it out in front of a live audience, sacrificing any semblance of nuance in the music to the thrill of breakneck speed. Therefore, I must disagree with the reviewer below who said this recording serves up this concerto as it was meant to be heard, with a gypsy-like quality.

The long "Scottish Fantasy" of Bruch's is one of my least favorite pieces in the repertoire, so I listened to it only twice. Heifetz navigates it, again with unsurpassed technical brilliance, but even he cannot make me like this piece.

The Sibelius Violin Concerto is out and out gorgeous (my copy of the disk did not have the scratch that other reviewers here have described, so I suppose I was just lucky). If this disk did not include the Brahms, the Sibelius would have been my favorite piece on it. Its individualistic romanticism, hovering on the border of modernism, is superbly served by Heifetz's richly colored playing.

Only in the Bach Chaconne does Heifetz sound strangely out of place - he plays it flawlessly, but almost as if he forgot who wrote it - as if he had got hold of the the Ravel "Tzigane" instead. It's interesting but this kind of music is simply not Heifetz's "fach", as they say in vocal music.

That leaves the Gershwin Preludes and the Glazounov Violin Concerto - all pieces that are seldom heard. The Glazounov is charming but utterly unmemorable - you'd be hard put to hum one phrase after you've heard it, but again that's not Heifetz's fault. The Gershwin Preludes are threaded with familiar sounding themes from his other works. These, too, are wonderfully played - Heifetz loved jazz and loved Gershwin and was renowned for his way with these piece. For this reviewer this music lacks the memorable quality of the major pieces on the set, but that's just a matter of taste. They are worth hearing at last once, and you won't ever hear them better played than here.

The two great gems of this feast, for me, are the titanic performance of the Brahms and the glowing Sibelius, whose colors nearly leap off the CD in this performance. If you also love pyrotechnic thrills for their own sake, you'll treasure the Tchaikovsky, and the expertly served up Bruch, if Bruch is to your liking (I am not partial to his work). The Bach, Glazounov, and Gershwin are more in the way of dessert.

I have recordings of some of these pieces by other artists, and recordings of other violinists - I have heard them all: Milstein, Stern, Perlman, Oistrakh, Midori, Chang, Salerno-Sonnenberg, Mutter, Bell. . . Heifetz, in the end, makes most of them sound small-voiced. I have never heard anyone produce the breadth of sound in high notes, where everyone else's sound gets pinched, that Heifetz does. In my opinion, Oistrakh is the only competition Heifetz ever had in sound, and I don't think even Oistrakh quite caught him every time.

This set is a must-have for fans of Heifetz and of the half-dozen big 19th century concertos that rightly or wrongly loom so large in the solo violin repertoire. Heifetz can be heard playing the others in that group, the Beethoven, Bruch, and Mendelssohn concertos, on other disks.