Jean Sibelius / Carl Nielsen: Violin Concertos - Maxim Vengerov / Chicago Symphony Orchestra / Daniel Barenboim

Jean Sibelius (Artist), Carl Nielsen (Artist), Daniel Barenboim (Artist), Maxim Vengerov (Artist), Chicago Symphony Orchestra (Artist) | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (September 3, 1996)
• SPARS Code: DDD
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Teldec
• ASIN: B000000S94
• Average Customer Review: 3.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (10 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #109,632 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Track Listings

1. Violin Concerto Op. 47 In D Minor: Allegro moderato

2. Violin Concerto Op. 47 In D Minor: Adagio di molto

3. Violin Concerto Op. 47 In D Minor: Allegro, ma non tanto

4. Violin Concerto Op. 33: Part I: Praeludium, Largo

5. Violin Concerto Op. 33: Part I: Allegro cavalleresco

6. Violin Concerto Op. 33: Part II: Poco adagio

7. Violin Concerto Op. 33: Part II:Rondo, Allegretto scherzando

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars 3/4 of this CD is great, March 16, 2005

By 

HB "HB" (Fort Mill, SC) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Jean Sibelius / Carl Nielsen: Violin Concertos - Maxim Vengerov / Chicago Symphony Orchestra / Daniel Barenboim (Audio CD)

When it comes to couplings, you simply cannot beat this one, the two greatest violin concertos from Scandinavia. The Nielsen, in four movements but with only one break, is highly underrated. It may not be the most beautiful violin concerto but it is powerful and quite original. The performance here is simply spectacular. The playing by Vengerov in the Sibelius is also on a very high level but I find the conducting of Barenboim to be cold and totally uninspired. If you already have a great recording of the Sibelius but none of the Nielsen, go ahead and purchase this CD. I believe you will love the Nielsen.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars A different take on the Sibelius; wonderful Neilson, September 12, 2009

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billinrio (Paris, FR) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Jean Sibelius / Carl Nielsen: Violin Concertos - Maxim Vengerov / Chicago Symphony Orchestra / Daniel Barenboim (Audio CD)

I grew up listening to the Heifetz/Hendl/Chicago Symphony Orchestra performance of the Sibelus. That recording fully deserves all of the praise that it has received over the years. In spite of his perfect technique, Heifetz was sometimes critized for a purported lack of "charm" and "warmth" - perhaps, but these are certainly not qualities required for this concerto, and the entire recording, which has never been out of the catalog since its release in the 1960s, is embued with a cold fire. Other recordings, such as those of Chung/Previn, Oistrach/Ormandy, and Lin/Salonen are also all wonderful in their own ways.
Here, with Barenboim leading the same CSO that performed so marvelously for Hendl, I've never heard this concerto played so slowly. There is no reason why such a pace couldn't work. Certainly, many of the movements from the composer's symphonies can, and should be taken with great broadness and concentration, and they sound wonderful that way. Its a tribute to Vengerov that he can maintain the long line, but here Barenboim projects turgidity rather than lyrical sweep. And in the 3rd movement, the polar bears don't dance.

In the Nielsen, it is as if a different conductor were leading the band, with Barenboim and Vengerov producing one of the most distinguished recordings that I've ever heard of the work.

The 3 stars for the album represent 5 for the Nielson, and one for the Sibelius.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Nielsen is a once-in-a-lifetime performance, July 26, 2006

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Santa Fe Listener (Santa Fe, NM USA) - See all my reviews
(TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (HALL OF FAME REVIEWER)   

This review is from: Jean Sibelius / Carl Nielsen: Violin Concertos - Maxim Vengerov / Chicago Symphony Orchestra / Daniel Barenboim (Audio CD)

Most listeners will buy this CD for the Sibelius concerto and stay (perhaps) for the Nielsen, but it's the latter that is the real triumph. I was going to do a comparative review of versions from Nikolaj Znaider, Cho-Liang Lin, and Vengerov, but as I listened it quickly became apparent that there wasn't any comparison. Vengerov applies amazing finesse to Nielsen's sometimes enigmatic writing. He finds humor in the folk-dance tune at the end and passion in the opening cadenza that none of the others equals. Barenboim gives an alert, sympathetic accompaniment. Five stars without a doubt.

The Sibelius is more problematic. I agree with the reviewer below who places blame squarely with Barenboim, whose conducting is slow, mannered, and uninspired--a very poor showing unless you happen to like him unconditionally. Vengerov does his best to adapt, and he exhibits playing that is often intensely involving. On the ohter hand, he shreds his attacks in the finale (taken at a lumpish tempo) and ultimately can't carry the whole work himself. Three stars for a missed opportunity.