Jascha Heifetz Plays Great Violin Concertos

This is a superb collection of performances by the great Jascha Heifetz, bringing together his recordings made during the 1950's and 1960's of the masterpieces of Beethoven, Tchaikovsky, Brahms, Sibelius, Mendelssohn, Mozart, Prokofiev - a wealth of magnificent music and performances that is stunning throughout.Further, this set also includes something unusual, a very interesting Violin Concerto from the Hungarian composer Miklós Rózsa (1907-1995). Rózsa was best known for his many film scores (Spellbound, 1945, A Double Life, 1947, and Ben-Hur, 1959, all won Academy Awards), however he also composed a number of concert works. Rózsa's Violin Concerto, included with this collection, was written in 1953 after discussions with Heifetz. It premiered on January 15, 1956, in Dallas, Texas, with the Dallas Symphony Orchestra conducted by Walter Hendl, with Heifetz as soloist (see disc 4 below).I noticed no significant traces of age in these recordings. The sound is excellent, and I quickly found myself so impressed by the performances that any concerns with respect to age were forgotten.This is a budget collection from Sony and as such does not include liner notes or any documentation other than the labeling on the individual CD cardboard sleeves, identifying track contents as well as recording dates and venue. This is perfectly acceptable in my opinion given the very low price for this music.My iTunes tells me that the total recorded time on these 6 CD's is 6 hrs and 55 minutes, with all of the discs generously filled.I obtained this to have these Heifetz performances in my collection and as supplements to other recordings of these works that I already own. This would also make an excellent purchase for someone wanting to explore the variety of violin concertos present here, and would make a very nice gift for someone just beginning their classical music journey.Here are the contents of the set in detail:Disc 1:- Beethoven: Concerto for Violin and Orchestra in D Major, Op. 61 -- Jascha Heifetz, violin; Charles Münch conducting the Boston Symphony Orchestra; recorded at Symphony Hall, Boston, 1955. First movement cadenza by Auer/Heifetz; third movement cadenza by Joachim/Heifetz.- Tchaikovsky: Concerto for Violin and Orchestra in D Major, Op. 35 -- Jascha Heifetz, violin; Fritz Reiner conducting the Chicago Symphony Orchestra; recorded at Orchestra Hall, Chicago, 1957.Disc 2:- Brahms: Concerto for Violin and Orchestra in D Major, Op. 77 -- Jascha Heifetz, violin; Fritz Reiner conducting the Chicago Symphony Orchestra; recorded at Orchestra Hall, Chicago, 1955. First movement cadenza by Heifetz.- Sibelius: Concerto for Violin and Orchestra in D Minor, Op. 47 -- Jascha Heifetz, violin; Walter Hendl conducting the Chicago Symphony Orchestra; recorded at Orchestra Hall, Chicago, 1959.Disc 3:- Bruch: Concerto for Violin and Orchestra No. 1 in G Minor, Op. 26 -- Jascha Heifetz, violin; Malcolm Sargent conducting the New Symphony Orchestra of London; recorded at Walthamstow Town Hall, London, 1962.- Mendelssohn: Concerto for Violin and Orchestra in E Minor, Op. 64 -- Jascha Heifetz, violin; Charles Münch conducting the Boston Symphony Orchestra; recorded at Symphony Hall, Boston, 1959.- Bruch: Scottish Fantasy for Violin and Orchestra in E Flat Major, Op. 46 -- Jascha Heifetz, violin; Osian Ellis, harp; Malcolm Sargent conducting the New Symphony Orchestra of London; recorded at Walthamstow Town Hall, London, 1961.Disc 4:- Prokofiev: Concerto for Violin and Orchestra No. 2 in G Minor, Op. 63 -- Jascha Heifetz, violin; Charles Münch conducting the Boston Symphony Orchestra; recorded at Symphony Hall, Boston, 1959.- Vieuxtemps: Concerto for Violin and Orchestra No. 5 in A Minor, Op. 37 -- Jascha Heifetz, violin; Malcolm Sargent conducting the New Symphony Orchestra of London; recorded at Walthamstow Town Hall, London, 1961.- Rózsa: Concerto for Violin and Orchestra, Op. 24 -- Jascha Heifetz, violin; Walter Hendl conducting the Dallas Symphony Orchestra; recorded at State Fair Music Hall, Dallas, 1956. (The exact date of this recording is not stated in the CD packaging, but as noted in my introduction to this box set this first premiered in 1956. This recording is not of the premiere performance but was completed later, with the same conductor and orchestra).Disc 5:- Mozart: Concerto for Violin and Orchestra No. 4 in D Major, K. 218 -- Jascha Heifetz, violin; Malcolm Sargent conducting the New Symphony Orchestra of London; recorded at Walthamstow Town Hall, London, 1962.- Mozart: Concerto for Violin and Orchestra No. 5 in A Major "Turkish", K. 219 -- Jascha Heifetz, violin; Chamber Orchestra; recorded at Scottish Rite Auditorium, Los Angeles, 1963.- Mozart: Sinfonia concertante for Violin, Viola and Orchestra in E Flat Major, K. 364 (320d) -- Jascha Heifetz, violin; William Primrose, viola; Izler Solomon conducting the RCA Victor Symphony Orchestra; recorded at Republic Studios Sound Stage 9, Hollywood, 1956.Disc 6:- Glazunov: Concerto for Violin and Orchestra in A Minor, Op. 82 -- Jascha Heifetz, violin; Walter Hendl conducting the RCA Victor Symphony Orchestra; recorded at Santa Monica Civic Auditorium, 1963.- Brahms: Concerto for Violin, Cello and Orchestra in A Minor, Op. 102 -- Jascha Heifetz, violin; Gregor Piatigorsky, cello; Alfred Wallenstein conducting the RCA Victor Symphony Orchestra; recorded at Republic Studios Sound Stage 9, Hollywood, 1960.- Bach: Concerto for two Violins, Strings and Continuo in D Minor, BWV 1043 -- Jascha Heifetz, violin; Erick Friedman, violin; Thornton Lofthouse, harpsichord; Malcolm Sargent conducting the New Symphony Orchestra of London; recorded at Walthamstow Town Hall, London, 1961.- Vivaldi: Concerto for Violin, Cello, Strings and Continuo in B Flat Major, RV 547 -- Jascha Heifetz, violin; Gregor Platigorsky, cello; Malcom Hamilton, harpsichord; Chamber Orchestra; recorded at Scottish Rite Auditorium, Los Angeles, 1964.

This 6 CD set of famous violin concertos performed by Heifetz has been digitally remastered and presents 7 hours of musical perfection. Included in the set are: CD 1: Beethoven: Violin Concerto in D major op. 61 with the Boston Symphony Orchestra and Tchaikovsky: Violin Concerto in D major op. 35 (magnificent) with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra. CD 2: Brahms: Violin Concerto in D major op. 71 with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra and Sibelius: Violin Concerto in D minor op. 47 with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra. CD 3: Bruch: Violin Concerto No. 1 in G minor op. 26; Scottish Fantasy op. 46 with the New Symphony of London and Mendelssohn: Violin Concerto in E minor op. 64 with the Boston Symphony Orchestra. CD 4: Prokofiev: Violin Concerto No. 2 in G. minor op. 63 with the Boston Symphony Orchestra and Vieuxtemps: Violin Concerto No. 5 in A minor op. 37 with the New Symphony of London and Rozsa: Violin Concerto op. 2 with the Dallas Symphony Orchestra. CD 5: Mozart Violin Concerto No. 4 in D major k.218 with the New Symphony of London and Violin Concerto No. 5 in A major "Turkish" k. 219 with Chamber Orchestra and Sinfonia concertante for Violin and Viola in Eflat major k.364 with the RCA Victor Symphony Orchestra CD 6: Glazunov: Violin Concerto in A minor op. 82 with RCA Victor Symphony Orchestra and Brahms: Concerto for Violin and Cello in A minor op. 102 with the RCA Victor Symphony Orchestra and Bach: Concerto for 2 Violins in D minor with the New Symphony of London and Vivaldi: Concerto for Violin and Cello in B-flat major with Chamber Orchestra. Bravo!

I, and probably nobody in this world, have the position to criticize God's fiddler's performance in this CD set. Just want to mention that the quality of recording is not the best but as good as it can be as most works were recorded more than 50 years ago. Given the recording technique back then, one still can easily tell that Heifetz's performance is simply in another category. I cannot be more thankful to be able to hear the master's performance in 2018.Update 6/10/2019: I've been playing this set of CD in my 2018 CRV (yes I ripped the whole set to a USB) and listened to it almost everyday. I have to say that the sound quality is no inferior to any modern recordings. It makes my daily 50 miles commute such a joy. RIP Mr. Heifetz, you're still nonpareil.

CD from overseas. Arrived in excellent condition Heifetz is magnificent. What a wonderful violinist and he is unsurpassed after all these years. Majestic music lives on long after one is gone.

These are the greatest concerto performances from the greatest violinist. The sound quality is also very good. All here in an historic collection and attractively priced.

Fine performances of the major repertoire of violin concertos by a virtuoso master of the instrument accompanied by world class orchestras.

Without taking a thing away from the legendary Jascha Heifetz, I always preferred the warm and full tone of Isaac Stern; not as fiery as Heifetz, but in my opinion, more heart-felt. I also admire many recordings of the warm and sunny Frenchman, Zino Francescatti, or the soulful Russian, David Oistrakh. Anne-Sophie Mutter is another favorite of mine, whose earlier recordings seem to have an air of freshness.Even so, what classical music lover could pass up such a bargain where you get all of Heifetz' major recordings of important Violin Concertos (and then some) for about $13 minus shipping and handling?Interestingly, I find the most appealing recordings here to be the ones which are not the "war horse" standards of the repertoire; the Rozsa and Glazounov Concertos, and Bruch's Scottish Fantasy, which Heifetz plays quite lovingly in the "andante" movement.This is a bare-bones collections that includes no liner notes.

El Violinista es excelente, hay una anecdota del Doctor Einstein:Quisieron halagarlo regalandole un Stradivarius , les contesto: para lo que yo toco , con mi viejo Violin basta.

Jascha Heifetz, una delle supreme leggende musicali del XX secolo, è stato per molti versi il pendant violinistico di Artur Rubinstein, insieme al quale – con l’aggiunta del non meno leggendario Gregor Piatigorsky – ha costituito uno dei più formidabili trii di ogni tempo: entrambi, anzi tutti e tre, perfette incarnazioni del virtuosismo slavo elevato all’ennesima potenza e proiettato nella dimensione dello star system americano.Proprio come Rubinstein (o come lo stesso Horowitz), anche Heifetz ha pagato dazio alle esigenze di cartellone strappando l’applauso con certi pezzi di bravura arrangiati ad personam; ma agli autentici capisaldi del repertorio classico ha saputo accostarsi con un rigore e un’amorevolezza quasi religiosi, che fanno ancor oggi delle sue interpretazioni un riferimento indiscusso e inconfondibile.I documenti più significativi del suo lascito discografico, in massima parte targati RCA, sono oggi disponibili a prezzo di favore nella collana Sony Masters, distribuiti in tre cofanetti dedicati rispettivamente ai grandi concerti, alle grandi sonate e alle musiche di Beethoven (la terza raccolta presenta ovviamente larghi spazi d’intersezione con le prime due).Delle tre sillogi, a rivestire più immediato interesse per il grande pubblico è senz’altro quella dei concerti, che presenta un’esauriente carrellata della letteratura per violino e orchestra da Vivaldi al Novecento storico (con esclusione delle avanguardie atonali, per le quali il Nostro nutriva una dichiarata avversione), comprendendo pressoché tutti i capisaldi del genere e dando spazio anche ad alcune pagine oggi quasi dimenticate. Le incisioni, provenienti dalla collana RCA Living Stereo, appartengono alla fase più matura della carriera del virtuoso lituano, tra metà anni Cinquanta e inizio Sessanta. Sono quindi rimaste fuori rassegna le leggendarie interpretazioni degli anni Trenta al fianco di Toscanini. I direttori coinvolti sono qui quelli in forza alla scuderia RCA nei primi anni dell’era stereofonica: personaggi di primo piano come Fritz Reiner e Charles Munch, e figure di contorno (ma pur sempre di tutto rispetto) come Alfred Wallenstein e Sir Malcolm Sargent. La cifra interpretativa è essenzialmente estroversa e sintetica, attenta più ai valori di brillantezza, luminosità e fluidità del discorso che all’approfondimento introspettivo. I tempi sono quasi sempre molto rapidi.L’esito interpretativo più alto deve quasi sicuramente vedersi nel concerto op. 77 di Brahms inciso nel 1955 con la Chicago Symphony diretta da Reiner. Secondo alcuni (Mila) si tratterebbe addirittura della più bella versione in assoluto di questo capolavoro; certo è la più plastica e incisiva, quella dove meglio viene valorizzata la contrapposizione tra le sonorità rutilanti dell’orchestra e il caloroso e fluente lirismo del solista.Di stampo analogo la concezione del concerto di Ciaikovski (1957, sempre con Reiner), mentre in quello di Beethoven (1955, con la Boston Symphony diretta da Munch) l’esito è leggermente meno felice per via di una certa gracilità della veste orchestrale, ai limiti della secchezza, che finisce per comunicarsi anche al solista. Riuscitissimo invece, sempre con Munch, il fluido ed elegante concerto di Mendelssohn; e ai quattro grandi concerti dell’Ottocento si affianca su un piede di parità, come riuscita interpretativa, quello di Sibelius. Splendidi, malgrado le figure direttoriali di secondo piano (per il K. 219 non è neppure indicato chi sia il direttore), gli ultimi due concerti e la sinfonia concertante di Mozart, di un calore e di una trasparenza più unici che rari: nella concertante è decisivo l’apporto di William Primrose, probabilmente il più grande violista del Novecento, altro partner storico di Heifetz (mentre Piatigorsky è presente nel concerto doppio di Brahms e nell’RV. 547 di Vivaldi).Veniale tributo alle mode di altri tempi: nei concerti dei grandi classici, Heifetz utilizza cadenze di proprio conio, dove dà fondo a tutte le più consumate risorse virtuosistiche di estrazione paganiniana: eseguite da chiunque altro produrrebbero un fastidioso senso di frattura stilistica, ma qui il tocco del fuoriclasse riesce a porgerle malgrado tutto con freschezza e naturalezza.Fra i brani di una certa notorietà, un’altra splendida riuscita è il Secondo di Prokofiev (1959, ancora con Munch). Ma un occhio di riguardo meritano anche le letture di certi brani desueti, come il Quinto di Vieuxtemps o la Fantasia Scozzese di Bruch (che affianca il ben più noto concerto in sol minore, e che andrebbe raffrontata con l’altra storica versione di David Oistrakh affiancato dal grande Horenstein). Per non dire del concerto di Miklòs Ròsza, sorta di contraltare ungherese di quello di Sibelius, composto espressamente per Heifetz e ricordato oggi soprattutto perché utilizzato da Billy Wilder come colonna sonora della Vita privata di Sherlock Holmes.Come già accennato, le matrici provengono dalla collana Living Stereo della RCA: come dire la garanzia di una tecnica d’incisione avanzatissima, che ancora a mezzo secolo di distanza può dare dei punti all’odierna alta fedeltà in fatto di nitidezza e calore del suono.

Grandiose Aufnahmen, wie nicht anders zu erwarten war bei einem Mann wie Jascha Heifetz.Was mir aufgefallen ist, es gibt wohl einen Unterschied bei der Restaurierung alter Bandaufnahmen wie hier teils aus der Frühzeit der Stereophonie zwischen den verschiedenen Labels. Bei den Heifetz-Aufnahmen ist mehr oder weniger deutlich zu bemerken, dass der Kompressor beim Remastering eingesetzt wurde. Dadurch klingt u.a. die Geige sehr präsent, aber es verändert auch ein wenig den Ton im Vergleich zu älteren Veröffentlichungen sowohl auf Schallplatte wie auch auf CD. Ich habe auch ein paar CDs aus der "Living Stereo"-Ära, die noch von RCA herausgebracht wurden, da wird dieser Unterschied im Klang sehr deutlich. Wenn man im Vergleich mal alte wiederveröffentlichte und remasterte Aufnahmen z.B. von DGG hört, weiß man, was ich meine.Trotzdem würde ich die CDs jederzeit wieder kaufen, zumal zu diesem Preis sind sie ein glatte Empfehlung wert.Die Verkaufsabwicklung war tadellos und schnell.

Conocía muchas de estas versiones, que no tienen parangón con ningunas otras, para lo bueno o incluso para discutirlas, porque no todo el mundo acepta la manera virtuosa y vertiginosa de tocar de Heifetz. Yo diría que son versiones, si no modélicas, sí alternativas, pero de un sonido excelente para la época y una presentación óptima. Es una colección importantísima, en cualquier caso, y un documento excepcional. Si las versiones de Bach y Beethoven no son para los gustos de todo el mundo, nadie va a discutir un Mendelsshon maravilloso, un Tchaikovsky arrebatador e incluso un Brahms inmejorable. Algunos preferirán otras versiones del propio Heifetz más antiguas aunque de peor sonido probablemente; por ejemplo, yo mismo prefiero la grabación que hizo años atrás del concierto de Bruch (por cierto con Sir Malcolm Sargent, el mismo director que en esta), más fogosa y apasionada si cabe, pero la misma que se publica ahora es también excelente y modélica, De inexcusable conocimiento todo ello.

" HEIFETZ = VIOLIN " : a TREASURE all in STEREO for your basic collection .Beethoven, Brahms, Tchaikovsky, Mendelssohn, Sibelius : 5 BEST violin concertos (1955 - 1959) & MORE ......Add :First --- Lalo: Symphonie Espagnole ; Paganini 1&2 ; Bach 1&2 ; Vivaldi 4 Seasons .Next --- Goldmark 1 ; Wieniawski 2 ; Saint Saens 3 ; Vieuxtemps 4 ; Korngold .Lastly --- some popular short violin Showpieces :Zigeunerweiser , Carmen Fantasy , Introduction Rondo Capriccioso , Havanaise , Serenade Melancholique ,Thais Meditation , Legende , Poeme , Tzigane , Fritz Krielser etc. etc .YOU ARE SET FOR LIFE !!!