New and/or lesser known violinists.

[dirkronk]

What young or simply lesser-known violinists do you like? And what performances (preferably recorded and available) would you recommend to convince a new listener of that fiddler's talent?

I mean, I assume most people here know Joshua Bell, Hilary Hahn, Gil Shaham, Nigel Kennedy and similar folk. But it wasn't that long ago that I was introduced to Manze (and hey, he's been around a good while now), ditto Cho-Liang Lin, Rachel Podger, Isabelle Faust. It was here on this site that I first heard about Elisabeth Batiashvili--and I've become a bit of a fan! Fact is, I've heard wonderful things from all of them.

But who else new and/or obscure is out there worth discovering? What are your favorite performances by them...or by the violinists I've already mentioned? I'm asking this on another board, but I'm really hoping for some in-depth detail here, since I've had such good luck in the past with suggestions from posters who seem to frequent only this venue. So...ladies and gentlemen, start your commentaries!


Dirk

[Gary]

Alan Loveday

Aaron Rosand

Wolfgang Schneiderhan

Igor Oistrakh (certainly lesser-known than his father)

[CharmNewton]

I've enjoyed the playing of Mirijam Contzen, who has recorded a varied repertoire including solo Bach and Bartok, sonatas by Franck and Saint Saens and a collection of shorter works, all on Arte Nova along with a recital of Brahms, Schubert and Zemlinsky on Oehms Classics.

John

[Chalkperson]

Here's my Ten...

Christian Tetzlaff
Ilya Gringolts
James Ehnes
Walter Barylli
Nelli Shkolnikova
Lillian Fuchs
Ilya Kaler
Elisabeth Batiashvili
Victor Tretiakov
Lydia Mordkovitch

Hmmmmm, something seems wrong here...

[Ricordanza]

One of my long-time favorites is Rachel Barton Pine. Incredible technique, beautiful tone, and adventurous in exploring more out-of-the-way repertoire. I have three of her recordings: Instrument of the Devil; Joachim and Brahms Violin Concertos; and Scottish Fantasies for Violin and Orchestra. All are on the Cedille label.

And one of my new favorites is Jennifer Koh...see my review in the Classical Concert Reviews section.

[Febnyc]

I would nominate Brian Reagin. I saw him perform live, the Tchaikovsky Concerto - excellent. This Naxos CD of music by the American George Frederick McKay is a winner, and shows off Reagin's feel for the music. (There is another McKay disc - even a better one, in my opinion, which includes a couple of beautiful orchestral works.)

[Imperfect Pitch]

I've only heard him on this CD, but Jose Luis Garcia is quite good ...

[DavidRoss]

Hmmm--my response vanished. Ah, well, in brief, then:

Renaud Capuçon
Sergey Khachatryan
Aikiko Suwanai

and less well-appreciated than they deserve:

Leila Josefowicz
Nadja Salerno-Sonnenberg

[Steinway]

A brilliant violinist that should be well known..

Gregory Fulkerson.

His Bach Sonatas for solo Violin, on the Bridge label, equals any I ever heard.

[dirkronk]

One of my long-time favorites is Rachel Barton Pine. Incredible technique, beautiful tone, and adventurous in exploring more out-of-the-way repertoire. I have three of her recordings: Instrument of the Devil; Joachim and Brahms Violin Concertos; and Scottish Fantasies for Violin and Orchestra. All are on the Cedille label.

Ah! I had quite forgotten about Rachel Barton Pine. A violinist friend admires her work and insisted on giving me a copy of the "Instrument of the Devil." This was well over a year ago and I fear that the disc has gotten buried among the detritus in my office, thus eliminating the possibility of giving it a proper listen. I will suck up all of my nerve, dig into the mess and see if I can't unearth the CD. Thanks for the heads-up.

Silly, slovenly Dirk

[Ken]

This sounds like a total local plug, I know, but the concertmaster for my current hometown band, Symphony Nova Scotia, is a young man by the name of Robert Uchida (no relation that I know of to the famous pianist of the same last name). Up until this summer, he had not recorded a solo disc, but I have now seem perform as a soloist in both Ottawa and Halifax and can say with confidence that he is a tremendous talent. He pulled off a wicked performance of Prokofiev's Second Concerto last season, handling the triple stops and repeated on-and-off muted sections with ease and style.

Uchida might not ever hit the 'big-time', but I feel that he has potential to stand beside some of the best violin soloists in North America and certainly deserves attention. Visit his website! http://www.uchidaviolin.com/

This summer, Uchida will release a recording of Andrew Violette's Sonata for Unaccompanied Violin on Innova Records. I'm anxious to hear it.

[GK]

Haven't heard about Pamela Frank in recent years.

From the past--Bronislaw Gimpel & Ruggerio Ricci

[CharmNewton]

I don't know how well Zino Francescatti is known to members of this forum, but in his prime he stood as an equal among Heifetz, Milstein, Rabin, Grumiaux and others in the 1950s and 1960s. His sonority, very Heifetz-like in its brilliance, complemented the passion and fire in his playing.

His recordings have received sporadic re-issues, but BMG/Sony hasn't compiled a boxed collection to my knowledge. Given some of the nice collections emerging from Sony/France, perhaps his time will come.

John

[Chosen Barley]

Bronislav Gimpel
Zino Francescatti

[pizza]

Despite the unorthodoxy of his posture and bowing of his instrument, Tossy Spivakovsky was one of the greats. His recording of the Sibelius VC is still tops in my opinion.

Anne Akiko Meyers is another great violinist. Her wide repertoire is played with equally superb artistry, and when called for, she can produce a big, gorgeous tone. I heard her live with the JSO last March in a fine performance of the Ponce VC.

[CharmNewton]

Despite the unorthodoxy of his posture and bowing of his instrument, Tossy Spivakovsky was one of the greats. His recording of the Sibelius VC is still tops in my opinion.

Anne Akiko Meyers is another. Her wide repertoire is played with equally superb artistry, and when called for, she can produce a big, gorgeous tone. I heard her live with the JSO last March in a fine performance of the Ponce VC.

It's good to know she is still performing. I haven't seen her name in many years.

I'm reminded of Kyoko Takezawa, who made a number of ecordings for RCA in the early 1990s, including what may be the most extroverted and fearless recording of the Elgar Violin Concerto, one that really projects mood swings from lyricism to passion on a hair trigger. She's one of only a handful of violinists who can handle the technical challenges of this work.

Salvatore Accardo is a player I would place in that group. He's recorded an amazingly wide repertoire over the past 30 years.

John

[GK]

I have a wonderful recording of Mozart's concertos 3 & 5 made in 1981. Google research indicates that she's still performing but she never gets mention.

[barney]

I just heard Ehnes last week in a superb account of the Bernstein Serenade, and Tetzlaff is in Melbourne (where I live) next month. How do people rate Sarah Chang? She did a marvellous Shostakovich with the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra on their European tour last year, but what I will remember most is her flamenco kicks and stamping in rehearsal, mercifully moderated a bit on the night. A young lady not afraid to be noticed. On that same tour, Vadim Repin was the main soloist, and he was simply stunning - possibly the best I have heard live, as opposed to CD, although that's a big and possibly not very helpful claim. Suffice it to say, I was knocked out.

A curious anecdote. I met Repin before the concert, and, in passing, asked whether he had any superstitions or constant practices before he played. None at all, he said. So I asked him to sign my program, whereupon he took a look and said "that's tonight's. No, no, I cannot possibly sign that before hand, come and see me after."

[Corlyss_D]

Welcome to the site, Barney. Kick you shoes off and set a spell. Always happy to see another Aussie here.

[Gary]

Frank Peter Zimmermann

He mainly recorded for EMI. Love his Mozart concertos.

[CharmNewton]

I just heard Ehnes last week in a superb account of the Bernstein Serenade

I've read a many good things about Ehnes, but haven't heard him. I'll have to remedy that.

and Tetzlaff is in Melbourne (where I live) next month.

A thoughtful, sometimes provocative player. Reminds me of Gidon Kremer, but I think Tetzlaff is a stronger player and has a better tone.

How do people rate Sarah Chang?

I feel she is one of the greatest in the world. Stunning technique and tone. She also has the flair of a real virtuoso, someone who looks like she is having fun when playing virtuoso repertoire, like Sarasate. The CD/DVD she made with Domingo conducting is a must for violin fans as some of her playing is truly extraordinary. She's also developing a real intense side as she's matured. Her Franck Sonata recording with Vogt is at times white hot. [/quote]

A curious anecdote. I met Repin before the concert, and, in passing, asked whether he had any superstitions or constant practices before he played. None at all, he said. So I asked him to sign my program, whereupon he took a look and said "that's tonight's. No, no, I cannot possibly sign that before hand, come and see me after."

Great story!

John

[barney]

and Tetzlaff is in Melbourne (where I live) next month.

A thoughtful, sometimes provocative player. Reminds me of Gidon Kremer, but I think Tetzlaff is a stronger player and has a better tone.

How do people rate Sarah Chang?

I feel she is one of the greatest in the world. Stunning technique and tone. She also has the flair of a real virtuoso, someone who looks like she is having fun when playing virtuoso repertoire, like Sarasate. The CD/DVD she made with Domingo conducting is a must for violin fans as some of her playing is truly extraordinary. She's also developing a real intense side as she's matured. Her Franck Sonata recording with Vogt is at times white hot.

[/quote]

Re Tetzlaff, That is a considerable recommendation. Glad I'm going. And Chang: Yes, I think she will be really big (well, she is already, of course).Very strong musical personality. Her Shostakovich was both intense and exciting, one of my bestconcert-going memories.

[Lance]

Uto Ughi is a violinist we don't hear about much these days. But I collected his recordings, mostly on RCA, and thought them to be splendid in every way.

Elmar Oliveira is another top-notcher as is Aaron Rosand, Ida Haendel and Ruggiero Ricci. More recent (still living, some deceased) and outstanding violinists for me include Zino Francescatti, Leonid Kogan, Arthur Grumiaux, Henryk Szeryng, Erica Morini, Eugene Fodor, Mischa Elman, Wolfgang Schneiderhan, Jaime Laredo, Yehudi Menuhin, Josef Suk, Christian Ferras, Szymon Goldberg, Alexander Schneider, Ivry Gitlis, Viktor Tretyakov, Michael Rabin

Violinists of the past, whose memory (in some cases with the oldest) may be fading, include Albert Spalding, Bronislaw Huberman, Josef Szigeti, Jacques Thibaud, Vasa Prihoda, Adolf Busch, Alfred Campoli, Franco Gulli, Gerhard Taschner, Henri Temianka, Oscar Shumsky, Camilla Wicks, Michel Schwalbe, Louis Kaufman, Berl Senofsky, Efrem Zimbalist (Sr.), Ginette Neveu, Ossy Renardy, Franz von Vecsey, Tossy Spivakovsky, Ricardo Odnoposoff, . Actually, the list could go on an on.

And besides many of those listed above, I'll keep Perlman, Heifetz, Milstein, Stern, David Oistrakh, Gil Shaham, Gidon Kremer, Augustin Dumay, Nikolaj Znaider, Vladimir Spivakov - and a host of others as some of my favourites.

[barney]

A quick count of that list, Lance, gives 53 favourites! Doesn't that defeat the (admittedly arbitrary and meaningless) purpose of naming favourites. Go on, stick your neck out. List your top 50!

[piston]

Seconding David Ross' mention of Renaud Capuçon. Here he is playing Schumann with Martha Argerich: