Search - Bruch, Heifetz :: Bruch: Concertos No.1 / Scottish Fantasy / Vieuxtemps: Concerto No.5

The definitive Bruch's Scottish Fantasy

05/30/1999

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This is Heifetz at his usual fiery best. As usual, he takes his tempo fast but doesn't lose any detail. His legendary technique is evident here, as he makes the running passages and double-stoppings look like kid-stuff. Despite this show-off of technique, he plays the works with much feeling and romantism. Of note, his interpretation of Bruch's Violin concerto in G minor must rank as one of the best around. The 2nd movement is played with so much passion that it takes your breath away. As for the Scottish Fantasy, this must be the yardstick by which other performances are compared. The intensity of playing is evident right from the start. He manages to gel the bits & pieces of folk songs together to make the whole piece flow. This is a must-buy."

Supreme Heifetz Recordings

10/14/1998

(5 out of 5 stars)

"If Jascha Heifetz had never made any other recordings than these, they would certify him as one of the great violin virtuosos of history. They present his playing at age 61 (1962) when his technique was still in marvelous shape, and the recordings come from the stereo era, with excellent sound.The Bruch Concerto No.1 has been recorded countless times by practically every major violinist, and Heifetz is there with the best.The Vieuxtemps Concerto #5, in two major movements (fast, slow, and a quick epilogue)is a virtuoso showpiece, and the violinist's playing, especially in the slow movement, is very fine, and moving.What sets this recording apart is the Bruch "Scottish Fantasy." It is a beautiful romantic work in four movements (slow, fast, slow, fast), with each movement based on a Scottish folk tune. It has been popular with violinists and audiences because of its balanced mixture of sentiment and virtuoso display for the soloist. Heifetz owned this piece, in that he plays circles around every other violinist to have tackled it on recordings (Perlman, Chung, etc). Even for Heifetz, the fourth movement, the Allegro guerriero, is extraordinary. This is a technically challenging movement for the soloist, and Heifetz makes the most of it. He takes it at a quick, convincing tempo, and roars through its virtuoso demands in an astonishing way. This is surely one of the supreme moments of violin playing, of anything by anybody, on record. If you love good violin playing and have not heard this, you must. Wow."

Heifitz at his best

Larry VanDeSande | Mason, Michigan United States | 12/21/2005

(5 out of 5 stars)

"If you're lucky enough to find this Japanese pressing you'll hear the best Heifitz had to offer late in his career. His performances of the Bruch Violin Concerto No.1, Scottish Fantasy and Vieuxtemps' Violin Concerto No. 5 in A minor are all exquisitely performed with muscular accompaniment led by the much underrated Malcolm Sargent.



Heifitz could be a machine late in his career and, in concert, could give the impression he could care less whether you liked what he was doing. I once heard him play Bach sonata where he seemed to sleepwalk through the whole thing. His flabby face rested on the violin like his head would on a pillow!



No such malaise exists in this fine recording that mates three Romantic era concertos on a fine CD in good sound for its era (the 1960s). Heifitz seems engaged with both the technical and emotional demands of the music at all times.



I've always had good results in CDs by Malcolm Sargent, whether it was his wonderful & witty Shostakovich Symphony No. 9, his strong but wiry recording of Tchaikovsky's 5th Symphony, or his work in those busybodies of his homeland, Gilbert & Sullivan. I'm pleased to say he does equally well here supporting Heifitz searing tone.



This CD is a great winner in this repertoire and sounds very good for its recording date.

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