Search - Kyoko Takezawa, Davis, Bro :: Elgar Violin Concerto

The most Romantic account of Elgar's Violin Concerto

Scriabinmahler | UK | 06/15/2007

(5 out of 5 stars)

"
For long I'd thought, Kyung Wha Chung's very passionate account and Kennedy's later version with Rattle are the best performance of Elgar's Violin Concerto among all others, but Takezawa's deeply moving account with Colin Davis surpasses them. Tone she pruduces reminds me of David Oistrakh, very focused yet warmly expressive. Orchestra part has almost Wagnerian grandeur with beautifully sustained slow sections.



Introduction & Allegro, on the other hand, suffers from Davis' unorthodox choice of tempi and too much dwelling on the melodic themes."

The best performance of a great concerto

James H. Kramer | Oregon | 10/17/2009

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This Elgar violin concerto is my favorite classical work and this is my favorite performance.



I have every recording of the concerto that I know of (other than the partial Marie Hall one) and I've attended live performances by Midori with Lockington and the Oregon Symphony (excellent), Gil Shaham with Zinman and the Chicago Symphony (excellent) and Tasmin Little with Schwarz and the Seattle Symphony (mediocre). My wife and I flew from Oregon to Chicago in the February cold to hear the Shaham performance. I mention these things to show that I am very familiar with the work and really care for it.



My favorite performance was the Chung until this one arrived. Both are magnificently played, beautifully conducted, and emotionally intense. The Takezawa is just a shade better in all respects.



This performance didn't seem to stay on the market long. The influential Penguin guide (which is generally good), to its shame, gave it a lowly two-star review. The recording was never re-issued as far as I know and I wonder if the review killed it.



Of course the Menuhin performance conducted by Elgar is a classic, deservingly so, and must be heard by any lover of this work. Menuhin was only 16 and had astonishing techinical prowess then. The interpretation is more lyrical, less intense, than the Chung and Takezawa performances, and this approach fits the work well. The recording is from 1933 but the sound is good enough that the work can be enjoyed, and the technique admired.



Other exceptional performances are those by Hahn, Shaham, Heifetz, and Ehnes. Hahn's is the most technically perfect. She is an astonishing artist. I loved the Shaham performance when I heard it live and was surprised when the recording did not exceed Chung and Takezawa. Heifetz's performance is very different, and gradually I am coming to like it. He is also an astonishing artist, of course (but I'm not sure he was better than Hahn is).



Graffin has a nice performance, and it is the only performance of the work as it was before Elgar made minor changes for Kreisler.



I am distinctly in the minority in not being able to tolerate either Kennedy performance. I'm not sure why. I also dislike the Chang because of intonation problems, and it astonishes me that it has received good reviews.



I would love for Julia Fischer to record this concerto.



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