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In Reply to: RE: Paganini posted by Cameraman on November 19, 2014 at 18:50:08
The Szeryng performances are not exactly top tier. Actually, no, let's be honest. Szeryng's recordings on that SACD are really not recommendable.
First of all, the cadenzas that Szerygn chose just don't cut it. I suppose he was trying to differentiate himself from other violinists of the era, but his choice of cadenzas relegates these recordings to the "supplemental" category.
Second, Szeryng just didn't play very well in these recording sessions. I'm not sure what his problem was. The recordings were made when he was in his late 50s, so age should not have been the explanation. But there's a lot of scratching and slurring going on here. It lacks precision and sizzle.
The audio is good, remastered. But remember it is from an old recording to begin with, so it's not like this is an SACD quality recording made in recent years. When one accounts for the off-target cadenzas and the rather poor performances, I would not go that route.
For performance of the 1st concerto, Kogan, Rabin, Francescatti and Menuhin are all splendid, each offering enough difference to be uniquely satisfying. I also love the amazing fire of Tretykov, who paired with Jarvi on a couple of recordings. All of those recordings overshadow more recent ones by people like Hillary Hahn and Sarah Chang. Unfortunately, the audio of all those recordings is not going to knock you over.
Perlman's recording of the 1st Concerto from the 1980s has been remastered by EMI and that is the one I would recommend for that concerto alone. It is a very good performance and the remastered audio is good. If you want the entire set, opt for Accardo, who is technically excellent and really is very good in this repertoire.
Now, for an alternative -- something to supplement the standard take on Paganini, I would not go with Szeryng, I would go this route:
The recordings I am enjoying most these days are by Massimo Quarta. A couple of things set his recordings apart. For one, he is playing Paganini's own violin, nicknamed "The Canon", tuned the way Paganini tuned it. (That means the first concerto is today's E-flat major, for example.) The performance of the 1st is from the autograph score, not later versions with all the changes introduced over the years. Quarta has the chops to give it an excellent showing. And the audio is quite good, although not SACD.
Paganini's later concertos were not in the same league as the first and second. Quarta has recorded all of them, so if you want a completist set, go with the Accardo and the box set by Quarta. But if it's just the 1st concerto you want, well, there are many available (and I'd go with Perlman or the Accardo), but with the Quarta as the kicker.
Now, the caprices -- that's an entirely different topic.
"Life without music is a mistake" (Nietzsche)
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I think that he had the chops, the style, and pretty good recorded sound by any standard.
Here's a choice YT of one of Paganini's more violinistic and less musical showpieces:
ATB,
John
PS: There is a 3rd-party YT Old Embed Code Generator, fyi.
Thanks for that summary. For the caprices, I've always preferred Perlman. In addition to his complete technical security, he is the only one I've heard to consistently achieve a nuanced, gentle, whimsical, in short, capricious approach, rather than a mere pyrotechnical display. Though I wish Milstein had recorded a set.
Another good Paganini 1: Erik Friedman.
Happens to a lot of old guys (pianists too!) - they just start to slow down!
Seriously, I didn't know you were into the Paganini concertos! Of the ones you listed I used to own both Rabin performances - excellent indeed - and I'm familiar with the Tretyakov performance too (also excellent), although I did not mention these performances because the OP seemed to be specifically interested in SQ. I still contend that Mullova is in this company, but again, the Szerying performances were the ones which had received the hi-rez treatment, even though, as you say, his is far from a new recording.
"Seriously, I didn't know you were into the Paganini concertos!"
Not only that, I also once heard a recording of some violin music by a guy named, let's see, Bock or something like that. Pretty good. I hear rumored that he also had music for cello. Who ever heard of such a thing? Violins and cellos. Next thing you know, somebody will compose music for guitar. Oh, that's right, Paganini played guitar. Not guitar. Piano! That's it, piano! Can you imagine?
hahaha .....
"Life without music is a mistake" (Nietzsche)
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