Reference Recordings: Dvořák's Violin Concerto

[@jgesselberty]

Another idea for a video. Composers who wrote a work that overshadowed other great works. With Dvorak it was the Cello Concerto. By the way, another great video. Love the Violin Concerto.

[@robertdandre94101]

I obtained this version of the Dvorak concerto in 1978 on a long-playing 33 rpm quintessence ''critics choices'' (pickwick), because at that moment I noted the date of purchase of this or that disc.quintessence has released at this time some supraphon recordings but also rca and dhm. the records were sold at an economical price....quality of engraving and pressing impeccable.....I still listen to them today.including this record by Morton Gould (the other Gould) which performs Vaughan Williams and Eric coates....a treat...!

[@geertdecoster5301]

I guess most of us can't understand how they left out great pieces of art like this one once. Almost unbelievable. Nowadays at for example the Belgian Queen Elisabeth Competition it's for sure played not often enough either. I remember Sylvia Huang in 2019 for one

[@glennsolva1567]

I enjoy these videos immensely from a collectors point of view & also historically. It shows that you enjoy making the videos. It's mostly because of your videos here that i was able to expand my box set collecting. When you review these, you do it properly. Take care & be well.

[@sleepjar7013]

Excellent Dave, thank you!

[@eddihaskell]

Dave, I have never gone wrong with your recommendations. You never have to explain. Thank you.

[@HoraceInExile]

SO glad to hear the name "Qualiton" mentioned in this review. Their imports (Supraphon, Hungaroton, etc.) opened up a new world for me back in the 80s.

[@georgejohnson1498]

I have this Suk/Ancerl performance on CD! Never felt the need to buy another recording after that. Best wishes from George in UK

[@richardsandmeyer4431]

In the 1960s I heard two of the Milstein recordings (with Frühbeck de Burgos and Steinberg) and eventually owned them both on CD along with Chung/Muti and Hahn/Orozco-Estrada. I probably wore out my first copy of Milstein way back when, but I had never heard of the Suk/Ancerl -- I'll have to check it out.

[@sacosec]

Chung/Muti was my first; a fantastic performance.

[@iankemp1131]

Great description of why Dvorak's Violin Concerto was underrated for many years (Tovey also criticised its form) and yet it's a beautiful work and the slightly unusual structure works fine. The Bruch No.1 also has a fairly short first movement that links into the slow movement, so why was that accepted and not the Dvorak? It maybe got played more on this side of the pond - I heard Nigel Kennedy do a great job of it at the Proms in the mid 80s, then Tasmin Little likewise plus a 1989 recording. My dad recorded it off the radio in 1966 with Erich Gruenberg and the BBC SO with Norman Del Mar, so I was lucky enough to know it from an early age. Whereas the Piano Concerto gets much less airtime (though it is in this year's Proms). Agree that the finale of the VC is a great climax - Dvorak has a great tune and produces such a range of variations on it.

[@barryd1671]

I have Suk recordings of other music, but have always considered the Milstein/Steinberg/Pittsburgh recording my personal reference. It was originally released in the US on Capitol stereo LP coupled with the Glazounov concerto.

[@chrismoule7242]

Had to be this one. I had this for many years coupled with the Romance.

[@eddiegreschak9995]

Thank you for review on the Schubert recording In this week on Classics Today. I love it and can't stop listening to it. Great recommendation by Jed.

[@marlute]

Stern, Ormandy 1960s was the first widely available to most of us

[@FREDGARRISON]

Yes indeed, my favorite performance......

[@matthewrippingsby5384]

I started with Stern/Ormandy. Stern/Ormandy consoled me the day I got my terrible degree (2:2), Stern/Ormandy KNOWS me! To hear of a reading by Suk/Ancerl.... 😮! 🍻 See you in half an hour!

[@healthrisingMECFS-FM-longCOVID]

Haven’t heard Suk but love the Stern😊

[@matthewrippingsby5384]

@@healthrisingMECFS-FM-longCOVID I have since heard the Suk, and, it's better!

[@nattyco]

Suk made a beautiful tone and in general most of the Supraphon records I own sound very good, well up to the standards of the big names.

[@DavesClassicalGuide]

Absolutely!

[@grantparsons6205]

There should be a comprehensive Suk box!

[@mhc2231]

I do wish I had known about this recording earlier. When I bought my first Dvorak Violin Concerto, the ONLY ONE available in my neck of the woods was the Accardo/Davis so that's what I had for so long. Many years later, I "discovered" Suk/Ancerl and it was like storm clouds parting and the sun streaming through. Not that Accardo wasn't good, I still love it -- but Suk is from another planet. I believe the Accardo is from 1980?

[@auerstadt06]

That was my first also, coupled with Sibelius.

[@DavesClassicalGuide]

I had Accardo too. It's very good, but as you say...

[@rolandonavarro3170]

Excellent choice, dear David 👌

[@eleah2665]

Very interesting. Thanks.

[@gustavoescobar4572]

Hi Dave. Congrats for your channel and sense of humor. When I was 19 years old (1981), I heard from National Radio of Argentina ( Radio Nacional) an electrifyng version of Dvorak' violin concerto. I could record just the final movement because I couldn't find a blank cassette. This version was live recording because at the end of it there was a burst of aplausses and clearly audibles "bravos " I lost that tape later and I could't be able to find that version. National Radio has records mainly from 50"s or 60's. Do you know who could be the interpreter? Thanks Dave.

[@gustavoescobar4572]

National Radio, because of bad politics, almost lost all the information.

[@DavesClassicalGuide]

Thank you for your kind comments. I'm sorry but I have no idea who the performers might have been.

[@bombayteddy]

I actually discovered this concerto (and a whole lot of other music besides) many years ago when I was a child, thanks to some records left behind in India by a family-friend. A lovely performance by Ruggiero Ricci; and coupled with the Tchaikovsky. On Decca/London. Do you know this recording?

[@DavesClassicalGuide]

Yes, I'm mentioned in previously.

[@brunoluong7972]

There are several versions recorded in the West by Menuhin, Milstein, Martzy, Stern, Gimpel, Ricci, Kulenkampff, Prihoda ... all before Suk-Ancerl. Milstein is especially good. It's is not popular because it is not appealing to majority of listeners even today. IMO Suk/Ancerl becomes reference because the 100% Czech artists and production.

[@DavesClassicalGuide]

That's right, although some of those early ones were mono or not easily available. Stern Ormandy was an interesting case. On LP it had no coupling other than Dvorak's Romance for Violin and Orchestra, and the concerto at that point was far from popular. It must not have sold well, as I can't remember ever seeing the LP incarnation in the 70s. I agree about the Milstein (he did it three times!).

[@michaelshulman5068]

What do you think of Hahn's recording of this Violin Concerto on her oddly named "Eclipse" CD?

[@DavesClassicalGuide]

Check out the video.

[@goonbelly5841]

I don't have a single recording featuring Josef Suk (concertos, chamber music, solo violin) that isn't worth owning.

[@laggeman1396]

So what is the rr for the piano concerto?

[@DavesClassicalGuide]

There isn't one.

[@stephenchun8063]

This is going to sound like sacrilege, but I actually think the Dvorak Violin Concerto is better written than the cello concerto. It should not be forgotten that Dvorak was a violinist. Despite being just as technically difficult as something like Tchaikovsky, it's hard to get a live audience really excited because it's not written in a flashy way, which is probably why it's been historically unpopular to perform.

[@DavesClassicalGuide]

I've seen it live several times and each time the audience went nuts. The finale, especially the ending, is one of the most thrilling things in the literature. So I don't think you're right about that point, although I admire the fact that you prefer it to the more famous Cello Concerto.

[@stephenchun8063]

@ Audiences go nuts today and give standing ovations for everything. They have not done so historically, which speaks to my point about historic unpopularity. I feel the same way about Barber and Glazunov concerti.

[@stephenchun8063]

@ and besides, American audiences will jump to their feet excited about almost anything these days. European audiences are a different story.