Nathan Milstein first among equals

BEETHOVEN: Violin Concerto; BRAHMS: Violin Concerto. Nathan Milstein, violin; Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra, William Steinberg, conductor. EMI Classics 67584, Great Recordings of the Century; mono; ADD.

Nathan Milstein stood out from almost all other virtuoso violinists. Note that I did not say he stood above the other virtuosi. The special qualities of Milstein's artistry were found in his flawless technique and the purity of his tone; and on this latter point he did stand out above any other virtuoso I can think of in his ability to produce a tone of pure beauty.

It is good to be able to hear any violinist play the Beethoven and Brahms concertos on the same disc. These two concertos constitute great composition for violin at the very top level. And it is no exaggeration to say that, even at that level, these surpass everything else. The same holds true for violinists.

Playing the Beethoven and the Brahms is a rite of passage for any violinist who would seek to be counted with the very best. Beethoven's concerto is a work of great lyricism. It offers the soloist the opportunity to unlock and display this lyricism through the beauty of his or her playing. Beauty of tone is the key. It is here Milstein succeeds to the highest degree.

Yehudi Menuhin was another violinist who's artistry was especially noted for the beauty of his tone. Brahms, in his concerto, displays his genius in writing for violin in an entirely different manner. The lyricism is here, of course, but it is the magnificence of the architecture of his work, in which the orchestra is a full partner with the solo instrument, that marks the concerto as one of the supreme compositions in this form.

It is interesting to observe that the two greatest concertos for violin and orchestra should be so far apart in their conception in the composers' minds. But this, of course, again, show us what great breadth can be accommodated in the term genius.

Milstein was most fortunate to have William Steinberg and the splendid Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra as associate artists on these recordings. I have always believed that a composer's score could not find a more honest advocate of his music than Steinberg. I have always been especially impressed with his readings of the Beethoven Symphonies.

When Steinberg conducted, you got what the composer wrote, not some conductor's idea of what the composer should have written. The recordings that were used to make up the final works we hear on this disc were made in 1953, 1954 and 1955. The original monophonic recordings were digitally remastered in 2001. The result we have before us is these hallmark recordings in top quality sound.

MOZART: Symphony No. 41 "Jupiter;" Clarinet Concerto, Jack Brymer, Clarinet; Bassoon Concerto, Gwydion Brook, Bassoon. Royal Philharmonic Orchestra; Sir Thomas Beecham, conductor. EMI Classics, Great Recordings of the Century; 67601; Stereo, ADD.

For me, the value of this disc is in the splendid performances of the concert for Clarinet, Jack Brymer, clarinet, and Concerto for Bassoon, Gwydion Brooke, bassoon. Both soloists play with skill and most appropriate interpretation. These will be valuable additions to your library of recordings, especially the concerto for bassoon because we so rarely have an opportunity to hear it.

I find Sir Thomas Beecham's reading of Mozart's Symphony No. 41 to be often too slow and sometimes even ponderous. The spark that marks so much of this music is missing. Buy the disc for the concertos. They alone are worth the price.

CLASSICAL YO-YO: 16 works, solo and with supporting artists. Sony Classical 89667. How do you name the many excellent qualities of cellist Yo-Yo Ma's playing? Let me count the ways -- simply be referring to the 16 works on this splendid disc. What a wonderful potpourri Yo-Yo Ma -- assisted by this stellar cast of co-artists -- creates on his cello. The works run the gamut of works great, semi-great and just plain good: Bach, Picazzolla, Dvorak, Gershwin, O'Connor, Brahms, Rachmaninoff, Williams and many others.

Yo-Yo Ma's co-artists include, among others, Bobby McFerrin, he of the unique voice; Itzhak Perlman, violin, with Seiji and the Boston Symphony Orchestra; vocalist Allison Krauss; violinists Isaac Stern and Jaime Laredo, and as many more.

Many of these recordings are excerpts from earlier recordings; some are new. Take my word on this one. It's a delightful disc. You'll love it.

(c)Copley News Service

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Author: King Durkee