JASCHA HEIFETZ: MILESTONES OF A VIOLIN LEGEND - VIOLIN CONCERTOS AND CHAMBER MUSIC (10 CDS)

Jascha Heifetz, who was born in Vilnius in 1901 or 1899, and died in Los Angeles in 1987, holds a special position among the greatest violinists of the 20th century. His fame spread with awe-inspiring speed ever since his US-debut at New York's Carnegie Hall in October 1917. As a six-year-old already he had been awarded a first prize in his hometown, which allowed him to make his debut with Mendelssohn's violin concerto. Even though Jews were not allowed to live in St. Petersburg, the Conservatory enabled him to study there. His outstanding technique allowed him to present a surprisingly versatile repertoire in concert halls and recording studios. He premiered Prokofiev's second violin concerto in the US, Korngold, Rózsa and others dedicated their works to him. His most valuable instrument, besides a Stradivarius, was the Guarneri del Gesù, on which Mendelssohn's violin concerto had been performed for the very first time.

 
BEETHOVEN - Violin Concerto in D major, Op. 61:

1. I. Allegro ma non troppo 
2. II. Larghetto 
3.  III. Rondo: Allegro 

MENDELSSOHN - Violin Concerto in E minor, Op. 64

4. I. Allegro ma appassionato -
5. II. Andante -
6. III. Allegretto non troppo. Allegro molto Vivace 

Boston Symphony Orchestra

Charles Munch

recorded 1955 (Beethoven); 1958 (Mendelssohn)

RCA Living Stereo LSC 1992 and LSC 2314

DISC 2

BRAHMS - Violin Concerto in D major, Op. 77

1. I. Allegro non troppo (Cadenza: Heifetz) 
2. II. Adagio 
3. III. Allegro giocoso, ma non troppo Vivace 

Chicago Symphony Orchestra

Fritz Reiner, conductor

recorded 1955

BRAHMS - Concerto for Violin and Cello in A minor, Op. 102

4. I. Allegro 
5. II. Andante 
6. III. Vivace non troppo 

Gregor Piatagorsky, cello

RCA Victor Symphony Orchestra

Alfred Wallenstein, conductor

 

DISC 3
TCHAIKOVSKY - Violin Concerto in D major, Op. 35

1. I. Allegro moderato 
2. II. Canzonetta: Andante 
3. III. Allegro vivacissimo 

Chicago Symphony Orchestra

Fritz Reiner, conductor

recorded 1957

VIEUXTEMPS - Violin Concerto No. 5 in A minor, Op. 37

4. I. Allegro non troppo 
5. II. Adagio 
6. III. Allegro con fuoco 

New Symphony Orchestra of London

Sir Malcolm Sargeant

recorded 1961

MENDELSSOHN - Trio for Piano, Violin and Cello No.1 in D minor, Op. 49

7. I. Molto allegro e agitato 
8. II. Andante con moto tranquillo 
9. III. Scherzo 
10. IV. Finale: Allegro assai appassionato 

w. Arthur Rubinstein, piano and Gregor Piatagorsky, cello

recorded 1950

DISC 4
BRUCH - Violin Concerto No. 1 in G minor, Op. 26

1. I. Vorspiel: Allegro moderato 
2. II. Adagio 
3. III. Finale: Allegro energico 

recorded 1962

BRUCH - Scottish Fantasy, Op.46

4. I. Introduction: Grave. Adagio cantabile 
5. II. Allegro 
6. III. Adagio. Andante sostenuto 
7. IV. Finale: Allegro guerriero 

with Osian Ellis, harp

New Symphony Orchestra of London

Sir Malcolm Sargeant, conductor

recorded 1961

DISC 5
SIBELIUS - Violin Concerto in D minor, Op. 47

1. I. Allegro moderato 
2. II. Adagio dimolto 
3. III. Allegro ma non tanto 

Chicago Symphony Orchestra

Walter Hendl, conductor

recorded 1959

PROKOFIEV - Violin Concerto No. 2 in G minor, Op. 63

4. I. Allegro moderato 
5. II. Andante assai 
6. III. Allegro ben marcato 

Boston Symphony Orchestra

Charles Munch, conductor

recorded 1959

DISC 6
KORNGOLD - Violin Concerto in D major, Op. 35

1. I. Moderato nobile 
2. II. Romance 
3. III. Finale: Allegro assai. Vivace 

Los Angeles Philharmonic

Alfred Wallenstein, conductor

recorded 1953

ROSZA - Violin Concerto, Op. 24

4. I. Allegro non troppo ma passionato 
5. II. Lento cantabile 
6. III. Allegro Vivace 

Dallas Symphony Orchestra

Walter Hendl, conductor

recorded 1956

RAVEL - Trio for Piano, Violin and Cello in A minor

7. I. Moderato 
8. II. AssaI. Vivace 
9. III. Largo assai.

10. IV. Finale 

with Arthur Rubinstein, piano and Gregor Piatagorsky, cello

recorded 1950

DISC 7
WIENIAWSKI  - Violin Concerto No. 2 in D minor, Op. 22

I. Allegro moderato 
2. II. Romance. Andante non troppo 
3. III. Allegro con fuoco. Allegro moderato (a la zingara) 

RCA Victor Symphony Orchestra

Izler Solomon, conductor

recorded 1951

LALO - Symphony espagnole for Violin and Orchestra in D minor, Op. 21

4. I. Allegro ma non troppo 
5. II. Scherzando. Allegro molto 
6. III. Andante 
7. IV. Rondo: Allegro 

RCA Victor Symphony Orchestra

William Steinberg, conductor

recorded 1947

8. BIZET - Arr.: Franz Waxman  - Carmen Fantasy 

RCA Victor Symphony Orchestra

Donald Voorhees, conductor

recorded 1946

DISC 8
MOZART - Sinfonia concertante in E flat major

1. I. Allegro maestoso 
2. II. Andante 
3. III. Presto 

with William Primrose, viola

RCA Victor Symphony Orchestra

Izler Solomon, conductor

recorded 1956

BACH - Concerto for two Violins in D minor, BWV 1043

4. I. Vivace 
5. II. Largo ma non tanto 
6. III. Allegro 

with Erick Friedman, violin

New Symphony Orchestra of London

Sir Malcolm Sargeant, conductor

MENDELSSOHN: Violin Concerto in E minor, Op. 64

7. I. Allegro ma appassionato 
8. II. Andante 
9. III. Allegretto non troppo. Allegro molto Vivace 

NBC Symphony Orchestra

Arturo Toscanini, conductor

recorded 1944, live

DISC 9
1. BACH - Sonata No. 1 in G minor : I. Adagio 
2. BACH - Sonata No. 1 in G minor : II. Fugue/Fuge: Allegro 
3. BACH - Sonata No. 1 in G minor : III. Sicilliano 
4. BACH- Sonata No. 1 in G minor : IV. Presto 
5. BACH - Sonata No. 2 in A minor : I. Grave 
6. BACH - Sonata No. 2 in A minor : II. Fugue/Fuge 
7. BACH - Sonata No. 2 in A minor : III. Andante 
8. BACH - Sonata No. 2 in A minor : IV. Allegro 
9. BACH - Sonata No. 3 in C major : I. Adagio 
10. BACH - Sonata No. 3 in C major : II. Fugue/Fuge: Alla breve 
11. BACH - Sonata No. 3 in C major : III. Largo 
12. BACH - Sonata No. 3 in C major : IV. Allegro assai 

DISC 10
1. BACH - Partita No. 1 in B minor : I. Allemande 
2. BACH - Partita No. 1 in B minor : II. Double 
3. BACH - Partita No. 1 in B minor : III. Courante 
4. BACH - Partita No. 1 in B minor : IV. Double 
5. BACH - Partita No. 1 in B minor : V. Sarabande 
6. BACH - Partita No. 1 in B minor : VI. Double 
7. BACH - Partita No. 1 in B minor : VII. Bourrée 
8. BACH - Partita No. 1 in B minor : VIII. Double 
9. BACH - Partita No. 2 in D minor : I. Allemande 
10. BACH - Partita No. 2 in D minor : II. Courante 
11. BACH - Partita No. 2 in D minor : III. Sarabande 
12. BACH - Partita No. 2 in D minor : IV. Gigue 
13. BACH - Partita No. 2 in D minor : V. Chaconne 
14. BACH - Partita No. 3 in E major : I. Preludio 
15. BACH - Partita No. 3 in E major : II. Loure 
16. BACH - Partita No. 3 in E major : III. Gavotte en Rondeau 
17. BACH - Partita No. 3 in E major : IV. Menuet I 
18. BACH - Partita No. 3 in E major : V. Menuet II 
19. BACH - Partita No. 3 in E major : VI. Bourrée 
20. BACH - Partita No. 3 in E major : VII. Gigue 

 recorded 1952