Schumann: Violin Concerto (Diary 2016-05-01)

Robert Schumann’s Violin Concerto in D minor (WoO 1 [H/K WoO 23]), in the new recording with Isabelle Faust and the Freiburg Baroque Orchestra, directed by Pablo Heras-Casado, compared to a recording with Christian Tetzlaff and Paavo Järvi / RSO Frankfurt

Beethoven: Symphony No.7 in A major, op.92

Ludwig van Beethoven: Symphony No.7 in A major, op.92 — comparing recordings with the following artists: Bernstein/New York Philharmonic (1964), Bernstein/Vienna Philharmonic (1978), Böhm (1972), Dausgaard (2001), Furtwängler/Vienna Philharmonic (1954), Hogwood (1989), Kleiber/Concertgebouw (1950), Klemperer (1955), Norrington/RSO Stuttgart (2002), Toscanini (1951), Walter/New York Philharmonic (1951), Walter/Columbia Symphony Orchestra (1958), Zinman (1997)

Beethoven: Piano Sonata No.26 in E♭ major, op.81a, «Les Adieux»

Beethoven: Piano Sonata No.26 in E♭ major, op.81a, “Les Adieux” — comparing recordings with the following artists: Wilhelm Backhaus (1961), Paul Badura-Skoda (1969), Daniel Barenboim (1984), Ronald Brautigam (2007), Emil Gilels (1984), Friedrich Gulda (1967), Arthur Rubinstein (1940 and 1962), Artur Schnabel (1935)

Gutman, Zander: Shostakovich, Dvořák, Bartók — Lucerne, 2015-06-29

Natalia Gutman played with rich rubato, exploring the depth, the melodic strength of Dvořák’s composition with her dense, soft and singing tone (…) often, in lyrical passages, the soloist appeared completely immersed into the music, listening and playing with closed eyes (…)
The fourth movement, Allegretto, “Intermezzo interrotto” is rhythmically intricate, playing with Bohemian folk melodies — in typical Bartók / Hungarian manner, the meter is changing almost from bar to bar, leaving western ears “hanging in mid-air”: the orchestra’s playing was very good and appeared almost effortless.