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Ranking of 1 or 2 best recorded violin masterworks in my humble opinion, first part (TMI)

Folks-

I come from a different era, so this list is biased, and I have to correct what I may have posted earlier because I finally have a system that is amazing and can render PCM Redbook as DSD or DXD (dcs SACD/CD player ---> Audio Research GSPre ---> Audio Research GS150 ---> Wilson Audio WattPuppy 7). What is odd is that it corresponds what I loved most when I was a violin student at New England Conservatory / Berklee.

1. Brahms Violin Concerto in D Major, Op. 77:
1.1. David Oistrakh, Cleveland Orchestra, George Szell;
1.2 Hilary Hahn, Academy of St. Martins in the Filed, Sir Neville Mariner (SCAD or High Resolution) tied with Itzhak Perlman, Chicago Symphony Orchestra & Carlo Maria Giulini;

2. Brahms Double Concerto for Violin & Cello in A Minor:
2.1 Cleveland Orchestra, David Oistrakh, Mstislav Rostropovich & George Szell;
2.2 Mstislav Rostropovich, Itzhak Perlman, Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra & Bernard Haitink;

3. Beethoven Violin Concerto in D, Op. 61:
3.1 Itzhak Perlman, Maria Giulini,  & Philharmonia Orchestra;
3.2 Heifetz & Charles Münch;

4. Bach Violin Concerto in D Minor (after Harpsichord Concerto, BWV 1052):
4.1 Itzhak Perlman & Israel Philharmonic Orchestra - III. Allegro is one of the most amazing I have ever heard if you like baroque. Just astonishing, it sounds like he is breathing the music.

5. Bach Concerto for 2 Violins, Strings, and Continuo in D minor:
5.1 Akiko Suwanai, Chamber Orchestra of Europe & Volkhard Steude;

6.Tchaikovsky Violin Concerto in D Major;
6.1 Leonid Kogan, Philharmonia Orchestra & Kirill Kondrashin (if you can find the recording with the Orchestre de Paris it is incredible - best rendition in my opinion, I bet he is playing one of his Guarneri Gesù violins - just incredible sound;
6.2 Michael Tilson Thomas, Joshua Bell & Berlin Philharmonic - Phenomenal recording!;

7. Mozart Violin Concerto No. 2 in D Major, K. 211; Violin Concerto No. 1 in B-Flat Major, K. 207; Violin Concerto No. 5 in A Major, K. 219;
7.1 Anne-Sophie Mutter & London Philharmonic Orchestra;
7.2 Arthur Grumiaux, Sir Colin Davis & London Symphony Orchestra;

8. Niccolò Paganini: 24 Caprices for Solo Violin, Opus1;
8.1 Michael Rabin;
8.2 Ruggiero Ricci;

9. Bach: Sonatas and Partitas for Solo Violin
9.1 Nathan Milstein (1975);
9.2 Henryk Szeryng.

Thank-you - Gerry
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pkaram
40 posts
 
Wow . great post. I am in full agreement with Kogan's Tchaikovsky recording being top shelf although some will criticize it for being too over the edge. I own the 10 inch record and have played it for many guests over the years. For modern recordings I find Patricia Kopatchinskaja (Sony Classical) to be the closest in excitement to Kogan's.

Any thoughts on Sibelius?
ghosthouse's avatar
ghosthouse
4,306 posts
 
Gerry -
Your post here would make a great addition to the "Classical Music for Aficionados" thread. Consider copying and pasting there. Thanks for taking the time providing these recommendations. I was particularly interested in your Bach unaccompanied violin selections.
gsm18439
895 posts
 
I once had a copy of Oistrakh playing the Beethoven violin concerto. On Melodiya. I played it "into the ground." Have not been able to replace it. (IMHO, he is under-appreciated - perhaps because so many of his performances were not well-recorded.) Nowadays, "your" Perlman version is the one that I list to most. In general, I tend to go back and forth between vintage and modern recordings and performances. 
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