Milstein: Tchaikovsky Cto - German Capitol SMK 81059
$
60
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Description
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ITEM DESCRIPTION:
This beautiful and rather rare LP from German Capitol (SMK 81059, German pressing, rainbow label, stereo, original inner sleeve included) features the great Nathan Milstein in stunning performance of Tchaikovsky's Violin Concerto in D Major Op. 35, recorded in the warm acoustics of Syria Mosque, Pittsburg on 6 April 1959 with William Steinberg conducting the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra on brilliant form. As indicated on the front cover, Milstein used his "Maria Therese" Stradivarius violin (1716) for this recording.
Wrote the critic D.C. in his June 1960 review for The Gramophone: "Milstein gives a masterly performance of this concerto: his virtuosity in the finale is absolutely breathtaking, not even yielding place to Heifetz; and in the Canzonetta, his beautifully intimate expressiveness is only surpassed by the exquisite playing of Ferras. The first movement is superbly played, too, but I find it rather disappointing from the expressive point of view: taken at a quicker tempo than usual, it presses on rather impatiently, and the lovely lyrical themes are not treated with much affection. I should add that this impression is accentuated by the stereo recording which (in the first movement particularly) thrusts the violin right to the fore, making the tone pretty steely; in the mono version, which has a much more equal balance, Milstein's playing in this movement sounds considerably less tough and unyielding.
"In fact, I begin to wonder just how much one's reaction to violinist, in a concerto recording, is conditioned by the balance. Heifetz seems much too "grand manner" for this lyrical work, and Campoli too heavy, but they are the two who are too near to the microphone. Morini is appropriately gentle and lyrical, but then, she is farther away; and as with the present disc, she is more satisfying in mono than in stereo, owing to a better balance. Ferras sounds by far the most intimate, but after all, the balance is the most lifelike, being very near to what one hears in a concert hall (he is the only one who appears to play really quietly in the Canzonetta). There seems to be a great danger, in stereo recording, of spotlighting a violin concerto soloist excessively, which engineers in general would do well to reflect on.
"Reviewing the four discs available last month, I gave pride of place to Erica Morini for her pure tone, classical line, and delicate sweet expressiveness; but on listening again, I'm not sure I wouldn't choose Ferras; if he tends to sentimentalise a little, he does enter more deeply into the feeling of the music, and is more effortless in the virtuoso passages. But if you like a powerful treatment of the work, I strongly recommend Milstein, who is in general less fiercely recorded than Heifetz."
Although there exist other fine Milstein readings of this work (Stock/Chicago Symphony Orchestra – RCA and Abbado/Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra – DG), this Capitol recording arguably represent the high-water mark of his achievement in the Tchaikovsky Concerto. Indeed, there always seemed to be a special chemistry between Milstein and Steinberg (witness their superb Brahms and Beethoven Concerti recordings).
CONDITION:
The gradations of condition I use are as follows: MINT, Near-Mint, Excellent, Very Good, Good, Fair, Poor.
The condition of the jacket is EXCELLENT++. There is slight bumping at corners and minor creasing, but that is all. There are no seamsplits or owners' markings, and whole remains solid, bright, glossy, and highly attractive – overall, a very handsome collector's copy.
The condition of the LP itself is VERY GOOD. There is light surface noise, but nothing overly obtrusive. If you must have a flawless or near-MINT copy, then do not buy this LP. Overall, this is a very good collector's copy.
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