Sentimental
David Saemann | 07/12/2008
(4 out of 5 stars)
"If you are accustomed to today's younger generation of violinists playing Mozart, such as Christian Tetzlaff or Pamela Frank, Oistrakh's playing may come as a shock. He plays with a full, rich tone and an almost etude like approach to phrasing. Even as you enjoy the beautiful sounds he makes, you still think that he might phrase in a looser, dreamier style. Also anachronistic is his use of the full orchestra for the accompaniment. And when it's Karajan's Berlin Philharmonic, even with Oistrakh conducting the results are loud and lush. To put it simply, Oistrakh's Mozart sounds like no one else's. You might find it a tonic to the Mozart playing of the present day, which by comparison may sound anemic, or you might find it horrifying. If you want to explore this approach to Mozart even further, you could search out an LP of the fourth and fifth concertos by Mischa Elman and Josef Krips. The sound on Oistrakh's CD is very, very good, with just the slightest compression in the tuttis. For what it's worth, my favorite performance on the CD is in the Rondo, which seems a bit freer in interpretation that the concertos are."
Another gem by Oistrakh
Wonshik Chee | Austin, TX, USA | 12/28/2007
(5 out of 5 stars)
"Such a gem for less than $6?
I also purchased Mozart Vn concerto 4-5.
Couldn't be happier.
"