Search - Brahms, Szeryng, Starker :: Violin Concerto

One happier choice

Musicus | Oslo, Norway | 10/09/2005

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This one, in my opinion one of the best recordings of op. 77 & 102, is reissued in the Eloquence-series and by now - October 2005 - available (try amazon-search string B00004Z1QL) to a more favourable pricetag."

Probably the best performances available.

D. R. Schryer | Poquoson, VA United States | 01/07/2003

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Henryk Szeryng was one of the greatest violinists of the recorded era. Although he had an awesome technique, he consistently restrained it in the service of artistic, rather than virtuosic, performances. The concertos on this CD are consistent with this philosophy of Szeryng's. Haitink and the Concertgebouw Orchestra provide marvelous accompaniments in both concertos, and Starker -- who often recorded with Szeryng -- is a worthy partner in the "Double Concerto." These are probably the finest performances of these concertos currently available."

An Underrated Fine Recording of Brahms' String Concerti

John Kwok | New York, NY USA | 06/07/2002

(4 out of 5 stars)

"This is one of the lesser treasures in Philips' catalogue, which deserves to be reissued in a remastered format as one of this label's great recordings. The highlight is the splendid performance of Brahms' Double Concerto with cellist Janos Starker and violinist Henryk Szeryng both excellent soloists. I have rarely heard such a fine performance of this concerto, with neither soloist outshining the other; both are mutually compatible. Under Bernard Haitink's direction, the Concertgebouw Orchestra yields a warm, vibrant performance. Szeryng's performance of the Violin Concerto is fine, though he lacks the technical prowess of a Mutter or Vengerov, especially in some of the most technically demanding passages in the first movement. Still this is an excellent analogue recording of Brahms' string concerti and one worth owning."