Bartok: The Two Violin Concertos

$19.99 (SACD)

Link to this SACD

Violin Concerto No. 2, BB 117 (more info)
Performed by: Orchestre de la Suisse Romande City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra Budapest Symphony Orchestra Swiss Romande Orchestra Polish National Radio Symphony Orchestra Philharmonia Orchestra Royal Flemish Philharmonic Orchestra
Composed by: Bela Bartok
Conducted by: Erich Bergel Sakari Oramo Pinchas Steinberg Antoni Wit Wilhelm Furtwangler Marek Janowski
Arabella Steinbacher, violin
Laurent Korcia, violin
Regis Pasquier, violin
Yehudi Menuhin, violin
Gyorgy Pauk, violin
Yossif Ivanov, violin


1.   I. Allegro non troppo - 00:16:39
2.   II. Andante tranquillo - 00:10:35
3.   III. Allegro molto - 00:12:21


Violin Concerto No. 1, BB 48a (more info)
Performed by: Orchestre de la Suisse Romande Swiss Romande Orchestra Polish National Radio Symphony Orchestra South West German Radio Symphony Orchestra, Baden-Baden
Composed by: Bela Bartok
Conducted by: Michael Gielen Antoni Wit Marek Janowski
Arabella Steinbacher, violin
Gyorgy Pauk, violin
Christian Ostertag, violin


4.   I. Andante sostenuto - 00:09:21
5.   II. Allegro giocoso - 00:12:03

Reviews

Eavesdropping on something special (Nov 3, 2010)
Reviewer:Dean Frey
Fans of recorded music have always talked about the sense of being more or less in a concert hall, listening to music as real as a live concert. The sound from this disc is so vivid and lifelike that I had a more privileged, intimate feeling. I could imagine that I was present at the recording, one of a handful of hangers-on allowed to sit in Geneva's lovely Victoria Hall while the recording... Fans of recorded music have always talked about the sense of being more or less in a concert hall, listening to music as real as a live concert. The sound from this disc is so vivid and lifelike that I had a more privileged, intimate feeling. I could imagine that I was present at the recording, one of a handful of hangers-on allowed to sit in Geneva's lovely Victoria Hall while the recording took place, experiencing the creation of something special.

I don't have the high-end system or the high-end ears of a true audiophile, but this feeling of the musicians' presence enhanced my enjoyment more than I thought it could. The outstanding quality of Arabella Steinbacher's performance of these two pieces (the second of which tops my list of the greatest 20th century violin concertos) was just as apparent to me when I listened to the MP3s on my iPhone, as was the musicality Marek Janowski brought out from the Suisse Romand Orchestra. But this Hybrid Multichannel Super Audio CD is at the intersection of the highest levels of creation, interpretation, and technology. Watch for this disc to show up on many "Best Of" lists to come! (read more)

Fabulous Performances, Challenging Music! (Sep 6, 2010)
Reviewer:Amanda King
The opening of the first track of this recording (Allegro non troppo from Concerto No.2) displays Bartok’s interest and expertise with eastern European music. Throughout the course of listening to the entire cd, the listener will find rhythmic complexity and drama of modern compositions, swells of romanticism, and heartfelt quiet moments. Arabella Steinbacher does a splendid job as soloist,... The opening of the first track of this recording (Allegro non troppo from Concerto No.2) displays Bartok’s interest and expertise with eastern European music. Throughout the course of listening to the entire cd, the listener will find rhythmic complexity and drama of modern compositions, swells of romanticism, and heartfelt quiet moments. Arabella Steinbacher does a splendid job as soloist, drawing a silky tone quality from her violin and evoking different emotions throughout. The orchestra and soloist are well balanced; the violin is the centerpiece but blends in at times so that you almost don’t recognize the shift from full orchestra to soloist. The liner notes are informative, giving history of the pieces, conductor, soloist, and orchestra. The playing on this recording is all very high quality, and listeners will find these pieces quite challenging from moment to moment. A great listen! (read more)