11-02-2008 Post does not mapped to Knowledge Tree Romy the Cat Boston, MA Posts 10,184 Joined on 05-28-2004 Post #: 1 Post ID: 8675 Reply to: 8675 Benjamin Britten’s Violin Concerto fiogf49gjkf0d This week WHRB broadcasted live-to-tape Britten Britten’s Violin Concerto from SF with Medori. I did not know the work well, I nearly is not a huge fun of Britten but this Violin concerto was interesting, what attracted me that it was not annoying, in counterparty to many other violin concertos. Unfortunately WHRB screws up the broadcast, so I desired to buy a commercial recording. I picked Rostropovich with London Symphony. Rostropovich was Britten’s friend, so who know… The Violin on the recording is take cake by Maxim Vengerov – an interesting figure. Anyhow, I did not receive the disk yet but I wonder is any definitive play of Britten’s Violin Concerto out there that I shell hear? Any Britten fans in here? The Cat "I wish I could score everything for horns." - Richard Wagner. "Our writing equipment takes part in the forming of our thoughts." - Friedrich Nietzsche

11-06-2008 Post does not mapped to Knowledge Tree twogoodears Italy Posts 116 Joined on 03-26-2008 Post #: 2 Post ID: 8746 Reply to: 8675 Britten fiogf49gjkf0d Here I am... I've been a Benjamin Britten's fan most of my life... from Simple Symphony Op. 1 to Death in Venice, Noye's Fludde, Ceremony of Carols, the Peter Pears/Benjamin Britten tenor & piano folk songs... to Violin Concerto... I only own and listen to Lubotsky/English Chamber Orchestra/B. Britten on Decca. I didn't listen to Rostropovich's, but the one with Britten's very own blessing and direction always intrigued me as the "real thing". BTW: Death in Venice on Decca is absolutely worth a careful, loving listen, Roman. It's my Britten's Desert Island Disc. Cheers. "Use your ears as your eyes" - Gertrude Stein Stefano

11-13-2008 Post does not mapped to Knowledge Tree op.9 Planet Earth Posts 68 Joined on 01-26-2007 Post #: 3 Post ID: 8846 Reply to: 8675 More Britten fiogf49gjkf0d also a very good performance of this concerto... Lorraine McAslan - ECO/Bedford. now on NAXOS i think (its a tricky recording to reproduce as the dynamic range is very wide - its tempting to set the solo violin level too loud.. then - ouch!) The one I remember fondly from my childhood is with Rodney Friend - violin. I must try to find it again. op.9 everybody used to call me James in my past other-worldly life.

12-12-2008 Post does not mapped to Knowledge Tree JANDL100 Forest of Dean, UK Posts 71 Joined on 09-27-2007 Post #: 4 Post ID: 9145 Reply to: 8846 I have 3 Britten VCs ... fiogf49gjkf0d I must admit that in general Britten is one of my least favourite Brit composers - I really just do not usually get on with his musical language. But the violin concerto is a very honourable exception - I guess because it has so many similarities with the Shostakovich VC1. I've got 3 recordings of Britten's violin concerto. Nora Grumlikova with the Prague SO under Peter Maag on Supraphon - Not sure why I keep this one!  Rebecca Hirsch with the BBC Scottish SO under Yuasa on Naxos - not bad at all, a real bargain.  But the best of the 3 is Mark Lubotsky, with the English Chamber Orch under the composer himself on Decca. This disc also has Richter playing the piano concerto (OK, but a much lesser work, in my opinion). Jerry