On Wednesday, January 29, 2014 at 3:23:50 PM UTC-5, AB wrote:
> Two of the most famous violinists of the last century were born on Feb. 2, 26 years apart. Kreisler (1875) and Heifetz (1901). My appreciation and admiration for the art of violin playing were shaped by these two musicians (in totally different ways)
> I grew up during the the days that Heifetz reigned supreme in the violin world, and for good reason. The technique, the overall virtuosity, the absolute (almost) perfect intonation. Nowadays we have quite a few violinists who can match Heifetz's accuracy but there is a certain élan and fire to his playing that cannot be duplicated. All of this made a great impression on me during my teens......
> In my home we had Kreisler's later recording of the Mendelssohn concerto (78s) which made little positive impact on me. Obvious slips and intonation problems and none of the virtuosity and excitement of Heifetz's playing.........
> Then the shocking surprise of my musical life. In the CCNY music library was an album of the Grieg C minor sonata with Rachmaninoff. I was intensely curious to hear R.'s playing....... there was very little of it on the radio and every so often they would play some Kreisler, mostly short pieces, a concerto here and there which I basically ignored.
> As soon as I heard the first few phrases from the violin, I was stunned. I had never heard anything like that before. All the previous Kreisler recordings that I had heard were made in his 60s (he was already past his prime by then). The tone, the incredible variable vibrato, the phrasing, the various slides, how he tapered his notes, how no matter how softly he played he maintained a full sound, the tension of the muscial line,etc.. All this for me was a miracle. I quickly realized that Heifetz, my former hero was a musical midget compared to Kreisler. The slow movt of the sonata was overwhelming in its beauty. I came home and made up my mind that I was going to find more of these recordings....
> I spent the next number years rummaging through bins of old 78s in one particular bookstore in downtown Manhattan and other locations and by the time I was through I had an almost complete collection of his 78s, some dating back to 1908.
> I hope some RMCR members will go to youtube and share the pleasures of discovery like I did way back......... the Grieg sonata is there plus many other recordings.
>
> AB