Koussevitzky Plays Koussevitzky (Concerto Op. 3, II. Andante)

[gintaras0pamakstys]

A terrible performance by Koussevitzky : no sense of rhythm, direction or phrasing, and, to make the matters worse, out of tune most of the time....My sincere condolences go to the pianist, who was probably sweating his arse off to be able to adapt to the 'soloist's' piss take....:D

[Jhosepbm]

Hey... Do you have full concert?

[nickmidget]

Really in love with this. Just like a time capsule filled with beautiful art.

[Lutekbutek]

first of all is not HIS concerto, which makes a big difference...

[RobZahnBass]

Haha, I totally get that lots of portamento was typical back in the day, and I love this man, but his performance seems a bit drunk. :)

[Samthemuffinman]

@RobZahnBass Can't always expect perfection, even from the composer himself.

[wks1978]

@Samthemuffinman I think also in those days aesthetics were different to today. They seemed to go for expression rather than technical precision.

[hsu912174]

Goodness, how did it make it sound so much like a violin?

[dcco76]

@hsu912174 great bass and greater player!

[tity4100]

now i understand how this movement should be played. old school playing is always the best. viva Casals, Elman, Fournier and Koussevitzky!!!

[wks1978]

@tity4100 I agree!

[juanito8banana]

mare resi!

[perroazl]

It's a pity that he didn't record the others movs.

[KISIMOV]

WOAAA!!!!

thank you very much for that recosd!!!!!!

[Sprongles95]

gut strings!

[bassivus]

@Sprongles95

Are you sure?

[Sprongles95]

@bassivus

Yup! You can tell a little by the sound (which is just so beautiful of course), and I believe steel strings weren't used on double basses until the 50's. Have you seen the great LIFE magazine portrait photograph of Anselme Fortier? It was taken in 1938 and you can see he has gut strings too.

[wks1978]

Do you notice how he plays the section at the end of the movement up the octave in harmonics?

In the score it is written and octave lower.

after hearing this (and trying it myself) I am convinced this is right.

I'm sure there should be an 8va in the score that the publisher missed!

[kubovciklovesbass]

who the hell didnt give this a 5 star?!?!?! idiot =\

[pelutzoc]

can you upload the first and third movement?please, we want to hear all the koussevitzky's interpretation, share with us the splendid music of this master

[wks1978]

Unfortunately he didn't record the first and third movements, just the second.

I would have loved to have heard his interpretation of the first movement!

[juanito8banana]

mare si.

[hujuhaju]

But the way how he slides to a note is just delicous..

[lucianitoloko]

como ha cambiado este concierto en forma de tocarse en solo un siglo no?

[Vvarga87]

This man had a really big heart.

[karinalicha]

no mames q hermoso..¡¡¡

[paulostroff99]

Stupendous!  Bravo! TY.

[mercmike7400]

This is incredible, is this recording available anywhere? Any numbers, or labels on the old recording? I would love to be able to purchase this. A historical masterpiece!

[teofthe]

the composer performing his music.. what could be better

[jderevere]

thank you for posting

[paparaszka]

This is unique...

He had the most naturally beautiful vibrato...

This is full of colours.

[kontrabassman]

Thankyou for posting this. I was hoping that some day I could hear a recording of him.

[sebastianmitrious]

Thx for posting this ... it's amazing to see Mr. Koussevitzky himself playing this piece ... How he felt it. I wish I could listen to him playing the other movements ...

It was beautiful.

[odysseia4]

This is the way Mr Koussevitzky meant it.

Free, creative and genius!!

Dam all modern players who lack creativity.

They just play like apes without feelings according to the score. Music is nearly dead.

[exavian1]

What the hell are you talking about people show emotion and creativity all the time in music just look up Yo-Yo Ma playing the swan. His playing is pure emotion.

[odysseia4]

You are wrong!

Not every men are suitable for music.

Yo-Yo Ma plays the worst dogshit music i can imagine. The swan is horrible. Listen Gary Karr playing the swan.

Only few players are genius, but they exist like Menuhin and Heifez and Perlman.

Listen Menuhins 17-year-old interpretation of Bachs chaconne. He had soul in his sound.

Extremely rare.

I have never heard music like that.

Modern players lack colorful and artistical personal sound.

[UKNintendoManiac]

EVERYBODY plays music like apes. The principal reason why is because human beings ARE apes. Moron.

[bent96]

I second Tity4100- Thanks very much for posting. I don't suppose you have the other movements?

Boy, the way he plays with so much portamento, you could practically play it with one finger. Still great to hear though.

[baroquecello]

Unfortunately he only recorded the second movement. His use of harmonics at the end leads me to wonder how he performed the other movements. He did, however, record his Valse Miniature and Chanson Triste along with Gustav Laska's Wiegenlied and two transcriptions, the Largo from the Eccles Sonata and the Minuet in G by Beethoven.

As for the portamento I can only quote my college bass professor who on first hearing it said "it was another time."

[RobZahnBass]

@baroquecello Another time indeed. Love these old recordings; the strings sound a bit drunk. :)

[2ndviolinist]

You make portamenti sound like a bad thing. Without it this and many types of music end up as desicated as most "modern" music-making and artistic aesthetics. I'll take this over Josh Bell and Yo Ma-Ma any day. Maybe if you listen to enough old recordings the scales will fall off your ears.

[bent96]

I think you misinterpret my statement- I only mean to say that from a technical standpoint the overuse of sliding is a bad thing. An amount of it is certainly called for considering the period and influence of the piece (romantic and operatic), but, in my humble opinion, he does use a little too much: the overuse diminishes the expressive effect and calls into question whether he could play it without.

Its still a great recording to hear, especially to learn that he does play 8va at the end.

[bloodmoonblacksky]

@bent96 speaking of those harmonics, does anyone have any idea as to how he plays them? All of those harmonics exist except for the F#. There is a F# harmonic, but it's an octave above where it's supposed to be? Can anyone help he out?

[jcobalis]

wow thats great. He really does take it up the octave at the end. I never knew that.

[tity4100]

thanks for posting.