(2/2) David Oistrakh - Sibelius Violin Concerto (1st mvt.)

[dasteufelhund]

I am so glad to hear this combination. The best and the Moscow Radio which it does and did not disappoint.

[abviolinplayer]

perfection. absolutely beautiful piece and an incredible performers!

[240soundwave]

a masterpiece of a masterpiece

[musKS53]

May GOD bless Youtube for the joy it brings to us!

[musKS53]

Incomparable! Beyond words ... !

[Arccos230]

i dont know if this recording gives me something to aspire to cus its so great or something that makes me want to quit because i probably will never be this good...

[DL345]

@Arccos230 To aspire to!!!

[kelamuni]

this is the mature interpretation. powerful.

[koxilas1193]

i almost cried at 6:37...it sounds really majestic

[Jiske8]

Haha, I can't believe that only one third of the people who listened to the 1st mvt listened to the second!! ><

[logankovacs]

what kind of fuckin assholes must thos 5 persons be to rate "don't like" this video?

[GasparVillot]

Amazing version of the cadenza! And a wonderful version of this Concert! In my opinion one of the best perfomances and one of the truly best violinist of all time

[iLOVEmusicAH]

David Oistrakh is god for violinists !!!!!!!!!!!!

[iLOVEmusicAH]

5:50 is one of my favorite parts in this concerto! I <3 David Oistrakh

[Sorcerer2k]

I really dont like Heifetz so much.. I dont like most of his recordings. Of course he played some incredible things, but I dont like his tone and is musical Ideas. I really see no connection between him and Oistrakh, despite of the fact, they had the same teacher and both are violinists. There are some of todays violinists wich I would definetily prefer for heifetz. But Oistrakh? Noone touches his strong interpretations in nearly any romantic repertoire.

[mcgfviolista]

the best!

[rapter9800]

1:53 is one of my favorite parts of this movement

[AJNorth]

It serves little purpose to quibble over who is superior - Jascha Heifetz or David Oistrakh; bring recordings by both to your desert island and you'll be set for the rest of your life. There are a good many highly-competent violinists; the difference between the great majority of them and Oistrakh and Heifetz is that the latter two played music.

[TheGaetano62]

musician not only violinist!

[uuuuuuuuu7]

The DUNN DUNN DUNNNN at around 3.50 is too hurried. Apart from that I really love this version.

[Forest1227]

David Oistrakh is the last great violinst.

[1987arti]

King!!!

[TeeJayMarsh]

Ah, but Vengerov DOES pull it off (octaves), crisp, clear, perfectly - and beautifully. He also plays that section that was in the very original of this piece (as does Kavakos), it's so difficult it was thought nobody COULD play it. Vengerov did it best out of what I've heard. All other versions, the orchestra plays the stretch of music I refer to in the middle and near the end. Kavakos and Vengerov play it on violen near the end. .

[lucavigg]

Last two minutes sends shivers down my spine. Truly brilliant

[lb1770]

For me the difference between Oistrakh and other more "perfect" violinists is like the difference between a painting by Rembrandt and one by Caspar David Friedrich; the latter has a perfect glossy surface, but is ultimately not as human or as moving. Sorry if that sounds extremely poncy. Anyway thanks for posting!

[chiefthegreat]

Not perfect, but I still prefer it when compared to all those posers.

Interesting it would be from Neveu.

[themusicdr]

:-O at ~ 6.00

[KlimViolinov]

KING!!!!

[aeneasFF7]

Rozhdestvensky is suberb the orchestra is unique

like oistrakh

[werq34ac]

Much too underrated. It should be up there with Brahms, Beethoven Mendelssohn, Bruch, and Tchaikovsky

[stomentendo]

And Berg

[violinclass]

For violinists - note in 6:26 he does not play the bottom A (=no octave, only the open string). This is the standard version in Russia and Finland, and is sounds much better than any attempts to play an octave in this tempo

[wangman19]

i'm a bit of a music ignorant so i have to ask, is it the video quality that hinders the sound of the violin? or is it just the way oistrakh plays? i know the "old school" bunch (heifetz for ex) have a very "clean" and "succinct" technique, almost "shrew"... there isn't so much sticky vibrato used for maximum ringing out of the violin, like modern violinists (bell and chang for example). is that why the sound isn't so amplified, or is it the ancient video taping method?

[sijas]

even with the best recording technology today, if you put it on youtube, it will sound like shit.

so it is the video quality.... as you can see, it's very old.

[violinclass]

to wangman19: It is the ancient video taping :)

[kocharova]

How fortunate we are! Because of you tube we can listen all Great violinists. And it is very childish to make comparison - who is the best. They all are! Try to learn couple of measures of this concerto, strict critics! And I know this subject, because I am professional violinist. With respect to all other opinions. Violina

[volken330]

Actually, Oistrakh is a friend of Sibelius. After Sibelius wrote this piece, he asked Oistrakh to perform this piece first time while Sibelius was conducting. Oistrakh played this piece exactly the way Sibelius wanted it to be played.

[lmazen1970]

Oistrakh was 5 years old when Sibelius wrote the concerto in 1903! Oistrakh was a friend of Shostakovich and Khatchaturian, both of whom dedicated their violin concertos to him (1 and 2 in case of Shostakovich)

[leonlixinfong]

The cadenza is not good.

[ddviolinist]

What is amazing about this guy is that his sound is incredible, but in fact, he didn't ever fuss over his soundpost or worry about any kind adjustment. He didn't seem to notice if it wasn't "perfect" and just played with great sound at all times. He has been my favorite violinist for over 35 years. It hasn't changed.

[BlackIce415]

You can never go wrong with D. Oistrakh.

[crawfordviolin]

This interpretation is rushed, but awesome!

[evilpersondude]

at 4:31 so beautiful!

[DHcello]

i want found gidon.kremer verison,where?

[Lothwen008]

listen to gidon kremer´s version - just like this, but in a better quality.

[siebenkaas]

it's true! i had this record fifteen years ago, sad i lost it (damn, how?). i am very thankful it's to be found here, cause since i lost it i missed oistrakhs interpretation - a lot

[cayman228]

David Oistrakh, the better violinist of last 150 years. Period.

[OriginalMoonbeam]

I really admire his bowing! It is aggressive, yet he makes it look so easy

[anigopal]

I've listened to and played this piece many times so I know it pretty well, but in this particular video I was in such a state of trance until the long trill at around 5:45 that the dynamic change through me off my chair!

[Lukecash12]

It hits real deep...

[operamania08]

Look at his posture!

It is truely amazing!

Internation, perfect.

If you listen to other violinists recording, it may sound quite good, but that is actually edited by sound engineer for many times, but this live recording actually tell how great this violist was.

20 out of 10!!!!

[accnmbr1]

there were so many things that are incorrect in that comment. I didnt know Oistrakh was a violist ;)

[rule914]

Ironically, your sarcasm has failed you; Oistrakh was a violist. He learned the viola before the violin, and he plays the viola really well, as evidenced in his recording of Mozart's Sinfonia Concertante with his son.

[accnmbr1]

but is reconized for his ability to play the violin. ifsofacto muchacho he is a violinist and a violist and a russian. he's like a trifecta of awesome things and stuff.

[Brahmsfourth]

Haunting, brilliant and bit unreal. This man was an incredible talent. What I wouldn't give to have heard him play live!

[khilger600]

Omg I totally agree... i love 4:30 - 4:45 and 5:20 - 5:38

[theViolinDreamer]

Oh my god, this concert and the way great Oistrakh plays it give me chills.

[Neishapour]

This is the best performance of this music I have ever heard. Thanks for sharing it. I wish I had the DVD in my collection.

[francescharp]

minchiaaaaa!!!!

[cheetos4me]

Emotional, passionate performance.

His shostakovich is unrivalled

[jorgeamenabar]

EXCELENTE!

[sarsTOTHEmax]

oh he's just so ridiculously capable it hurts

[urrockina]

excellent diction.

[damendogg]

He won one of the big prizes in the 1930's with the Sibelius--Ysaye or Queen Elizabeth or whatever it was called then.

30 years later he's as fresh as ever in this recording.

Too bad there isn't more availble of this amazing violinist--Menuhin thought he was the greatest.

[profsha]

Magnificent ! This is it ! Bravo !

[SLOKO970]

Amen.

[waytoocool]

this is an amazing proformance, I cant compare it.

[charleygirlford]

incredible.

[chiefthegreat]

This is the hammer !! Sometimes I like Heifetz or Menuhin better, but this _intensity_ is is mighty.

[FinaleFantasy]

He has some really hard releases, too, which just ruins some of the pivotal moments.

[abburidotakaria]

let's see you play this concerto on youtube hotshot.

[FinaleFantasy]

Maybe. Maybe. I think this is an amazing performance, a solid and musical one, I just don't think it fits Sibelius' composition.

[ddviolinist]

OMG!!  You feel you have the right to say this about one of the greatest violinists that ever lived? What an arrogant jerk to say his playing doesn't fit Sibelius. Jeez, now I have seen it all here on youtube.

[FinaleFantasy]

I'm not saying anything against his actual playing, but I do feel I have the right to say that this interpretation doesn't fit the printed music. No matter who plays it, it's still Sibelius' composition, and I don't feel that Oistrahk played it the BEST way he could.

[ddviolinist]

Well, you have the right to YOUR opinion, but to say that "his interpretation doesn't fit the printed music" is ONLY your opinion. Most of the professional world would disagree with you. You should think about how you say things in the future. You wrote it as if it is truth for all, instead of truth for YOU...

[FinaleFantasy]

Sorry if it sounded negative. I really do like Oistrahk's interpretation. I just don't think it's as good as it should have been, coming from him.

[igorpdx]

"but I do feel I have the right to say that this interpretation doesn't fit the printed music." FinaleFantasy

Ludicrous. Notice that Oistrahk is playing without any "printed" music. He is playing this piece superbly and exactly the way he wants to. Music is an art- and art is meant to be interpreted- not just mechanically reproduced. That is why there are countless different interpretations of every composer' works.

You can say that you prefer another interpretation, but I love Oistrahk's.

[FinaleFantasy]

Ludicrous?  I'm not even saying I prefer another recording, only that I think Oistrahk could have done more than he did, because, as you've said, he was one of the greatest violinists that ever lived.

[FinaleFantasy]

Oh, sorry. Someone else made that comment about him being one of the greatest.

[igorpdx]

You have to remember that Oistrahk had suffered a severe heart attack just 18 months before this performance, and would suffer a fatal one in 1974 while performing.

My favorite recording of his Sibelius was the one he did in 1959 with Eugene Ormandy conducting the Philadelphia Orchestra.

You must remember that an artist is totally free during his cadenzas to improvise. That's what keeps the art alive. They are not locked into a "printed" score.

Beethoven did the same thing.

I love Oistrahk

[igorpdx]

"but I do feel I have the right to say that this interpretation doesn't fit the printed music."

Again. Nonsense. Once a composer releases his "printed" score he allows improvisation in the cadenzas.- and that is what Oistrahk is doing. He is not following a "printed" score. Beethoven in his famous Violin concerto did not write the cadence for violin, but allowed the violinist to improvise, thus showing his technical and interpretational qualities.

Oistrahk shines each time he played this.

[Lukecash12]

It should be noted that the composer himself told Sibelius his wishes for interpreting the piece. So in fact, no performance can be more legitimately captivating than that of Oistrakh. I assure you i'm not BSing, i have his biography in my lap next to Prokofeiv's biography(Prokofeiv actually wrote a few pieces specifically for Oistrakh to play).

[FinaleFantasy]

I have to agree with drtranunity's unlyrical comment. The main thing I dislike is this guy's tempo. It just isn't Sibelius.

[abburidotakaria]

then don't listen to this video then... obviously

[lunytic]

i think one of the only other interpretations of this piece can compare and to me thats Ferras sibelius

[QFLYBOY]

When was this made? There's a great new recording of it live with a Finnish Orchestra on Ondine 1954. Unbelievable.

[drtranunity]

its so unlyrical. he plays all the passages brilliantly, but there is no music in it, unlike heifetz or ferras. very unlyrical.

[abburidotakaria]

You say that they you don't like Oistrakh, yet you are STILL so attracted to him, listening to so many of his videos.

[chichinno]

Oistrakh is the best ever.

[JPEXStudios]

also, the heifetz version with chicago symphony more accurately represents sibelius' style. the orchestra is much better than the one in the video here.

[cleopatra11]

Sibelius loved Oistrakh's version.

[JPEXStudios]

Sibelius also loved heifetz's version

[abburidotakaria]

if you dislike this video so much, please go away

[JPEXStudios]

i never said i dislike this video. heifetz doesn't have a video (not that i know of anyway). i just like heifetz playing this particular piece better than oistrakh. it's a simple matter of analysis on a performance, so don't jump to your conclusions. music is subjective, and i have a right to comment on a performance. criticizing doesnt mean i hate it.

[abburidotakaria]

The Heifetz/Hendi version is much better than the Heifetz/Reiner, but I still prefer Oistrakh

[abburidotakaria]

also, watch and comment on Ferras's Sibelius concerto on youtube

[takhirviolinest]

@JPEXStudios yes, but Oistrakh's version is powerful, much passion, miracle, so sweet sound.

[kotomalamitsosos]

oh god.He is so clean so emotional so perfect...

[JPEXStudios]

i like heifetz's version better, the one with chicago symphony orchestra. oistrakh isn't legato enough and has too much attack, especially in the secondary theme areas (around 4:30 in the video).