Casals, Cortot, Thibaud Trio Mendelssohn d mvt 1

Mendelssohn D Minor Trio, Op.49 - 1. Molto allegro ed agitato. Casals formed a trio with Thibaud and Cortot in the teens. This was recorded on June, 20 - 21, 1927, Large Queen's Hall, London.

Category:

Music

Tags:

• Casals
• Cortot
• Thibaud
• trio
• Mendelssohn

[aimson]

A great recording. My only observation is that I don't feel the same height of emotional intensity displayed in the Rubinstein recording. Heifetz is really the deciding factor in my view. The playing here is beautiful and inspiring all the same.

[2ndviolinist]

@aimson If you mean rough and ready playing with little subtlety, you're right on target. Restraint is either good or bad, to me, in this case C,C & T's is the far superior approach. I know this sounds confrontational, but it's not personal, just a firmly rooted belief on my part.

[TomBarrister]

@2ndviolinist It's hardly fair to compare the two: This trio had been performing together for over a decade. Heifetz and company were sight-reading the music (and turning their own pages). I've read the Heifetz and Rubinstein were at odds over the "correct" tempo of the movement to the point where each one walked out once. In the first case, Piatigorsky convinced Heifetz to come back. In the second case, Rubinstein returned after a few minutes, saying "Well, I can't leave. It's my house!"

[2ndviolinist]

@TomBarrister Pretty crazy of them to allow such a performance to be filmed and included in a documentary. I rented several Heifetz VHS tapes years ago that included that footage.

[raanan17]

A bit silly to compare but as far as I have experienced,the only trio that can be placed alongside CC&T is the Busch/Serkin trio.There was a funny saying -when CC&T would arrive in a city for a concert,Thibaud would visit the local bawdyhouse,Cortot would go to a music library,and Casals remain in the hotel room to practice.

[2ndviolinist]

@raanan17 Maybe Casals needed more practice time. He formed the group but was probably the weakest player but not by a lot.

[MrGer2295]

BEAUTIFUL!!! Thank you my friend for sharing this video.

[PiningGersha]

Casals is older than Cortot? That doesn't seem plausible.....

[BestAmateurViolinist]

One of the very best performances of this is actually a rare disk by the Beaux Arts Trio with Daniel Guilet. In lessons, Guilet and he frequently spoke of Thibaud with absolute reverence. Thibaud was in his peak when Guilet was a young boy in the Paris Conservatoire.

The performance has all the elegance one could hope for. I adore everything Heifetz, but sometimes his tone is hard & brittle. Mendelssohn doesn't need to be so heavy handed. It's closer to Schubert than Beethoven, let alone Brahms.

[TomBarrister]

That said, this is a fine performance, one that shows each man at the height of his powers.

[TheEfGaRi]

I can not stop listening to 5:19 - 5:34 

I am sure that this is the most beautiful part for violin and cello.

that was ever written

!!!!

[TheEfGaRi]

5:19 is the most spectacular part for violin ever.