Menuhin plays Schumann Violin Concerto 1rst mvt Part 1

This is the 2nd record on the history of the Schumann violin concerto (after Georg Kulenkampff (available in my channel)). Menuhin had to create this concerto in 1937 but he was in tourned in USA. That's why Kulenkampff was choosen.
My personnal opinion between Kulenkampff and Menuhin:
I think Kulenkampff's version is much better than Menuhin version. He had the german culture. Moreover, in this recording, you can heard some differrences because Menuhin played on the original partition in spite of Kulenkampff played on his arrangement submited for the violin.
I. In kräftigem, nicht zu schnellem Tempo
Yehudi Menuhin (violin), New York philharmonic orchestra: Sir John Barbirolli (conductor)
Recorded on February 9 1938

Category:

Music

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• menuhin
• sir
• john
• barbirolli
• new
• york
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• orchestra
• schumann
• violin
• concerto

[alvinumberto]

I think that it was the first recorded performance of the violin concerto. New York Philharmonic , conductor Sir John Barbirolli ?

[petrof4056]

@alvinumberto Yes, Sir John Barbirolli, New York Philharmonic orchestra. No, this is the second first recording of Schumann's violin concerto. The very first performance is Kulenkampff's performance with Hans Schmidt-Issersted and the Berliner Philharmoniker in 1937

[petrof4056]

I think this one is very american and Kulenkampff's version is very germanic. Kulenkampff: 1937; Berlin/ Menuhin: 1938; New York City

[sonarrat]

This is such a bizarre piece. Compare it to the Piano Concerto - what a completely different composer Schumann has become by 1853. There is an almost cosmic emptiness in his music of this period, you can feel it in the Gesange der Fruhe for piano as well. Between that and the history of the work, which is something out of a Stephen King novel, this is one concerto that chills me to the bone every time I hear it.

[Kievest]

Robert Schumann had the purist

Romantic voice. In his music, we

hear a man struggling with his demons,

crying for help and clinging to the hope

of an answer. A moving human document

of a brilliant but troubled life. His was

a generous spirit that nurtured, rediscovered and was not threatened by

the genius of other artists.

[Nibelungenherr1876]

Not long after this work Schumann was sent to mental asylum. This work could be seen as suffering man's last triumph.

[totaldynamix]

It was not long ago that I came across this fascinating history of the battle between two political sides as to which would premiere the piece. How different from everything Schumann wrote earlier. The slow movement quite tears me apart. What a gem they have found. It seems to me, the losing side was acclaimed the better version!

[82224561]

First time I heard this concerto it was by Kulenkapff!

I like here some more clarity to the articulations,more energy,panach...

poicpi

[eusebium7]

@eusebium7

I prefer the crisp basic tempo that Barbirolli takes, too many take such a flabby tempo that the suspicion tends to nag that perhaps Joachim was right

Crisp tempi in the outer movements is essential, and then a true langsam in the middle, allowing for melting innigkeit and a pure gesangvoll quality

[eusebium7]

@eusebium7

Still vapidity is not a word I would use to describe these works.

As far as chills are concerned, few composers have fought such a tragic fate and expressed this struggle in music so eloquently...if you don't believe me, listen to the slow movements of the 1st piano trio or the 2nd symphony, or the Prophet Bird, or the late Goether lieder op.98, or the songs 'Warnung' or 'Melancholie'. Or indeed the slow movt of this concerto.

As far as this performance is concerned, I love it

[eusebium7]

Vapidness in late Schumann? Never...he was the purest of composers, never producing 'empty vapidity'...most people who say this haven't heard many late works by this composer, but there is nothing vapid whatever in the 3rd symphony, the manfred music, the cello concerto, the violin sonatas, the Goethe lieder (the Wilhelm Meister settings) or the Morning Songs. Perhaps the flaw, if there was one, was in some of the 1852-3 works where at times the ideas do not develop as organically as before.

[crazy77town]

@sonarrat beautifull analysis! I'ld just like to add that since he would leave Leipzig in 1845 he would be never the same person again with definitely different inspiration and maybe a little less than in the past. Neither in Dresden nor in Dusseldorf were he finally located was happy and his spiritual illness was becoming worse!!

Finally, I want to underline the fact that this concerto was written in less than a month 3 months before his suicide attemption! In here, we can listen his feelings

[wolfgango1991]

Wonderful! I love Menuhin, Schumann and his violin concerto! :D