Beethoven and Brahms: Violin Concertos

Jascha Heifetz, violin
NBC Symphony/Toscanini (Beethoven) -- Boston Symphony/Koussevitsky (Brahms)

Naxos Historical 8.110936

Playing Time: 76:39

Marvin Segal

It is not very common to see a coupling of these two great concertos on one disk, especially as played by a performer of Heifetz's calibre, but there are at least two such disks, both of them remasterings of old performances originally recorded by RCA. This disk features the earlier performances, done on 78s in 1939 and 1940. The playing throughout is superb, clearly demonstrating Heifetz's mastery over both the instrument and the music.

The performance of the Beethoven displays the compelling drive and momentum for which this violinist was famous, and which likely was right in line with Toscanini's own inclination towards speed and clarity when playing Beethoven. I find it hard, however, to understand the liner notes' assertion that the two of them breezed through the work with little attention to its spiritual aspects. Though it may be possible to find a few moments that are perhaps not quite as lyrical as some might prefer, the singing tone is gorgeous (particularly in the second movement), the phrasing is admirable, the playing is very smooth, and it is a very beautiful performance overall. Heifetz reworked all three cadenzas himself, the Auer in the first movement, the Joachim in the second, and parts from both the Auer and Joachim cadenzas in the third.

The Brahms, played with the Boston Symphony Orchestra under Serge Koussevitsky, is given a more romantic performance, and has perhaps a slightly more open acoustic quality, having been recorded in Boston's famous Symphony Hall. Here too, the playing is immaculate and lovely, and though the long oboe solo at the start of the second movement-surely one of the most beautiful slow movements in existence-is spellbinding, the violin is even more so. No one can accuse this performance of ignoring the emotional side of the music. Once again, the cadenza is by Auer, reworked by Heifetz.

The one drawback to this recording is, of course, the recording quality. The disk is part of the Naxos Historical Great Violinists series, which presents performances by great violin masters of the past such as Heifetz, Kreisler, and Szigeti. The music is restored from old 78s (rather than from the original masters) by transfer expert Mark Obert-Thorn, whose goal is the clearest possible reproduction of the original performance rather than the addition of artificial acoustic effects designed to make the sound more modern. While the results are excellent and widely acclaimed, the fact remains that they can not compare with present-day recorded sound. The dynamic range is restricted, the tone is dry and sometimes harsh, and dense orchestral passages are opaque.

What must be remembered, of course, is that historical recordings are just that, and that for many, where great artists are involved, the sound quality is secondary. For myself, the more I listened, the less important it became. This disk might not be the choice for your one and only recording of these works, but to anyone who wants a highly moving musical experience provided by legendary musicians of the past, it is strongly recommended, especially at Naxos' remarkable prices.