Jascha Heifetz has been called the first and greatest of all virtuosos. Critics agree when RCA Victor once dubbed him “The Violinist of the Century”. Now all of Heifetz’s stereo recordings are being issued together in a single Sony Classical box of 24 CDs, coupled by composer and remastered from the original analogue tapes in 24-bit / 192 kHz and DSD quality. Heifetz authority John Maltese provides a new introductory essay.Less than two weeks after his sensational US debut at Carnegie Hall, a 16-year-old Russian émigré named Jascha Heifetz – protégé of the legendary St. Petersburg violin teacher Leopold Auer and already acclaimed in Europe – made his first Victor recordings. Some 40 years later he began re-recording much of the mainstream violin repertoire for RCA Victor in stereo. These performances “find Heifetz at his most intense and glowing,” wrote Gramophone in its March 1988 obituary, “and their continued release on CD is building up a stunning three-dimensional sound-picture of Heifetz at his peak.” In warhorses like the Beethoven, Brahms, Mendelssohn, Tchaikovsky and Sibelius concertos, his stereo LPs set new standards. Reviewing a previous reissue, ClassicsToday exclaimed: “Heifetz and Munch play the [Beethoven] with a classical poise and chiseled perfection. It goes without saying that Heifetz’s flawless intonation and ear-catching articulation leave most other players in the shade. As for the Mendelssohn, this is simply the greatest performance yet recorded. The work was made for Heifetz: Mendelssohn was himself a romantic of classical restraint and created a virtuoso showpiece that requires total control over the instrument.” Another typical Heifetz review, this time from Fanfare on his Bruch and Vieuxtemps: “There was simply no one who could play this florid Romantic music like Heifetz … This is the finest recording of Bruch’s masterpieces ever made in terms of both performance and sound.” As the Gramophone obituary also noted, it is doubtful if any other international soloist lavished so much time and energy on chamber music, notably in the concerts and recordings with cellist Gregor Piatigorsky, which began in 1961 and are documented in this collection. Heifetz’s repertoire also featured a vast array of show-stopping virtuoso pieces and his own brilliantly effective transcriptions. Those are also generously represented in this box set. The great violinist’s last “session” was a live recording of his last public performance, on 23 October 1972 in Los Angeles. Here it is complete on two CDs. Critic Tim Page has written that “the program – in both its planning and its execution – was not markedly different from one Heifetz might have offered decades before. From the beginning of the Franck Sonata – rapt, centered, directly linear in its phrasing, immaculately aristocratic in its bearing – there can be no mistaking the artist … There is something noble about Heifetz’s constancy. Few performing artirests have exercised such meticulous control over their creative lives.”
P**G
A Classic Collection to Treasure
There is little doubt that Jascha Heifetz was the greatest twentieth century exponent of the violin.The collection is a tour de force, with all his RCA, EMI, American Decca, CBS and Vox Cum Laude recordings. All the classics are there- the Beethoven (with Toscanini), the Brahms Double with Feuermann, Elgar, Bruch, Korngold, Mendelssohn, Sibelius, Tchaikovsky, Mozart and Glazunov. It's all electrifying. The chamber music is fascinating. Lots of beautiful playing of Beethoven, Schubert and Brahms Trios. The famous Saint-Saens First Sonata (with Brooks Smith). And each recording is in its classic jacket, with the imprint of the old record on the CD. The accompanying book is excellent, with the Maltese essay and a very well indexed listing (both in chronological order and by composer). Sony BMG won a Gramophone award for the Horowitz in 2010. This is even better. Don't hesitate!
O**
Is it not possible to give GOD's Fiddler more than 5 Stars.
These recordings fill me with emotions that are difficult to express in words alone.The composers of the works played by Heifetz would doubtless have made him the dedicatee of their compositions.The intonation and clarity of every single note is a thing of great beauty and the pleasure lives with me and gives me the comfort I need to live and eventually to die.
H**T
Excellent
Excellent set of CDs - both myself and my uncle should enjoy them for sometime.
E**A
all nice
Very good СD.Reliable seller.
B**E
A Treasure
Simply outstanding and at a great price for such a collection
A**R
Five Stars
A must have Heifetz collection in its best form of production.
J**N
Five Stars
Excellent
M**Y
Five Stars
Perfect violin plaing, as one would expect. Excellent remasterings.
J**Z
Compra que vale cada centavo
Excelente colección, calidad de audio y presentación.
S**K
Violin music lover should have this collection even if you never like his playing before.
Simply sublime violin playing and remastered sound. I never appreciate Heifetz playing chamber music. Now I do, esp. the Beethoven's Piano Trio Opus 1, No. 1. I had this vinyl album in the 60's and has waited 4 decades for this CD.His Mozart is also a new discovery for me. Never imagine I actually love his Mozart.The marvelous remastering is responsive for my rediscovery of Heifetz sound. I have listened to him since early 60s. One would found his sound rough occasionally, but not anymore. It is silky smooth.
M**K
世界最高のヴァイオリニスト
上記タイトルは飽くまで私感ですが(とは言えそう評する評論家も多い)、他のヴァイオリニストの演奏と違って聴くたびに深みを感じその魅力にどんどんハマっていくヴァイオリン奏者である。ハイフェッツの録音は古いものが多いので今まであまり聞く機会がなかったがチャーリー・パーカーの「バードは生きている」という伝記にしばしばこの天才サックス奏者を表する比喩として取り上げられていたのがハイフェッツだったので気にはなっていた。そして最近某 you tube の動画でハイフェッツの演奏するバッハの無伴奏ヴァイオリンの為のソナタとバルティータを聴く機会があったのだがその良い意味で完璧正確かつエモーショナルな演奏に完全にノックアウトされどっぷりとハマってしまった。そういったハイフェッツのRCA時代の演奏がほぼ全部、リリース順に近い形で紙ジャケットに納められ、ボックスに纏められたのは本当に有り難い。
S**O
Five Stars
God of violinists
K**A
Musik für Jahrzehnte
Diese Musik wird bestimmt nicht nur Freunde der symphonischen Instrumentation begeistern.Als ich vor einigen Jahren zufällig abends bei Arte eine Sendung über das Leben und die Musik von Jascha Heifetz sah, hat mich sofort der besondere Klang seines Spiels fasziniert. Gelegentliche Recherchen bei Youtube führten mich schließlich Ende Januar 2015 zu dem Angebot dieser Kollektion, die ich spontan für damals knapp 157 € erwerben durfte. Am 2. Februar war sie dann bei mir ...Ich interessiere mich, abgesehen von meinem 10-jährigen Klavierunterricht und jahrzehntelangem Chorgesang, eher am Rande für sog. klassische Musik und bevorzuge meistens härtere Rockklänge, allerdings nur ausgewählte Bands.Gleichwohl weiß ich interessante und komplexe Kompositionen mit meinen fast 43 Jahren inzwischen sehr zu schätzen, unabhängig von der Instrumentation.Besonders hervorheben an der Kollektion möchte ich die zahlreichen Aufnahmen der Kammermusik, die nach meinem Empfinden bei allen Komponisten zu größerer Experimentierfreudigkeit führen als die auch sehr schönen Konzerte mit vollem Orchester.Um einen umfangreichen Einstieg bzw. eine Vertiefung in ein recht großes Spektrum der klassischen Musik zu bekommen, eignet sich dieses Paket hervorragend. Und das Spiel von Jascha Heifetz erleichtert mir auch das Durchhören von CDs, die mir beim ersten Mal nicht so gefallen. Doch wer weiß, wie das Gefühl nach 10 oder 20 Durchläufen einzelner Aufnahmen ist.Absolute Kaufempfehlung für Menschen, die die Emotionalität dieser Musik genießen können.
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