Tchaikovsky, Mendelssohn: Violin Concertos

The Tchaikovsky violin concerto is one of my absolute favorite pieces of music. Period. The fact that my mother was a violinist had nothing to do with it. Hah. I must have just about every recording made, including Erica Morini on an LP. And most of the "named" fiddlers of our time.This one beats them all.I was in my car listening on the radio when this came on. I had to pull over to the curb to finish listening before I ran into something -- it was that mesmerizing. Chung seems to play with a "take no prisoners" forcefulness. She "attacks" the violin like a lover, with a passion and sweetness I've not heard before. Her tone and bowing are impeccable; her virtuosity head-shaking.The Mendelssohn is an added benefit. But I got this for the Tchaikovsky. When it was first performed, it was not a critical success, much the opposite in fact. A noise, a stink to the ear, were some of the kinder reviews. How entirely wrong they were!Get it yourself! If you think you know these concerti, you don't. Not yet.

Kyung Wha Chung's recording of the Tchaikovsky and Mendelssohn Violin Concertos with Charles Dutoit is as good as it gets. The sound is rich and spacious, yet detailed. The balance between the orchestra and violin is just right. On the Tchaikovsky, Chung and Dutoit really 'work it', both for emotion and flash & dazzle. The real surprize here, for me, is the Mendelssohn. The performance is soulful and weighty, yet perfectly balanced, to achieve a level of grandeur I have not previously heard in this work.

A rare faultless recording where the composer , conductor, orchestra and soloist were all at the Zenith of their artistry .One of the greatest recordings ever made !

Have you ever sat and watched a hummingbird for a few minutes? This is what this artist reminds me of in this Violin Concerto in E Minor. I was transfixed, with tears in my eyes with the sheer beauty of expression. What power, what graciousness, what magnificent coloring and shading. Only Joshua Bell and Pinchas Zuckerman come close to this rendering. This recording should be re-released. This artist should not be allowed to go unnoticed by generations of young folk. She should be held up as THE ideal.

I heard Kyung-Wha Chung in an interview on NPR and had to check her playing. She is a marvelous violinist!

There isn't any doubt that Chung's rendition of Tchaikovsky violin concerto as recorded here with Charles Dutoit is the all time high of this timeless masterpiece. Actually I attended a live concert of Chung playing the same in mid 1970's. I thought she was overly emotional, and the concert was so so. I was probably wrong. A decade later, with a much better understanding of classical music, I was looking for a real gem of this piece, I had no doubt this is IT, not Heifetz. 35 years has passed since this recording, but it still stands as the highest performance ever recorded for this piece in my assessment. For me, when it comes to Tchaikovsky violin, it's Chung's. For Beethoven's violin concerto, it's Heifetz' recording with Boston SO/Munch.

David Hurwitz, the Amazon reviewer, says Chung is no Heifetz. Well thank goodness because Heifetz's interpretations leave me cold in their technical bravura. While his technique may have been perfect, his recordings miss some of the passion. Chung's Tchaikovsky is full of feeling and passion, not to mention incredible bravura. Particularly in the final movement she dazzles and completely overwhelms you with her artistry. I prefer this version to her earlier version Tchaikovsky with Andre Previn. Charles Dutoit and the Montreal Orchestra are sensitive not to overpower Chung, yet the full, rich sound we have come to expect from them are there when needed. It is too bad she has disappeared from the recording scene.

Kyung played at Royce Hall, UCLA; and the student advisor was my sailing partner at UCLA; she asked me to wear a 3 piece suit and present Kyung roses as she thought it 'd be great to have a guy present the woman artist with the roses; I did after her brilliant live performance of this "unplayable" piece; it was brilliant and I got my chance to present the red roses to the artist, at the end of her performance of this pyrotechnical piece.Any violinist tackling this piece must be at their peak abilities.

First had this on tape 40 years ago. It still gives me goose bumps!

This is not the smooth-classic type of performance, which is usually associated with these popular concetos, but uncompromisingly intense and passionate reading by young Kyung Wha Chung, digitally recorded in 1983 in vivid sound quality. The risk she takes in the outer movements of Tchaikovsky concerto is astonishing. She is technically dazzling and solid in the both concertos, yet every phrasing and intonation speaks of her mature artistry and deeper sympathy with the soul of the music, that is reflected particularly in the slow movement of the concertos. Montreal SO's playing, under Dutoit, is wonderfully rich and vibrant, and finely balanced with the soloist. My favourite recording by Chung alongside her deeply Romantic account of Elgar concerto with Solti.

Bellissima incisione del concerto per violino e orchestra di Tchaikovsky. Ottima interpretazione, dotata di una certa energia, e ottima registrazione. Una delle mie esecuzioni preferite.

Excellent!

Fantastische Aufnahme. Obwohl schon etwas älter, ist sie dennoch von musikalisch hohem Wert und auch klanglich vergleichsweise auf gutem Niveau.