首先声明小白是海菲茨的崇拜者，在《音乐爱好者》上发表过一篇很长的海菲茨文章的就是我，在《视听技术》杂志上也写过几篇介绍海菲茨的文章，其中一篇是翻出了当年海菲茨纽约首演后的报纸乐评。
然而，作为一个有清...
难道海菲兹不忠实原作，歪曲贝多芬了？？
拉什么，如何拉，这都是清楚地印在乐谱上的！从这个角度看，能不能说，海菲兹比其他人更直接得到了贝多芬的“真传“？ Jascha Heifetz: The Violinist of the Century
He was universally acclaimed as the violinist of the century. But for many, that wasn’t enough.
Even his harshest detractors had to admit that Jascha Heifetz (1900 - 1987) had the greatest technique in history (and the few recordings of his concerts prove that his precision wasn’t a studio fabrication). Even more amazing, his fabulous talent was fully formed by the time of his first teenaged records, cut weeks after his sensational 1917 Carnegie Hall debut. Just listen to how effortlessly he tosses off Bazzini’s fiendishly difficult "Ronde des Lutins" with breakneck speed, staggering technique and attitude galore.
The Artist and the Critics
In art, as in politics, radical youths mellow in middle age and gravitate toward a more conservative middle ground, but not Heifetz. Rather than embrace mellow maturity, Heifetz maintained throughout his half-century career the fleet precision of his initial fame.
Most artists dream in vain of fending off technical decline. Heifetz, though, faced the opposite problem. Many violin devotees accuse Heifetz of never evolving a distinctive personal vision. Indeed, it has become fashionable to flail Heifetz for an emotional reticence at odds with the heart-on-sleeve style we normally expect of our fiddlers. But instead of damning him for what he wasn't (and never pretended to be), it seems far better to hail him for seizing upon a unique personality and never straying. Throughout his career, Heifetz projected his sensational technique and pure tone with affirmative athletic confidence. Even in his last performances, he sounds like the most youthful violinist on record.
Critics also flayed Heifetz for playing too fast, but that’s largely an illusion. Try this: imagine a favorite melody (or even just a scale) with sliding, blended notes. Now imagine it again at the same tempo but with the notes short and clipped. The latter always sounds faster, even though it isn’t. That’s how it was with Heifetz – his precision seemed much quicker than it really was. Even so, the perception of velocity is genuinely thrilling.
Ultimately, Heifetz was accused of being cold and mechanical. But his technical perfection, while unsentimental, was still full of sentiment. His subtle inflection enabled him to slip beneath the surface without disturbing the formal design.
A deeply personal vision is not the only route to elicit the meaning in music. Take Heifetz’s forthright Bach solo sonatas, which succeed precisely because their direct simplicity focuses attention on the purity of Bach’s conception. His approach honors the music, not the interpreter. The sheer transparency of Heifetz’s work lends it a timeless quality that never becomes tiresome.
The Heifetz Records
For nearly his entire career, Heifetz was an exclusive RCA artist. In 1994, RCA/BMG honored him in a suitably massive but utterly unwieldy way: a reissue of all seventy-plus hours of his commercial recordings. But rather than roll the discs out gradually, as it had sensibly done with its comparable 82-CD Toscanini legacy, the Heifetz Collection was available only as a 65-CD box.
While completists may have rejoiced, to others not only was such a huge box unaffordable but the very idea was absurd. It takes several playings to fully absorb any new disc, and at that rate the Heifetz Collection would have required months of exclusive attention. Finally, RCA released the 46 volumes separately, challenging collectors to make informed choices among Heifetz’s several versions of his many signature works. Unfortunately, the choices are quite simple.
For most artists, recording quality is at best a secondary concern. But with Heifetz it’s crucial, since the exquisite subtlety of his tone was such an essential part of his artistry. His electrical 78s were uniformly dreadful – shrill, crude and overloaded. Often his instrument barely sounded like a violin and the fidelity of his acousticals had been more convincing. The present transfers make no effort to improve upon the originals, and that's a shame. Indeed, the CD of his sublime 1940 Beethoven "Archduke" Trio has a nasty nasal tone and annoying swishes, clicks and distortion that were absent from earlier LP transfers. An edition of this significance warrants distinction in sound as well as content, and there's simply no excuse for BMG, with its vast resources and original masters, to have churned out such rotten CDs, especially when Biddulph and other independent reissue labels have done better using commercial pressings.
1950, though, was a watershed year. Suddenly, the aural clouds were lifted and Heifetz records sounded sweet and clear. Heifetz’s interpretations barely wavered through the years, but the difference in presentation is astounding. So here’s the rule: any Heifetz recording from 1950 on wins hands down over a predecessor. The dividing line really is that sharp. (But please click here for an update.)
The Good Stuff
The one early Heifetz series you shouldn’t bypass is those amazing acousticals. Unless you always insist on hi-fi sound (and I'm sorry if you do -- you're missing some great stuff), Heifetz's first records remain every bit as astounding as they must have been upon first release. Unfortunately, RCA sells them only in a 3-CD set; for a single disc compilation, I can vouch for Biddulph LAB-015.
The early electricals boast more realistic balances than the remakes, with Heifetz imbedded in the overall texture rather than spotlighted, as he would be later. There’s also more a sense of partnership with colleagues, whom he would later dominate. But the early stuff is tossed into 2-CD boxes (which partially defeats the purpose of having broken down the integral edition) with woefully inadequate notes (a measly 12 sentences for the 2-1/2 hours of music in volume 4). And the sound falsifies Heifetz’s exquisite tone. So no recommendations here. (But please click here for an update.)
Heifetz’s brilliant and exciting stereo versions of the most popular concertos are on a 5-disc set, awkwardly packaged in a flimsy cardboard sleeve containing a double and triple box. Even so, this is prime stuff. The Brahms/Tchaikovsky and Beethoven/Mendelssohn concerti are available on single discs in RCA’s "Living Stereo" series, but you shouldn’t miss his fabulous Sibelius, Prokofiev or Bruch.
Incidentally, don't be put off by the modern concertos Heifetz commissioned and championed. All were written to flaunt his talent in the idiom of the previous century and boast a lush romantic sound, seasoned with only a dash of modern spice. Heifetz’s renditions of "his" concerti by Korngold, Rosza, Walton, Gruenberg and Castelnuovo-Tedesco are all definitive and wonderful.
More than most superstar soloists, Heifetz reveled in chamber music. In 1940 he joined his equally prodigious cello contemporary Emmanuel Feuermann (who would die the next year) and pianist Artur Rubinstein for Beethoven, Schubert and Brahms trios (marvelously played but miserably recorded). A decade later, he and Rubinstein teamed with cellist Gregor Piatigorsky for the Ravel, Tchaikovsky and Mendelssohn trios; this time their brilliance was captured in adequate sound.
In 1961, Heifetz and Piatigorsky launched a series of concerts and records with violist William Primrose and other invited colleagues. Even the heavier fare burst with sheer life-affirming joy. Don’t miss their dazzling versions of octets, sextets, quintets and trios by Mozart, Spohr, Mendelssohn, Schubert, Brahms, Dvorak, Franck, Turina and Arensky.
Heifetz also waxed many violin and piano sonatas, mostly with his permanent accompanists – Emmanuel Bay through 1953 and Brooks Smith thereafter. Beyond a full set of the Beethoven, there’s Brahms, Faure, Grieg, Saint-Saens, Respighi, Debussy, Strauss and Bloch. You’ll also find lots of short "encore" pieces sprinkled throughout; his Gershwin transcriptions, in particular, are awesome.
Of a few previously unissued records, one is truly stunning – a 1968 Tchaikovsky Souvenir de Florence sextet that begins and ends ablaze. Was Heifetz a cold automaton? No way!
Although his fame arose when the 1900s had barely begun, no artist in the last 80 years has displaced Heifetz as "the violinist of the century." On the verge of entering the next century, his fabulous recorded legacy reminds us why.
= = = = =
Heifetz’s recorded performances (post-1949) are so consistently wonderful that it’s tempting to just list the contents of that portion of the Heifetz Collection in lieu of any attempt at evaluation or specific recommendations. (But of course, I won’t.) Even though Heifetz was equally successful in all genres of music, it seems useful to consider his many gems by category.
Concertos
Violinists often consider concertos to be their primary showcase, and rightfully so – there’s something especially thrilling to hear a lone violin holding its own against the onslaught of a full orchestra or set off against the various instrumental choirs, each with its distinctive timbre.
Beginning with the Brahms in February 1955, Heifetz began to rerecord the most popular concertos in then-new stereo technology. All 12 now are packaged together awkwardly on a 5-CD set (volumes 11 - 15). They all are magnificently played and well-recorded and supercede earlier mono versions. In their order of recording dates, they are:
• Brahms (Chicago Symphony conducted by Fritz Reiner, 2/1955)
• Beethoven (Boston Symphony, Charles Munch, 11/1955)
• Mozart, Sinfonia Concertante (William Primrose, viola; RCA Victor Symphony, Itzler Solomon, 10/1956)
• Sibelius (Chicago Symphony, Walter Hendl, 1/1959)
• Prokofiev Second (Boston Symphony, Charles Munch, 2/1959)
• Mendelssohn (Boston Symphony, Charles Munch, 2/1959)
• Brahms Double (Gregor Piatigorsky, cello; RCA Victor Symphony, Alfred Wallenstein, 5/1960)
• Bruch Scottish Fantasy (New Symphony Orchestra of London, Sir Malcolm Sargent, 5/1961)
• Vieuxtemps Fifth (New Symphony Orchestra of London, Sir Malcolm Sargent, 5/61)
• Bach Double (Erick Friedman, second violin; New Symphony Orchestra of London, Sir Malcolm Sargent, 5/1961)
• Bruch First (New Symphony Orchestra of London, Sir Malcolm Sargent, 5/1962)
• Glazunov (RCA Victor Symphony, Walter Hendl, 6/1963)
While the earlier versions of the others can be overlooked, the 1939 Brahms and 1937 Prokofiev (both with the Boston Symphony) were immeasurably enhanced by the legendary conductor Sergei Koussevitzsky, who endowed them with a depth that meshed nicely with Heifetz, without being crushed beneath his overpowering presence. (The sonic quality of the Brahms, though, is vile.) They’re both on volume 4.
Especially cherishable as mementos of Heifetz’s devotion to his art are the numerous concertos he commissioned or premiered. Naturally, they all were written to showcase his personal talents, highlighting his soaring tone and phenomenal virtuosity. Even though only the Walton seems to have caught on with others, they all sound thoroughly convincing in Heifetz’s hands. They also belie their dates of composition, as they are couched strongly in the idiom of the romantic era (except the Gruenberg, which is quite jazzy). All are in good, clean mono (except the Gruenberg, which is horribly coarse and crude):
• Castelnuovo-Tedesco Concerto # 2 (premiered 1933 with Toscanini; recorded 1954 with the Los Angeles Philharmonic conducted by Alfred Wallenstein; appears in volume 43 of the Heifetz Collection)
• Gruenberg (premiered 12/1944; recorded 1945 with the San Francisco Symphony conducted by Pierre Monteux; volume 23)
• Korngold (premiered 1947; recorded 1953 with the Los Angeles Philharmonic conducted by Alfred Wallenstein; volume 21)
• Rozsa (premiered and recorded 1956 with the Dallas Symphony conducted by Walter Hendl; volume 21)
• Walton (premiered 1939; recorded 1950 with the Philharmonia conducted by the composer; volume 23)
Finally, we should note the other concertos which Heifetz recorded. All gleam with Heifetz’s trademark style and precision. The first three are of particular interest:
• Elgar (1949; London Symphony, Sargent; volume 7). Heifetz’s performance is a magnificent blend of romantic ardor and English reserve. Although the recording just missed that 1950 leap to high fidelity, it’s listenable.
• Spohr # 8 (1954; RCA Victor Symphony, Solomon; volume 25). Heifetz makes a great case for this obscure, intensely operatic 1816 work, which he restores with clean, flowing elegance.
• Conus (1952; RCA Victor Symphony, Solomon; volume 20). Another gorgeous work that Heifetz rescued from oblivion and championed.
• Bach #s 1 and 2 (1953; Los Angeles Philharmonic, Wallenstein; volume 24).
• Mozart # 4 (1962; New Symphony Orchestra of London, Sargent; volume 30).
• Mozart # 5 (1963; Chamber Orchestra conducted by Heifetz; volume 26).
• Vieuxtemps # 4 (1935; London Philharmonic, Barbirolli; volume 3).
• Wieniawski # 2 (1954; RCA Victor Symphony, Solomon; volume 20).
• Benjamin Romantic Fantasy (1956; with Primrose, viola; RCA Victor Symphony, Solomon; volume 31 – a concerto in all but its name.)
Other Orchestral Works
While perhaps not rising to the musical heights (and occasional longeurs and pretensions) of the concertos, these shorter pieces, too, nestle the solo violin within the power and variety of the full orchestra. Five of the most popular are collected on volume 22, aptly entitled "Showpieces:" Lalo’s Symphonie Espagnole, Sarasate’s Zigeunerweisen (Gypsy Airs), Chausson’s Poeme, and Saint-Saens’s Havanaise and Introduction & Rondo Capriccioso. They range from the lyric Poeme, which Heifetz plays without the accustomed schmaltz, to the wild frenzy of Gypsy Airs, in which he invokes the composer’s own astounding 1904 manic record (which can be heard on Opal CD 9851). Also brilliantly virtuostic are Ravel’s Tzigane (volume 8) and Waxman’s Carmen Fantasy (volume 21). All were recorded in the early ‘fifties and are in clear mono.
For something more gentle with orchestra, there’s the two Beethoven Romances, played with classical elegance (RCA Victor Symphony, William Steinberg; volume 8), the sentimental Tchaikovsky Serenade Melancolique (with a Chamber Orchestra; volume 12), a Vitali Chaconne (actually accompanied by organ, volume 24) and the nifty little Suite by Christian Sindig (volume 9).
Incidentally, there’s a fascinating instance in an earlier (1937) recording of the Zigeunerweisen that’s worth noting, as it casts a rare and unusual light on the image of Heifetz as an unshakable perfectionist. Already in a second take, Heifetz comes to the third of four repetitions of a delicious phrase, muffs the climactic note and then reacts by digging into the end of the phrase ferociously, as if to scold himself (or perhaps his fiddle). It’s a passing moment (on volume 4, disc 1, track 17 at 0:23), but a revealing one.
Chamber Music
Although he never recorded any string quartets, Heifetz performed and recorded substantial amounts of nearly every other type of non-orchestral music, from unaccompanied solos to octets. His magic invests the larger ensemble works with a light, agile fleetness that transforms their thick textures, but often at the risk of slighting their weightier aspects. In most instances, Heifetz and company present propulsive readings that fully preserve the musical integrity and style, even though they are a world apart from the equally valid soul-searching depths plumbed by Casals and others.
Octets
The Mendelssohn is the only real octet in the Heifetz canon, but it’s magnificent. Some critics flail his 1961 reading (on volume 35) as way too rushed. Indeed it’s quite breathless, but let’s not forget that it was written not by a mature, deliberative golden master but by a 16-year old! Heifetz also recorded a double quartet by Spohr (volume 25), with great delicacy and restraint.
Sextets
-- The prize here -- and one of the glories of this entire Collection -- is the Tchaikovsky Souvenir de Florence. Taped at one of Heifetz’s last recording sessions in 1968 but not previously released, it fairly bursts with overt passion, fully consistent with its Slavic character. No one listening to the first (or last) few bars could possibly claim with a straight face that Heifetz was an inhuman automaton. The Brahms Sextet, Op. 36 (volume 41) is gentle and buoyant.
Quintets
These come in two varieties – all-strings, and strings with piano. Of the two Mozart string quintets Heifetz recorded, K. 515 in C Major (on volume 34) is pure joy, while K. 516 in g minor (on volume 26) is suitably darker but still impulsive and more rococo than really serious. The Brahms, Op. 111 (on volume 28) emerges bathed in light, as Heifetz dominates the texture. There are three piano quintets: an ecstatically joyous Dvorak (on volume 41), an aptly sullen Franck (on volume 33) and a Schubert (on volume 37) that downplays the depth of the first two movements so that the latter two can explode in feathery joy.
Quartets
Heifetz bypassed the incredibly rich literature of string quartets and only recorded a single piano quartet, the Brahms Op. 60 (on volume 42). It’s a beautifully realized reading in which the constantly shifting moods are nicely integrated.
String Trios
Trios, too, come in two styles – with and without piano. While most of the famous works in the genre are for violin, cello and piano, perhaps as a sign of his devotion to string playing Heifetz paid exceptional attention to the far rarer all-string type (for violin, viola and cello). As his colleagues, he chose William Primrose, one of the preeminent violists of the century, and cellists Emanuel Feuermann and then Gregor Piatigorsky. Four Beethoven string trios (volumes 10 and 42) and his Serenade (volume 25), while admittedly not Beethoven’s most inspired writing, are given respectful but emotionally flat and uninvolved readings. A Schubert trio (volume 37) fares no better. Despite crude 1941 recordings, the Mozart Divertimento and Dohnanyi Serenade are delightful. But the biggest surprise is the scintillating Trio in C by Jean Francaix (on volume 43), a brief frolic that bursts with mischievous youthful joy.
Piano Trios
In the same week as they cut the Mozart and Dohnanyi string trios, Heifetz and Feuermann paired with pianist Artur Rubenstein to record glorious trios of Beethoven, Schubert and Brahms (volumes 29 and 32); despite crude recordings and even worse CD transfers, they swagger with self-assured style and are among the great glories of our legacy. A decade later, Heifetz began his long and productive partnership with cellist Gregor Piatigorsky and they cut the Tchaikovsky, Mendelssohn First and Ravel trios with Rubenstein. The three come across as co-equal partners, only in part abetted by the treble-deficient recordings that de-emphasize the violin range. The Ravel is more powerful than we have become accustomed, but beautifully captures his unique brand of unsentimental impressionism. The Mendelssohn is fabulous – a perfect presentation of this gossamer delight, but with due regard for the gravity of its minor tonality.
The Heifetz/Piatigorsky series of piano trios resumed in the stereo era with pianist Leonard Pennario through 1963, and then Jacob Lateiner. The Beethoven Op. 1 # 1 (volume 30) achieves a nice balance between youthful derivativeness and hints of the budding genius yet to emerge. The later Beethoven Op. 70 # 2 (volume 28) and Mendelssohn # 2 (volume 34) are thoroughly gratifying but without any particular spark of excellence. Volume 38 presents previously unreleased tapings of the Schubert Second and Brahms Second, very fine indeed, but with the balance skewed toward Heifetz. The darker, rustic character of two Dvorak trios are nicely captured in volumes 33 and 39. Finally, if you’re willing to venture off the beaten path, volume 27 has trios by Arensky and Turina; while neither blazes with inspiration, they’re thoroughly enjoyable and played to the hilt.
Duos, Sonatas and Solo Pieces
The most intimate form of chamber music is the combination of just two instruments, requiring the players to meld their personalities into a convincing whole. With such reduced forces, there’s no opportunity to hide for even a moment beneath accompaniment or another’s solo turn, and the spotlight is mercilessly on the star performer.
Duos
While the most common combination of two instruments is the sonata with piano, Heifetz recorded several duos with two of his string colleagues. The most famous duos are by Mozart, of which Heifetz and violist William Primrose recorded the second in 1941 (on volume 9), but while the playing is precise, it’s just not stylish or eloquent. Far more impressive is their 1941 record of the kaleidoscopic Halvorsen transcription of Handel’s Passacaglia (volume 9). Heifetz recorded his other duos with Piatigorsky, including an equally fine 1963 cello version of the same Passacaglia (volume 30). Their other duos, all wonderfully played, are of a dry and bitter Kodaly Sonata (volume 27), an elegant and exact Boccherini Sonata (volume 28), a rustic-sounding version of Stravinsky’s neoclassic Suite Italienne (volume 31), a Toch Divertimento (volume 35) that sends off sparks of excitement, and a Martinu Duo (volume 44) that begins searchingly and culminates in an exuberant double whirlwind.
Sonatas
The most significant series of sonatas for violin and piano is Beethoven’s. Heifetz recorded all ten and they comprise volume 16; earlier versions of #s 3, 8 and 9, the latter with Benno Moiseiwitsch, are on volumes 7 and 10. Some consider Heifetz’s readings to be superb examples of self-effacing musicianship, while others dismiss them as superficial and aloof. Perhaps this dichotomy is best heard in the first movement of the "Kreutzer" (#9) where Heifetz at first sounds brittle and unyielding. But the problem with the more common overtly emotional approach is that the first movement then overwhelms the other two, which in comparison are slight and backward-looking. So Heifetz’s low-octane first movement, while at first disappointing, succeeds more fully than many others in integrating this top-heavy work. Indeed, it seems fair to characterize Heifetz’s Beethoven sonatas as respectful of the music and its inherent dignity, focussing upon presenting the musical materials and detailing the musical logic, while leaving the listener to infer his or her own deeper thoughts. The resulting impression may not have as much initial appeal as a more distinctive reading, but neither does it wear thin over time.
Moving through the others chronologically, Heifetz recorded only three of Mozart’s Violin Sonatas, K. 296, 378 and 454 (the latter two twice). All are wonderfully stylish, with the remakes (on volumes 24 and 26) faster, more sharply etched and of course better recorded than the earlier versions (on volume 9). The Handel Sonata # 15 (volume 9) is a stilted little work which Heifetz plays well but without much enthusiasm. Despite its title, the Schubert Fantasie, D. 934 is akin to a sonata and Heifetz suitably plays it and the Schubert Sonatina # 3 (both on volume 8) much in the vein of his Beethoven. In the Brahms Sonata # 3 (volume 8), the brilliant William Kapell inspires Heifetz to dizzying heights of expression. His Grieg Sonata # 2 (volume 9) has suitable strength and dignity. Of late 19th century sonatas, Strauss’s (volume 32) is of grand and ardent epic sweep, while Faure’s (volume 45) is full of lighter, Gallic charm; the Saint-Saens (volume 45) lies between the German and French sensitivities.
Moving into the twentieth century, the exquisite Debussy Violin Sonata (volume 44) is played with tender directness and receives an atypically glistening recording for RCA in 1950. Heifetz provides definitive versions of youthful sonatas by Ferguson and Khachaturian (Karen, not the more famous Aram), both on volume 43; they’re pleasant and the latter is graced with a magnificent andante and a bounding finale; his accompanist in these is Lillian Steuber, a colleague when he taught at USC. The only modern sonatas Heifetz recorded that actually sound contemporary are Bloch’s (volume 8), of which the second, a "mystical poem" is especially striking.
Solo Pieces
Given the bravura and self-confidence he always projected, it seems strange that the only unaccompanied pieces Heifetz recorded were the six Bach Sonatas and Partitas (volume 16). While this is not a field crowded with masterworks, it does include the magnificent Paganini Caprices, of which Heifetz played only a few, and even then with added piano. As for the Bach, it has aroused the same ambivalence as his Beethoven Sonatas, with detractors bemoaning an absence of feeling or period flavor. To me, though, Heifetz’s objectivity is a matter of entirely appropriate respect for music so inherently great that it has no need of interpretive gloss.
Encores and Short Pieces
In light of his fame, it seems incredible that the first seventeen years of Heifetz’s recording career consisted entirely of the brief items that served as encores for his recital programs; thus, it was not until 1934 that he was able to wax his first complete works (the Strauss Sonata followed by Mozart and Glazunov concertos). His 52 acoustic records are collected on volume 1 and his first decade of electricals are on volume 2. Heifetz kept recording these little gems through the very end of his career. Indeed, he devoted his penultimate recording session to nine of them and he included six more in his very last recital, given in 1972 and comprising the final volume (46) of the Heifetz Collection. Heifetz clearly loved them deeply, perhaps because their brevity enabled him to crystallize his talent more than in larger, more varied works.
These pieces range from blinding virtuosity to deep meditation and are sprinkled throughout the volumes of the Heifetz Collection. Despite the huge variety, though, somehow his set of Gershwin preludes and songs, recorded in 1965 with Brooks Smith and now on volume 40, seems especially transcendental, brilliantly presenting these overly-familiar pieces in a way which at once distills and then extends their essential spirit.
As great as Heifetz’s inspired concerto, chamber and duo recordings are and will always remain, they will always be set along side great versions by other artists, both those who have already stood before the microphone (or acoustic horn) and others yet to arise among future generations. Perhaps when all is said and done, it is Heifetz’s deeply personal encores that best represent his unique and irreplaceable art.
Whatever your taste, I hope these observations help guide you to sample the art of the "Violinist of the Century" while the individual volumes of the Heifetz Collection remain available.
March 2001 Update: It's been a mere two years since I wrote that, and the Heifetz Collection already has disappeared from retail. But there's a magnificent recompense that cures the major defect in the BMG Collection. Naxos has just released the first Heifetz series of electrical concerto records on seven CDs and they're a revelation! While the BMG versions were shrill and painful to hear, these transfers by wizard Mark Obert-Thorn emerge as magnificently rich and full. As violin historian Tully Potter points out in his liner notes, Heifetz used gut strings to offset the brilliance of his technique, and his early electrical records captured this wondrous blend with a truly remarkable warmth. Moreover, unlike in the stereo remakes, Heifetz's trademark precision and propulsion are tempered by repose and feeling that yield a far more satisfying and human experience. These fabulous discs rescue the pre-1950 Heifetz records from BMG's atrocious sound and compel renewed appreciation for the depth of Heifetz's artistry. And all this at a super-budget price! Here are the specific volumes:
• Beethoven (Toscanini, 1940), Brahms (Koussevitzsky, 1939) - Naxos 8.110936
• Tchaikovsky (Barbirolli, 1937), Wieniawski (Barbirolli, 1935), Sibelius (Beecham, 1935) - Naxos 8.110938
• Elgar (Sargent, 1949), Walton (Goosens, 1941) - Naxos 8.110939
• Glazunov (Barbirolli, 1934), Bruch Scottish Fantasy (Steinberg, 1947), Brahms Double (Feuermann, Ormandy, 1939) - Naxos 8.110940
• Mozart # 4 (Beecham, 1947), Mozart # 5 (Barbirolli, 1934), Mendlessohn (Beecham, 1949) - Naxos 8.110941
• Prokofiev (Koussevitzky, 1937), Gruenberg (Monteux, 1945) - Naxos 8.110942
• Vieuxtemps # 4 (Barbirolli, 1935), Vieuxtemps # 5 (Sargent, 1947) + short pieces - Naxos 8.110943
If the lessons of the past are any guide, grab the Naxos volumes now before they, too, disappear!
Copyright 1999 and 2001 by Peter Gutmann 郑延益先生的结论（图片见下个帖子） http://www.headphoneclub.com/bbs/images/gallery/361_2003_08_22_050614.jpg 最初由 小白 发表
然而，作为一个有清醒头脑的人，我不会盲目吹捧任何人，海菲茨的贝多芬协奏曲第一乐章开头那一窜窜象导弹发射般的凌厉乐句，我敢说决不是贝多芬！贝多芬本人听到他的巨作被这样演奏，肯定气得再死一次。
听音乐是个非常个人化的过程，见仁见智，各自不妨保留意见，各乐其乐也。不过小白上述话如此笃定，根据在哪里呢？是您知道贝多芬时代怎么拉这首曲子？演绎一部音乐作品，标准在哪里？应该客观到什么程度？存不存在这种“客观”的可能性？恐怕都是说不清楚的事情。原来也有跟小白同样的感觉，觉得怎么能这样拉这部协奏曲，听多了，开始喜欢，恐怕这是海菲茨独特的地方。不过，大家尽可以说喜欢或者不喜欢，但是还是不要一下就高屋建瓴式地评判，因为，在严格的历史的和音乐学术的考据都不能及的地方，你又如何判断贝多芬会不会气死呢？只不过是你认为不能如此演奏而已。想起来见到好几次喜欢本真演奏的和排斥本真演奏的两派，都言之凿凿义正辞严的吵得不可开交，其实本真演奏代表的学术考据性质的复古方式和现代乐器演奏方式，只是两种不同的演绎方式和方法，各有旨趣，谁能替代谁呢？音乐之魅力不全在作曲家的“本意”（况且，作品一旦产生，它的“本意”究竟在哪里呢？作曲家自己多数情况下也说不清楚了，我们又如何可以言之凿凿地说清楚呢？），而在于音乐作品诠释过程中的无限多样性，正是这种无限多样性使得音乐历久弥新，含有无穷的魅力。 弦上的河流赵丽宏
有一条河流，永不枯涸地在我的心头流淌……
《D大调小提琴协奏曲——作品第67号》。这是贝多芬的小提琴曲中最精彩的一首。如果要我为世界上所有的小提琴协奏曲排名次，我会毫不犹豫地将它排在第一位。人间可能产生的深挚的感情和奇丽的遐想，在这部作品中都能感受到。我无法想象，贝多芬是在怎样的一种心情下写出了这部作品，高亢和低沉，欢乐和悲伤，明朗和阴郁，同时出现在他的旋律中。如果把这部作品比作一幅画，那么，这幅画把阳光和乌云、暖雨和冰雪、微煦和风暴融和在一起，这是奇妙而自然的融和，水乳交汇，天衣无缝。不管在什么情绪中听这部作品，我的心灵中都会产生强烈而悠远的共鸣。
记得在“文革”前，我有一张唱片，是匈牙利小提琴家西盖蒂演奏的这首曲子。唱片非常旧，但声音基本没有变。在那台老式的电唱机里，我能够感受到贝多芬无与伦比的才华，也能感受到西盖蒂的陶醉和激情，还有他那无瑕可剔的技巧。“文革”中，我常常在无人的夜间，一个人偷偷地打开唱机放这张唱片，这是一件很刺激、也很快乐的事情。后来，斯特恩来中国访问时，我曾经听过他拉这首曲子，但感觉远不如在黑暗的夜间一个人偷偷地听唱片那样美妙。在那场演出中斯特恩拉错了好几个音符，因为对这首曲子熟，所以他的错误我听得一清二楚。我想，大概是斯特恩老了。后来梅纽因来中国，我也听他拉过这首曲子，感觉还不如斯特恩。我相信，他们年轻时，都曾经把这首曲子拉得精确而又辉煌，就像西盖蒂年轻时在那张旧唱片中拉的那样。不同的人，不同的感情，不同的手，不同的提琴，会使同一首曲子产生不同的效果。然而没有人能够篡改贝多芬的D大调。一个再纤弱的人，沉浸到它的旋律中时，也会变得激情洋溢。我也听过韩国的女小提琴家郑京和拉的这部作品，尽管没有西盖蒂的雄浑和奔放，但她表达出的激情同样光彩四溢。听她演奏时，我眼前出现了贝多芬雄狮般俯视着大地的沉思的表情，也出现了一双灵巧地操持着琴弓的纤纤玉手，两者的反差是如此强烈，但他们却统一在回旋飞扬的小提琴旋律中，统一在跌宕起伏的D大调中……
台湾小提琴家林昭亮，是我遇到的第五位拉贝多芬D大调的小提琴家。在音乐厅里听他演奏，使我受到了以前未曾有过的震憾。那时林昭亮才二十来岁，但他已经有了大师风范。他站在台上，站在庞大的交响乐队前，那神情却是目空一切，只有小提琴上的四根弦，在他的视野和灵魂中延伸。他不假思索地拉着，D大调仿佛是从他的心里涌出来，通过小提琴的四根弦，流向辽阔的空间。D大调的第一乐章中，有一大段小提琴独奏的华彩。这时，交响乐队隐退了，只剩下一把提琴，在寂静中深情地鸣唱，然而这不是孤独的声音，而是一个清澈透明的灵魂，面对着美妙的人生，面对着清新的大自然，面对着他的善良真诚的朋友们，毫无遮掩地独自倾吐出他心中的激情。这种激情，是悲欢交织的激情，是充满了憧憬和向往的内心独白。拉这段华彩时，我看到林昭亮闭上了眼晴，完全沉浸在琴声里。这时，站在我面前的是一个抵达了人生的美好境界、也经历了人世沧桑的诗人，从四根琴弦上流出的，是神奇的诗行……
我曾经以为，从此以后，我大概再也听不到更精彩的D大调了，林昭亮已经把贝多芬这一段绮丽曲折的梦想发挥到了极致。然而我终于发现我错了。最近，有朋友送我一张CD，也是贝多芬的《D大调小提琴协奏曲》，演奏者是海菲兹，法国指挥家明希指挥庞大的波士顿交响乐团为他伴奏。以前听过不少海菲兹拉的小提琴曲，却没有听到他拉贝多芬的D大调。这张CD，我连续听了三遍，海菲兹不仅使我陶醉使我震慑，而且完全把我征服了。这是我听到的最为完美的D大调，该磅礴处气势汹涌，该精微处娓婉百啭，雷声和微风，咆哮和叹息，呐喊和歌吟，气象万千地在弓弦交吻中产生。我的感觉是，这一曲D大调，已经在海菲兹的心灵深处珍藏酝酿了很久．这样的珍藏和酝酿，使贝多芬的旋律成为他自己的生命和情感的一部分，此时此刻，他终于抑制不住内心深处的感情涌动，一发而不可收……
有意思的是，海菲兹的这场演出，是60年代中期的录音，距今也有三十来年了。他在录制这张唱片时，正是我躲在我的小黑屋中偷偷地听西盖蒂的时候。美好的音乐，生命力是多么强大，一代又一代人，一双又一双手，从不同的琴弦上弹拨出同一条河流。这条奔涌的河流漫过了岁月的疆域，超越了国界的藩篱，使无数人徜徉其中，飘游其中，陶醉其中，感叹生命的多彩和世界的奇妙。而这条河流的源头，出自伟大的贝多芬。
1995年2月15曰于四步斋 写这个小协时候的贝多芬很特别哦，大家想想，是不是呢？我个人觉得海非司的演绎是很有说服力的。 抱歉，我根本不是在批评海菲茨拉的快in the general sense，只是批评他拉贝多芬协奏曲第一乐章开始的一段过快。而已。别搞错。出于对这部巨作的崇敬，我个人是很讨厌有人把它拉得这么快、象好莱污动作片配乐一样的。除了这段以外，他拉这部协奏曲的其他部分还是有魅力的。
至于Panshell所书，海菲茨拉这段的快是否“忠实原作”、是否得了贝多芬的真传，这么说吧，其他我所有听过的小提琴家拉这段都比海菲茨显著地慢，所以，逻辑上可以得出的很肯定的结论是，假如说海菲茨的拉法是忠实的，那么除了海菲茨一人之外，其他所有的小提琴家，所有的，都不忠实！！！！！
速度快慢的问题，贝多芬是有速度标注做在乐谱上的，演奏家可以根据自己的口味和技术能力梢做调整，所以每个人的速度不可能一样，但有个合理的范围。海菲茨这次是超出这个合理的范围了。我的humble opinion。 最初由 zhaochch 发表
在杨晓航的笔下，Heifetz竟然成了一个炫技派小提琴手，真真是一派胡言。
同意,Heifetz的快是建立在对乐曲内涵的把握/音乐修养/高超的技巧上. 呵呵，我把海菲茨和MUNCH合作的版贝多芬小提琴协奏曲当俱乐部有奖征文的奖品送掉了。海菲茨我是极其喜欢的，但他拉贝多芬，我实在不敢恭维。
我前天还在听格鲁米欧和CONCERTGEBOUW合作的一版贝多芬，日本版的PHILIPS，那才是贝多芬应该的样子，非常高贵、端庄而深远。录音也是天碟水准。 白兄听的Grumiaux是哪版？早年和Beinum合作还是后来和Davis合作？
引述我以前说过的一小段话：
“Grumiaux的录音，常见的是Davis指挥阿姆斯特丹音乐厅管弦乐团和Galliera指挥新爱乐乐团两个，其中以和Davis合作为优。但同样是阿姆斯特丹音乐厅管弦乐团，57年Beinum指挥的录音远胜于此，Grumiaux和Beinum之间擦出火花，如电光火石般淋漓尽致，这才是他最好的贝小协录音。”
可惜他和Beinum的录音早已绝版，现在也没有再版。 我听的是和COLIN DAVIS合作的一版，1974年录的，录音素质很好。你说的和BEINUM合作的这版一直没有见过啊。
同属法比学派的谢林的贝多芬协奏曲就有点太过强调优雅从容了，变成过于拖沓。
页:
1
[2]
