Concerto for Violin and Orchestra Op.61

Beethoven’s only violin concerto is certainly one of the most lovely works ever written for this instrument. The symphonically conceived work is admired for its highly lyrical and expressive character and as such belongs in the repertory of all great violinists. Numerous performances, often all too sentimental or exaggerated, are available on record – but this Deutsche Grammophon production from 1962 is a refreshing exception. With a tender, serene timbre and perfect intonation, the soloist Wolfgang Schneiderhan allows the spirit of the score to breathe throughout. The captivating and poetic music is further enhanced by the Berlin Philharmonic who play with a sonority that has yet to be equalled. The strings with the swell and subsidence of their carpets of sound, the subtle and finely balanced woodwinds, the double basses which murmur darkly at the very bottom of their register – all effuse a feeling of consecration and peaceful transfiguration in this concerto, a concerto which has never seen its like in two centuries. The balance engineers achieved a remarkable feat when documenting this epoch-making work, for this recording is certainly one of the very best to come from Deutsche Grammophon in the Sixties. This Speakers Corner LP was remastered using pure analogue components only, from the master tapes through to the cutting head. More information under http://www.pure-analogue.com. All royalties and mechanical rights have been paid.

Beethovens einziges Violinkonzert gehört unbestritten zu den schönsten Werken, die jemals für dieses Instrument geschrieben wurden. Als durchaus symphonisch konzipiertes Stück, das in erster Linie durch seine lyrischen Ausdruckscharaktere besticht, gehört es in das Repertoire aller großen Geiger. Aus der Vielzahl der nicht selten mit breitem Pinsel gemalten und übermäßig sentimental interpretierten Einspielungen hebt sich diese DGG-Produktion von 1962 wohltuend