HEIFETZ plays ELGAR and WALTON
ELGAR Violin
Concerto
WALTON Violin Concerto
Jascha Heifetz (violin)
LSO/Malcolm Sargent (Elgar) rec 6 June 1949
Cincinnati SO/Eugene Goossens (Walton) rec 18 Feb 1941
NAXOS HISTORICAL 8.110939
Great Violinists [69.00]
Crotchet
AmazonUK
AmazonUS
The true revelation for me on this disc was Heifetz's performance of the
Elgar. The Walton is superb, but one would expect that, as the work was written
for him. On the other hand, Heifetz/Elgar does not seem an obvious combination
of temperaments. But as I listened to this excellent transfer, I realised
that I was hearing a great recorded performance. We are, perhaps, too inclined
to regard the Menuhin/Elgar version as the ultimate touchstone. Fine though
it unquestionably is, it is only one of many possible views of the work,
and an indulgent one at that. Heifetz's approach is bracing - every note
is clear, the sense of control and mastery is powerful. Yet the emotion and
poetry are there too, in ample quantity, and all the more moving for being
so disciplined.
In Sargent, Heifetz had an ideal partner. Sir Malcolm is not a fashionable
conductor just at present, but he was a fine and sensitive accompanist, and
there is the feeling here that conductor and soloist are in complete sympathy
in their approach to the piece. The slow movement is sublime, and the outer
movements have a sweep and a unity which is compelling.
The orchestral playing is excellent for its day, and the balance between
orchestra and soloist particularly good. It's only in the orchestral
tuttis that the limitations of the recording become apparent, with
a catch-all sound quality that lacks detail. On the other hand, such places
as the closing pages of the Andante, with their loving touches in
the woodwind, come across with wonderful clarity.
The Walton is that bit older, and it shows, both in the quality of recorded
sound and in the amount of surface noise. Neither is poor enough, however,
to spoil the sense of immediacy of Heifetz's reading of this work. Having
personally asked Walton to compose it for him, Heifetz gave the premiere
in Cleveland in 1939 (the composer couldn't be there; the war had begun and
he was, like Vaughan Williams before him, occupied driving an ambulance),
making this first recording two years later.
Though the Cincinnati Orchestra is not an ensemble of the Cleveland's eminence,
the orchestral playing is more than adequate, and Eugene Goossens secures
the required bite and attack from his players. The melancholy, such an important
feature of Walton's music, comes over strongly too, as you can tell just
by listening to the opening of the concerto - beautifully done.
Heifetz is absolutely stunning in the brilliant music of the second and third
movements. Some of the pyrotechnics are just unbelievable, yet he never loses
sight of the music - a great and authoritative performance.
Those familiar with the engineer Mark Obert-Thorn's work on historic transfers
will not be disappointed; this is another fine achievement. An issue to be
treasured.
Gwyn Parry-Jones
See also review by Rob Barnett
