Perlman on Paganini, Tone and brilliance

It may look like quite a leap the jump from Beethoven's Piano Concertos to Paganini, yet this is about another titan among the great soloists of our time: Itzhak Perlman. For Paganini fans and for Perlman fans as well these two names aer strongly linked through the great recording of Paganini Caprices by Perlman. However it is not the subject of our meeting today. The subject comes from the recording of Paganini Violin Concerto No. 1.

Most likely one of the greatest achievements of Paganini, the composer, this concerto is a very interesting mix of virtuosity, pure energy, and tenderness. It is, as such a very difficult piece for the interpreter as well as for the listener. Play like a madman and you loose its soul and it becomes tiring. Don't take it seriously and it makes no sense. The technical difficulty is self-implied, given the composer, yet the emotional difficulty is hidden and even more demanding. In 1972, the year of this recording, Perlman was at the height of his powers and a profound musician as you know him. Consequently, this recording is a great spectacle. The technical fireworks are displayed with high energy and enthusiasm, while the lingering passages are exposed with great sensibility. It's in this passages that Perlman produces an intoxicating tone from his wonderful violin. It is this tone that is the landmark of this recording. Full-bodied, round, powerful and soul-filling tone. I remember him in the movie on the great violinists of the last century comparing the piano and violin playing, noting that a violinist has to work to produce the tone that for the piano is implied. He is without a shadow of a doubt one of the greatest craftsmen in this field that ever lived. And it is the way he puts this gorgeous tone in the service of profoundly meaningful music-making that makes this recording the best, as far as I am concerned.

The filling of this cd is another great recording that displays the same qualities: Carmen Fantasie by Sarasate. It is again a great achievement. Energy, spirit, technical show-off, profound understanding of this very emotional piece. It is, for many, the reason to buy this cd. One of the few very best if not the very best recording.

As it's all about hearing his violin in the best possible way allow me to suggest to you the remastering JVC made of this recording. The XRCD that resulted has the best possible sound a regular cd can have and I recommend you find the xrcd version of the recording to enjoy the music and the music-making to its fullest.