Huge Heifetz Original Jacket Collection is coming!

jpc.de says it has it in stock now.

 

Arghhhh!

 

Allow me to (again) express the hope that Sony, as inheritors of the BMG/RCA catalogs, will bestow a similar honor on the full back catalog of Arthur Rubinstein - much of which is now out of print.

That Sony has issued full catalogs of Gould, Miles, and now Heifetz in this jumbo-box format bodes well!

 

For those such as I who aren't familiar with this artist, could someone give a blurb on what makes him so important?

I'm trying to break into classical, but I find it to be a very difficult genre to explore sometimes.

I love the violin work of Salvatore Accardo playing Paganini. How would the Heifetz material compare to this in terms of playing style, etc?

I actually bought the big 45rpm box set of Heifetz a while ago, but I haven't brought it out yet because I'm still working on finishing my vinyl rig. It was pure speculation that it was important work. I'd love to hear some comments on why and how, though, since lots of people here seem to be familiar.

ccm

 

Heifetz is as lithe and lyrical as they come. The only way I can analogize is this: Listen to Black Sabbath's "Paranoid", and how Tony Iommi solos on that song. Then listen to Ozzy doing the song with Randy Rhoads. Randy's playing is so much more graceful and effortless that, while he's playing at twice the level of Iommi, Randy doesn't sound like a blizzard of notes and technique: he floats and sings, in a way that Tony Iommi cannot match. That's the kind of supreme virtuosity that Heifetz exhibits.

Jascha Heifetz plays Paganini Caprice No. 24
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vPcnGrie__M

 

I placed an order for this set earlier this month. At the time I think it showed a Dec. 21 release date, though it is now February, on Amazon.

It's my impression that among classical music-lovers there is far greater heterogeneity as to favorite/most respected pianists than there is as to violinists. That's awkwardly put, but what I mean is that as best I can tell hardly anybody agrees on who the greatest pianist of the twentieth century was. But I do not think there are all that many who would dispute the greatest violinist of the twentieth century was Heifetz. Of course, if they're here, they will reply . . .

I'd love to see Toscanini and Rubinstein sets as well, but something tells me we won't see them, especially Rubinstein, because it wasn't all that long ago that the AR collection or edition or whatever it was came out.

 

It certainly is. I suggest heading over to youtube and sampling a few of the great violinists, along with Heifetz. Your own personal reaction to them should help guide you.

Two that I especially enjoy are Grumiaux - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3xuDQBB24UM&feature=&p=AA9FA57B7B8F4FEA&index=0&playnext=1

and Carmignola http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D5IfIWUsb2M

 

Just saw this thread, after getting the Original Jacket Collection box set earlier this year, I now have to look out for this one as well.

 

IIRC, the AR Collection from the late 90's was upwards of $1k. Over the years, I've been able to collect individually around 25 of them, often for around $7 online. I'm no expert and don't have an impressive rig, but have been very happy with their sound (even stuff from the late 1920s sounds very good). Perhaps someone "in the know" could chime in regarding how RCA could re-issue this again: would they use the AR series' mastering, perhaps releasing this time as SACDs (yes, dream on), or would they remaster everything again with technology that has (presumably) improved in the last 10 years. I imagine that a remaster and/or SACD project would be expensive, with its costs reflected at retail. For the time being, many of the RCA Living Stereo SACDs are available for around $10 and sound glorious.

 

Ordered today a jpc.de, got an extra 5 Euro off for the birthday vouchers they sent me a few days ago, nice touch.

 

I ordered also one from jpc.de.

Even after my order, they still say they have them in stock.

 

It has been stated that Paganini himslef could not be better than Heifetz.

If you happen to watch interviews with violinists, they place Heifetz apart. And not only due to his superhuman effortless facility with the violin that leaves you speechless but also due to his musicality.

For example take his Sibelius or Beethoven concerti recordings for RCA in stereo (also on SACD): two distinct masterpieces of the literature. Heifetz readings are definitive. Through his vistuosity and facility he allows the listener to travel to other levels of excitement. I could not also believe it until I heard it. We are lucky that the technology allows us to listen to such artists.

It is so unfair to the following generations of violinists. Incl. Accardo to whom you referred to. I know his Paganini recordings and they are not something to talk about. AFAIK, Heifetz did not record any Paganini concerti, sadly. 'Just' some 3 or 4 caprices.

 

As much as I enjoy my Heifetz recordings (well, most of them) I'm not certain I would recommend this set as the best way to break into classical. Too much of a single (albeit extremely gifted) artist. And even Heifetz has limitations and mistakes (e.g. his overdriven Schubert Quintet in C).

As this is a thread on Heifetz, I'm not going to suggest alternatives here, but if you ask for suggestions in Clasical Music Corner there are many people (incuding some posting here) who will give you tons of advice.

 

I have to agree with john greenwood's post that the complete Heifetz set would not be an ideal way to break into classical music.

It's like if someone said they wanted to get into rock music, and found out that Jeff Beck is considered by many to be the best guitar player. You wouldn't really introduce someone to rock music by giving them a set of Jeff Beck albums to start with.

 

Well ... with Heifetz we are talking about an interpreter of classic music rather than a performer of his own material, so in this instance I think a better analogy would be with Sinatra rather than Jeff Beck. Put it this way - you could usually rely upon Sinatra to produce definitive versions of the songs he covered, and the same invariably holds true for Heifetz and his work.

 

Not invariably. For either Heifetz or Sinatra. Did you ever Sinatra's version of "Mrs. Robinson"? Similarly, Heifetz would not be my go-to performer for Bach or Mozart.

And even if every one of Heifetz's performances was definitive, violin music is only one aspect of classical music.

 

I think if you compiled a list of the great 20th century pianists you would have to have a shortlist of at least 10 or 20.

As far as violinists are concerned you only need a shortlist of two - Heifetz and David Oistrakh. Oistrakh owns some pieces, Heifetz the others. Between them they have got it all mostly covered.

If you like the violin then this set is essential and great value.

 

Huge Heifetz fan here. Huge Richter fan here. Neither is known for great (or even 'very good') Mozart music-making.

 

My list includes Kogan and Rabin as well.

 

Oistrakh on the other hand . . .

 

That was a dud by Sinatra, no doubt about it.

 

Agreed.

I adore Heifetz in these little Gershwin transcriptions from Porgy as well as the Preludes. Amazing art!

The 2-CD set (pic follows) issued by DG some years ago contains all his recordings for the American Decca in the mid-forties. From an earlier post in this thread I got that these Decca recs will not be included in the big box though.

 

Receiving the Horowitz box from amazon.fr this week. . . caused me to cave in and pre-order this one.

 

Arrived from jpc.de earlier this week, box in perfect shape as are all the inner sleeves. Enjoying this one.

 

I will eventually order from Amazon, but I did see it in my local shoppe this afternoon. The sum? $479 before taxes. INSANE!!! I wonder why music stores even bother to order things in when they price items so out there as compared to online stores. In fact, this local store has priced JUST the Mahler symphonies by Berstein at nearly $200. Meanwhile, I picked up the entire symphony set (60 discs) for $90 online.

Anyhow, I'm excited to eventually grab this set and sink my teeth into it.