From Eric Grandstaff Posted from 198.108.192.41 on January 5, 2005 at 3:59 PM (GMT)
I am SO glad that you, within your blogs, repeatedly mention, in some reverence, Eugene Fodor, whom I believe has not been given his due (and has paid his dues as a person and artist).
I do believe RCA Masterwork's marketing of Fodor in the '70's ("...the Mick Jagger of the violin..."), as well as his repeated performances on the NBC Tonight Show with Johnny Carson contributed to his never having achieved the fame of Perlman. There were vicious rumors that he was an upstart who never felt the need to practice. ALL untrue. Nevertheless, he is a violinist of the first rank.
His recent recordings with the Kiev Philharmonic show this; the Sibelius is equal plus to any of Perlman's or Bell's recordings. The Lalo is as mesmerizing as Francescatti's.
As a professional classical music audio engineer, I have never been a fan of Heifetz's recordings (even the latter stereo recordings; too much "steel" in the recordings, some concerti seems to be paced at lightning speed). Fodor, a student of Heifetz, had some of the best balanced analogue recordings of any violinist for RCA (the Paganini #1, however, left out some portions of the first movement; was this intentional?).
I digress. To restate, I really appreciate your occasional mention of Fodor.
Comments
Posted from 198.108.192.41 on January 5, 2005 at 3:59 PM (GMT)
I do believe RCA Masterwork's marketing of Fodor in the '70's ("...the Mick Jagger of the violin..."), as well as his repeated performances on the NBC Tonight Show with Johnny Carson contributed to his never having achieved the fame of Perlman. There were vicious rumors that he was an upstart who never felt the need to practice. ALL untrue. Nevertheless, he is a violinist of the first rank.
His recent recordings with the Kiev Philharmonic show this; the Sibelius is equal plus to any of Perlman's or Bell's recordings. The Lalo is as mesmerizing as Francescatti's.
As a professional classical music audio engineer, I have never been a fan of Heifetz's recordings (even the latter stereo recordings; too much "steel" in the recordings, some concerti seems to be paced at lightning speed). Fodor, a student of Heifetz, had some of the best balanced analogue recordings of any violinist for RCA (the Paganini #1, however, left out some portions of the first movement; was this intentional?).
I digress. To restate, I really appreciate your occasional mention of Fodor.
Eric