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Shlomo Mintz

Violinists: Where to buy his CDs?

From Enosh Kofler
Posted November 18, 2004 at 05:07 AM

Hello, Shlomo Mintz is one of my favorite living violinists but his recordings are hard to find here in America. I have his recording of the Caprices and they're my favorite so far. Trying to find his CDs on Amazon, I came across Two CDs that I wanted, one with the Brahms Concerto and the other with the Sibelius and Dvorak Concertos and both were out of stock. I'm also planning to get his Lalo/Vieuxtemps CD which I can get through my grandparents in Paris even there I couldn't find the other two CDs. Does anyone know where I can get these?

Thanks, Enosh

From Don Woodcock
Posted on November 18, 2004 at 07:45 AM
Enosh,

I too am a huge fan of Shlomo Mintz. For whatever reason he seems to have limited his recordings over the last number of years. I do know he conducts quite a bit now so maybe his focus has changed.

I can't really help you locate recordings of his, but here is a partial list which you can try and hunt down.

- Bach: Sonatas and Partitas
- Franck, Debussy and Ravel Violin Sonatas.
- Faure Violin Sonatas.
- Mendelssohn Violin Sonatas.
- Prokofiev Violin Sonatas
- Mendelssohn and Bruch Violin Concertos
- Prokofiev Violin Concertos
- Lalo Symphonie Espagnole, Vieustemp #5
- Kreisler Album
- Beethoven Violin Concerto.
- Brahms Violin Concerto
- Sibelius and Dvorak Violin Concertos
All of the above recordings are with Deutsche Grammophon.

- Shostakovich Violin and Viola Sonatas (Erato Discs)
- A series of Vivaldi violin concertos (Musicmaster Classics).

Finally, I believe he has signed with Avie Records recently and will be issuing some new discs in 2005.

Hopefully all this helps and good luck with your search.

From Jonathan Parle
Posted on November 18, 2004 at 08:27 AM
And here is hoping that DG can get around to reissuing more of Shlomo's recordings, since many are out of the catalgoue now and due for reissue at budget price. That is a great list Don. I'd particulary encourage people to try and seek out his recording of the F major Mendelssohn Sonata that Don has listed above. No one has ever done it better. Ever. It is a real eye opener.
From Rick Baccare
Posted on November 18, 2004 at 12:57 PM
He also recorded Paganini's 24 caprices.
From Molly Ierulli
Posted on November 18, 2004 at 04:26 PM
At www.arkivmusic.com they have many of Mintz' cds. Good hunting!
From Scott 68
Posted on November 18, 2004 at 06:14 PM
From Joseph Franke
Posted on November 18, 2004 at 06:10 PM
His 10 CD set of Vivaldi concerti for Musical Heritage is wonderful (if you like that much Vivaldi at once, which I do!).
From Scott 68
Posted on November 18, 2004 at 05:56 PM
Im a huge fan too

His best cds are:
dvorak/sibelius
paganini caprices
kerisler favorites
prokofiev concertos
prokofiev sonatas
shostakovich sonatas

you can also get the mendelssohn video and the 4 seasons video with perlman zukerman and stern, he is also on the isreal phil anniversary video playing vivaldi concerto for 4 violins

he is also featured in the way they play vol 13, you can get at abe.com

you can get most of his cds from amazon used or ebay

From Don Woodcock
Posted on November 18, 2004 at 11:05 PM
Jonathan,

You are absolutely right about the Mendelssohn f major sonata. I don't understand why it is not more popular with recording artists. The only other major violinist I know who has recorded it is Maxim Vengerov on a Teldec recording.

I think it has one of the most beautiful adagios in the violin literature.

Regards,

Don

From Enosh Kofler
Posted on November 19, 2004 at 02:11 PM
A few of you have mentioned the Brahms and the Sibelius/Dvorak. These are the ones I want and can't find!
From Enosh Kofler
Posted on November 20, 2004 at 03:19 AM
I found the Brahms one but still can't find the Sibelius/Dvorak and that's the one I want more! Again, any knowledge as to where these might be found would be greatly appreciated.
From Enosh Kofler
Posted on November 20, 2004 at 03:24 AM
I found the Franck/Debussy/Ravel Sonatas CD.... question about it. Does it have Tzigane? Oh and here's the website where I found these. http://search.store.yahoo.com/cgi-bin/nsearch?catalog=iclassicsbto&query=Shlomo+Mintz+Sibelius&.autodone=nsearch.html
From Christian Vachon
Posted on November 20, 2004 at 03:06 PM
Mintz's recordings are good, but are hard to find now. His contract with DG was cancelled in the early 90's and most of the stuff is out of print. Unless you can find some copies floating around still in stores, your best bet is to check out used record stores, or the used section at your local store. You might get lucky that way... GOOD LUCK!
From Ilona van der Sman
Posted on November 30, 2004 at 10:11 AM
Dear all,

Many Mr. Mintz’s recordings of are still available at www.bol.com.
I hope this info is helpful!

Kindest regards,

Ilona

From Ilona van der Sman
Posted on December 1, 2004 at 11:07 PM
By the way, his Franck/Debussy/Ravel Sonatas CD does not include the Tzigane, but is nevertheless an amazing album!
From Enosh Kofler
Posted on December 2, 2004 at 04:36 AM
Thanks. By the way, I received the Beethoven CD in the mail and was kind of disappointed! I thought the concerto was flat, no energy, too slow, no vibrato, and just not interesting, which really disappointed me because it really contrasted from his Caprices which were magnificent, clean, brilliant, full of soul, life, energy, just amazing. I haven't listened to Romance No.1 yet but did listen to the second one because I'm playing it, and it was actually OK. I felt the conductor, Sinopoli really had no energy and am hoping that this might've been a reason why it was pretty mediocre. Have any of you guys heard it? What do you think, and if you agree with me, maybe you have other theories as to why it was disappointing? I should be receiving the Lalo CD on Friday.... I hope that won't be disappointing.
From Ilona van der Sman
Posted on December 3, 2004 at 10:37 AM
Although I like the introvert Beethoven album very much, I do think that a conductors can have a huge effect on the performance of a soloist.
I have seen Mr. Mintz performing the Beethoven concerto in the double function of both soloist and conductor, and I must say that that was totally different from the CD. It was a free, exuberant and inspiring performance.
In Australia they also liked him in this double function, as the following quotation from an Australian newspaper proves:

“Mintz took on the roles of both conductor and soloist in the Beethoven concerto.
This is a tall order for even the most experienced and gifted musician which Mintz unquestionably is. And in his capacity as soloist, Mintz scaled the heights, giving us an account of this noblest of concertos that left one with the impression that it was not so much communication between soloist and audience as a rarefied form of communion between soloist and composer.
It was a peerless probing for the essence of the solo part, with flawlessly fashioned note streams clothed in sound, now warm and golden, now, especially in the upper reaches of the range, shimmering and silvery.”

By the way, the Lalo/Vieuxtemps/Saint-Saëns is a more extravert album and is recorded live during a concert.

From Enosh Kofler
Posted on December 3, 2004 at 05:55 PM
Thanks Ilona, that's very informative.
From Enosh Kofler
Posted on December 4, 2004 at 07:27 AM
Well, I just got the Lalo, Vieuxtemps, Saint-Saens CD and I'm very happy with it. His playing is full of energy, it's unique, and it's amazingly clean. I like how he played the Lalo very Spanish which I haven't heard much. I'm very impressed and glad I got this CD.
From Manuel Lozano
Posted on January 29, 2005 at 05:05 AM
Hi everyone, if someone owns the Brahms Violin concerto recording with Mintz and shares mp3's somewhere, let me know. I've been looking for it for ages. thanks!!!!
From Enosh Kofler
Posted on January 29, 2005 at 05:12 AM
I got it, and it's not that great. Not bad, but not amazing. It's a bit too heavy and a little slow, like his Beethoven. You could get it on this website www.iclassics.com. That's where I got it, but don't expect a nicely packaged disc, it's actually bootlegged and has like a xeroxed front cover and burned disc, but it works. Oh and also, they take forever.
From Scott 68
Posted on January 30, 2005 at 02:03 PM
yes he is kind of hit or miss, some of his cds are great

anyone heard the bruch mendelssohn disk?

From Violin T
Posted on January 30, 2005 at 02:20 PM
From Enosh Kofler
Posted on January 30, 2005 at 07:55 PM
I heard the Mendelssohn on it and it's OK, I can't really remember it. I agree about the hit and miss thing. I think his greatest CD is the Paganini, then the Lalo. I haven't heard his Kreisler, Mendelssohn sonata, Prokofiev, or Sibelius (although I have seen a video of his Sibelius and it was very very good) but I do have the Beethoven which I don't like at all and the Brahms which isn't really my cup of tea.
From Don Woodcock
Posted on February 13, 2005 at 10:50 PM
To all who are interested, Shlomo Mintz has two new recordings on the Avie Records label.

They include the Brahms violin and viola sonatas with Itomar Golan (pianist) and all the Mozart violin concertos with the sinfonia concertante and the concertone. The second disc is with Hagai Shaham and the English Chamber Orchestra.

From Jonathan Frohnen
Posted on February 15, 2005 at 01:11 AM
Check this link out...this is where I get all my CD's. Free worldwide shipping too.

http://www.musicabona.com/mintz_shlomo/cd/index.html.en

From Enosh Kofler
Posted on February 25, 2005 at 02:24 AM
Don, I searched for him on amazon and tower again but did not find anything new.
From Enosh Kofler
Posted on February 25, 2005 at 02:26 AM
Nevermind, I see them. Do you know if he'll be coming out with any more?
From Yuri Fukushima
Posted on February 25, 2005 at 12:20 PM
Hello all,

I've just found these URL which includes Mintz's new titles:

http://www.avierecords.com/Avie_Records_Home_Page.htm
http://www3.fnac.com/item/author.do?Origin=FnacAff&category=classic&id=143540

I'm a huge fan of him for nearly 20 years.
I have almost of all his CDs available here in Japan.
I'm so happy to see you all who are his fans.

Regards,
Lily Field (Yuri Fukushima)

From Ilona van der Sman
Posted on March 25, 2005 at 07:08 AM
Hello!
This re-release I can highly recommend!
Regards,
Ilona
French Violin Sonatas

Debussy:
Sonata for Violin and Piano in G minor
Sonata for Violin and Piano in G

Fauré:
Violin Sonata in A op. 13

Violin Sonata in E minor op. 108

Franck, C:
Sonata for Violin and Piano in A

Kreisler:
Morceaux
Clifford Benson

Shlomo Mintz & Yefim Bronfman

This item is scheduled for release on 11 April 2005.
DG 2CD - 4775448
(CD - 2 discs)

From D Chin
Posted on March 25, 2005 at 09:57 PM
I recently listened to Mintz's recording of the Bach Sonatas and Partitas. Very impressive. Szyreng's are my favorite, with Milstein close behind. Mintz's are right up there.
From Carl Woodman
Posted on March 28, 2005 at 10:38 AM
What are your comments on the last Sibelius violin concerto CD to the latest Sibelius violin concerto (without the Dvorak CD) played by Shlomo Mintz (both issued by DG)?
From Enosh Kofler
Posted on March 28, 2005 at 08:59 PM
Haven't heard either one but I did see a video of him play it with Essa Pekka and it was amazing (conducting not that great though).
From Ilona van der Sman
Posted on March 28, 2005 at 10:32 PM
The video is from 1986. He now plays it even better, which is being confirmed in this extract from the West Australian:

The West Australian 01/04/2003
By Neville Cohn

Virtuoso improves with age

There has never been a Master Series quite like it - an avalanche of rapturous applause by an audience paying homage to the artistry of violinist extraordinaire Shlomo Mintz who, like some musical Caesar, came, played and conquered.

After the floral tributes Mintz, brilliant as soloist in Sibelius’s Violin Concerto, returned to play one of Paganini’s unaccompanied Caprices with near-incredible skill as encore.
Later that night, at home, I listened again to a cherished, 20-year-old LP of Mintz playing the complete Caprices and realised that the violin virtuoso, two decades on, is as dazzlingly in form now as ever he was in 1982.

Sibelius’s concerto is, of course, music that is much deeper than Paganini’s fiddle pyrotechnics.
Here, Mintz, employing a flawless bowing technique as well as a phenomenal skill on the fingerboard, made his violin, believed to be a Stradivarius dating from 1716, sing magically as it pierced to the heart of Sibelius’s concerto.
It was an interpretation that was as much an act of communication with the composer as communication with the audience.
The concerto is one of Sibelius’s most profound utterances and Mintz responded to it with an answering depth of feeling.
It was clear from his magnificent performance that he is at the forefront of living violinists.

This was an evening to remember - and for all the best reasons...

West Australian Symphony Orchestra conducted by Tuomas Ollila

From Christian Vachon
Posted on March 28, 2005 at 11:11 PM
Hi,

Don't forget Sholomo Mintz's Prokofiev Concertos. Very beautiful playing. I have only seen him once in public play the Brahms concerto in the early 90's. It was great, and the he played an unbelievable Paganini Fifth Caprice as an encore. I am glad to see that he has a Strad now. Back then he played on a great Bergonzi, but I could see how he could be even better now with a better fiddle. Too bad he doesn't really play in North America anymore. Real shame...

Cheers!

From Enosh Kofler
Posted on March 29, 2005 at 12:44 AM
Doesn't he conduct more now?
From Kam Cheung
Posted on March 29, 2005 at 08:17 AM
Dear all,

Mintz was in Hong Kong last week. He played the Beethoven violin concerto with the Hong Kong Sinfonietta. Tje concert was reorded and broadcast. You can listen to it at http://www.rthk.org.hk/rthk/radio4/SchlomoMintzwithHKS/20050326.html.

Mintz played after the intermission. Go to the second half of the programme if you do not care for a new piece by a local Hong Kong composer and the London.

Please don't feel upset by the applause in between the first and second movements. The attendees that evening were mostly very young kids. I do feel grateful to Mintz for charging a very small fee and making it possible for a larger group of young kids to attend the concert. I'll love to see more senior artists doing the same.

Regards,
Kam

From Michael Waiblinger
Posted on March 29, 2005 at 02:22 PM
There will be a TV broadcast with him tonight in Germany: Wieniawski: Violin Concerto Nr.2 in d Op. 22
Myung Whun Chung, conductor and the SO des Südwestfunks Baden-Baden
From: 11. November 1981
From benny atkinson
Posted on April 1, 2005 at 07:44 PM
Yes Michael, I was just about to tell Enosh I watched it (Wieniawski No 2)on Satellite Tv ! Doesn't the end of the first movement remind you of the Tchaikovsky's VC ? It must have inspired Tchaikovsky for sure !
From Enosh Kofler
Posted on April 1, 2005 at 08:21 PM
You guys are lucky. Here in LA we don't get any classical music on TV. To top it off, our radio stations play the most boring classical music available. No wonder people don't like classical music. It makes me really sad.
From Ilona Schaareman
Posted on April 16, 2005 at 08:13 AM

SHLOMO MINTZ

violinist - violist - conductor

PRESS EXTRACTS 2004 – 2005


Ha’aretz (By Hagai Hitron) 10/08/2004 Keshet Eilon
(Gala concert in Tel Aviv with teachers and participants of the Keshet Eilon Mastercourse)

...Shlomo Mintz demonstrated true violin musicianship and an elegance of tone in Kreisler’s exceedingly spare “Recitativo and Scherzo-Caprice”, and observed in brief remarks that Keshet Eilon’s vision is to be a light unto young violinists throughout the world.
Whoever attended the Mastercourse events at Kibbutz Eilon knows that this comment was no exaggeration but a reflection of reality...


Diario de Sevilla (By Andrès Moreno Mengíbar) 14/10/2004 Sevilla
(Recital with Itamar Golan - Brahms Violin Sonata No. 1 in G Major Op. 78, Sonata for Viola and Piano No. 1 in F Minor Op. 120, Violin Sonata No. 3 in D Minor Op. 108)

...Shlomo Mintz performed Brahms’s sonatas with sober gestures and a high degree of concentration, with an irreproachable technique and a clear and fleshy sound.
There was poetry, passion, fire and energy. And what a quality of sound…


Der Landbote (By Anja Bühnemann) 19/10/2004 Winterthur
(Winterthur cycle - Recital with Itamar Golan - Brahms Violin Sonata No. 1 in G Major Op. 78, Sonata for Viola and Piano No. 1 in F Minor Op. 120, Violin Sonata No. 3 in D Minor Op. 108)

...Shlomo Mintz played with great intimacy and his performance was characterized by inner emotions and a scale of fine nuances.
The impressed audience rewarded him with standing ovations...


Aargauer Zeitung (By Jürg Haller) 26/10/2004 Baden
(Winterthur cycle - Orchester Musikkollegium Winterthur - conductor and soloist - Stravinsky Suite No. 1 for small orchestra, Shostakovitsch Kammersinfonie in C Minor Op. 110a, Beethoven Violin Concerto in D Major Op. 61)

...Shlomo Mintz shone both as conductor and violin soloist.
It was wonderful to see him combining the double function of soloist and conductor. He mesmerized the audience with his intense tone, his flawless technique and his subtle shaping of the musical lines.
The orchestra followed him highly concentrated and in the end the enthusiastic audience gave him a roaring applause.As a conductor, Shlomo Mintz impressed with his ability to inspire the musicians on a deep emotional level, which resulted in profound interpretations...


Der Landbote (By Rita Wolfensberger) 26/10/2004 Winterthur
(Winterthur cycle - Orchester Musikkollegium Winterthur - conductor - soloists: Itamar Golan & Natsuko Inoue - Mozart Concerto for two pianos and orchestra KV 365, Poulenc Concerto for two pianos and orchestra in D Minor, Beethoven Symphony No. 1 in C Major, Op. 21)

...During his week as a guest star with the Musikkollegium Winterthur, Shlomo Mintz showed that he is a masterly chamber music player and concert soloist, as well as a brilliant conductor, and in this last concert, in which he performed only as a conductor, he proved that he is also an excellent soloist accompanist.
Shlomo Mintz’s conducting is an ideal mix of precision and flexibility and his refreshing interpretations of even the most well-known pieces resulted into a wonderful listening experience...


Beijing Portal (By Joey) 02/11/2004 Beijing
(Recital with Adrienne Krausz - Mozart Sonata for violin and piano No. 34 in A Major KV. 526, Schubert Sonata for violin and piano in A Major D. 574 "Grand Duo", Beethoven Sonata for violin and piano No. 10 in G Major Op. 96)

...Israeli Violinist Shlomo Mintz is one of the finest musicians in the world...


WASO (West Australian Symphony Orchestra) 25/11/2004 Perth
(Announcement upcoming performance of Brahms’s Violin Concerto)

...Sibelius, Beethoven, and now the Brahms. Those who have followed Shlomo Mintz’ survey of the great romantic violin concerti in his remarkable partnership with the West Australian Symphony Orchestra will not want to miss this superb violinist’s performances in 2005.
When an artist of this presence and authority stands on the stage of a city’s concert hall,
the silence that he commands steals into the city’s consciousness, and the sound that pours forth from his instrument, burns into its soul...


Westdeutsche Zeitung (By Finn Jacobsen) 13/12/2004 Düsseldorf
(Düsseldorfer Symphoniker - soloist - Beethoven Violin Concerto)

...Shlomo Mintz played with noblesse and concentration and his wonderful tone carried remarkably far, and was clear in all ranks and nuances…
Since he has no technical limitations, he played the solo part in a natural way, without any unnecessary effects...


El Día (Author unknown) 11/01/2005 Tenerife
(Zurich Chamber Orchestra - soloist - Mozart Concertos No. 4 & 5)

...The interpretations of Mozart’s Violin Concertos No 4 & 5, performed by Shlomo Mintz, were rewarded with a roaring applause...


Frankfurter Rundschau (By Bernhard Uske) 20/01/2005 Frankfurt
(Tour with English Chamber Orchestra - conductor and soloist - Bach Violin Concerto No 2 in E Major,
Mozart Violin Concerto 5, Jupiter Symphony)

...Shlomo Mintz at the Olympus…
The precise musicians of the English Chamber Orchestra adjusted to the master and offered a record experience live...


Tageblatt (By Marco Schmidt) 24/01/2005 Munich
(Tour with English Chamber Orchestra - conductor and soloist - Mozart Concertos No. 4 & 5, Jupiter Symphony)

...With his violin tones Shlomo Mintz could even enchant a nightingale, and his perfect co-operation with the English Chamber Orchestra was an otherworldly highlight...


Südwest Presse (by Jürgen Kanold) 25/01/2005 Ulm
(Tour with English Chamber Orchestra - conductor and soloist - Mozart Concertos No. 1 & 3, Prague Symphony)

...Shlomo Mintz played unendingly beautiful, and conducted the sovereign English Chamber Orchestra in a serious and convincing way…
Too good to be true? No, it was good and true...


Altamusica (By Gérard Mannoni) 31/01/2005 Paris
(Tour with English Chamber Orchestra - conductor and soloist - Mozart Violin Concerto No. 3, Sinfonia Concerante for Violin (Hagai Shaham) and Viola (Shlomo Mintz), Jupiter Symphony)

...Shlomo Mintz, magical and magnificent…
A true lesson in music, direct and sincere…
Mozart like one has always dreamt it...


Classicalsource (By Colin Anderson) 03/02/2005 London
(Tour with English Chamber Orchestra - conductor and soloist - Mozart Concertos No. 4 & 5, Jupiter Symphony)

...Shlomo Mintz is not a regular visitor to London – which is a shame.
His renditions of Mozart’s concertos returned this music to an era of time-taken elegance…
With consistently measured tempos, shapely articulate phrasing, and with no need to intervene on the music’s behalf, these were totally trusting, rather genial accounts...


Il Resto del Carlino (by Stefano Marchetti) 08/02/2005 Modena
(Tour with English Chamber Orchestra - conductor and soloist - Mozart Overture Le Nozze di Figaro,
Concertos No. 3 & 4, Prague Symphony)

...The incredible soloist conductor Shlomo Mintz and the English Chamber Orchestra offered an extraordinary performance…
This evening will always remain a “souvenir”...


Hong Kong Entertainment (hkentertainment.com) 21/03/2005 Hong Kong
(Hong Kong Sinfonietta - soloist - Beethoven Violin Concerto)

...In the violin concerto in D, Op 61 by Ludwig van Beethoven, Shlomo Mintz kept the audience spellbound throughout an entrancing performance, excellently supported by the orchestra.
After the concert the audience was treated to a most superb solo performance and repeated encores. An evening to remember...


Extracts assembled and translated by Ilona Schaareman

To all who like to read about Mr. Shlomo Mintz!
Regards,
Ilona

From benny atkinson
Posted on April 20, 2005 at 07:15 PM
you can find Mintz' Bach partitas on Ebay
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=307&item=4721521980&rd=1
From Enosh Kofler
Posted on April 21, 2005 at 12:44 AM
You can get them on amazon too.
From Ilona Schaareman
Posted on April 25, 2005 at 07:23 AM
Dear all.

Mr. Mintz’s discography includes the following recordings:

Bach Sonatas & Partitas for Solo Violin BWV 1001 – 1006, Deutsche Grammophon
Bartók 2 Portraits, Deutsche Grammophon
Bartók Violin Concerto No. 1, RN
Beethoven Violin Concerto, Beethoven Romance No. 1, Beethoven Romance No. 2, Deutsche Grammophon
Brahms Complete Violin & Viola Sonatas, Avie Records
Brahms Violin Concerto, Deutsche Grammophon
Bruch Violin Concerto, Deutsche Grammophon
Debussy Violin Sonata in G, Deutsche Grammophon
Dvorak Violin Concerto, Deutsche Grammophon
Fauré Violin Sonata No. 1 op. 13, Fauré Violin Sonata No. 2 op. 108, Deutsche Grammophon
Franck Violin Sonata in A, Deutsche Grammophon
Israel Philharmonic 60th Anniversary Gala Concert, RCA Victor
Kreisler Various Compositions, Deutsche Grammophon
Lalo Symphonie Espagnole, Deutsche Grammophon
Mendelssohn Violin Concerto, Deutsche Grammophon
Mendelssohn Violin Sonata in F Minor, Mendelssohn Violin Sonata in F Major, Deutsche Grammophon
Mozart Sinfonia Concertante for Violin and Viola KV 364, RCA Victor
Mozart The Five Violin Concertos, Sinfonia Concertante, Concertone, Avie Records
Paganini 24 Caprices for Solo Violin op. 1, Deutsche Grammophon
Prokofiev Violin Concertos No. 1 & 2, Deutsche Grammophon
Prokofiev Violin Sonata No. 1 op. 80, Prokofiev Violin Sonata No. 2 op. 94°, Deutsche Grammophon
Ravel Violin Sonata in G, Deutsche Grammophon
Saint-Saëns ‘Introduction et Rondo capricioso’, Deutsche Grammophon
Shostakovitch Violin Sonata op.134, Erato
Shostakovitch Viola Sonata op.147, Erato
Sibelius Violin Concerto, Deutsche Grammophon
Stravinsky ‘Histoire du Soldat’, Valois
Vieuxtemps Concerto No. 5, Deutsche Grammophon
Vivaldi ‘The Four Seasons’, Deutsche Grammophon
Vivaldi Complete collection of Violin Concertos (10 Volumes), MusicMasters Classics.

I hope this is helpful.

Regards,

Ilona

From Jonathan Parle
Posted on April 25, 2005 at 07:45 AM
And his latest Mozart set is absolutely stunning in all respects - playing, sound engineering and overall presentation. I fully expect the Brahms sonatas which I will receive in a couple of weeks, will be more of the same sort of amazing quality.

I hope he will release more discs under Avie in the future.

From George Kucera
Posted on May 10, 2005 at 04:12 PM
Hello everybody! I came late to your discussion, but can contribute something about my “god” and the best violinist on the world, Shlomo Mintz. I followed him from the beginning. Nobody recorded both Paganini Op. 1 and solo Bach before 24th birthday, as he did, and in such a perfection. I heard him five times in live, as a soloist playing Caprices without changing the order (as Ruggiero Ricci does), Romantic Sonatas with piano, with his piano trio (Golan, Piatigorski) in a Beethoven evening, and in unique and astonishing concert with the First Paganini Concerto (Sautet-Mintz Cadenzas) with S. Cecilia Orchestra in Rome-Italy – that was the concert in which I cried, as never in my life before. I am sure I will never hear such a crystal performance and double-harmonics in the third movement (without a help of the concert master like some great violinists play, dividing harmonics in two voices in such a way) again. The last time, I enjoyed his viola in Mozart’s Symphony Concertante, and his conducting of “Jupiter”. He is just a gift of God, chosen among hundreds of great ones, yet very “normal” and almost shy as a father of his family, I heard. I don’t know what happened he “backed up” a bit as the chess-genius Robert Fisher did years ago, and why his contract with DG was cancelled, as I don’t know why he does not come to play to US as it would be so logical and expected. I have all his CDs, including a complete Vivaldi, but lost his Brahms and that’s a tragedy, because it does not exist anywhere. Has somebody some news ? Why did he not record Tchaikovsky for example? Anyway,I heard to play in live Perlman, Stern, Mutter, Shaham, Bell, Midori,Chung, Spivakov, Ricci, Accardo, Ughi, Snitkovskij, Oistrach jn. ,Kremer, ... but
Minz is only ONE !

Jiri (George) Kucera,
Corpus Christi TX

From Enosh Kofler
Posted on May 11, 2005 at 12:45 AM
I have the Brahms. You can buy it from somewhere but it took a really long time. In my opinion, even though I really like Mintz, the way he plays Brahms isn't that great.

It seems like the same thing about not playing in the US happened with Mischa Maisky. To me he's the best cellist right now and much better than Ma in my opinion. He has lots of concerts everywhere but not in the US. It sucks.

From George Kucera
Posted on May 11, 2005 at 07:16 PM
Hi Enosh,
I agree with you that Mintz's Brahms and especially his Beethoven is not his forte, at least on the recordings (A.S.Mutter is shining much more with those). Nevertheless, I heard his Brahms concerto on the TV transmition, and it was totally different. I also agree with Maisky's case, particularly with the fact that he and Offrah Harnoy play better than big MA who made a great name through his political publicity. I think there must be something political in the fact those Jewish giants don't go to play so much to West, but I wish to be wrong. I'd like to get Brahms because it's the only missing to my collection; let me know if you come across a www with this record, please. Take care! George
From Ilona Schaareman
Posted on May 12, 2005 at 09:49 PM

Some recent press material on Mr. Mintz:

Jyllands-Posten (By Hjarne Fessel) 29/04/2005 Aalborg
(Aalborg Symfoniorkester - soloist - Bartók Violin Concerto No. 2)

...International allure in Aalborg...
Shlomo Mintz has a fierce temperament and his typical, sometimes even aggressive tone-shaping suited Bartók’s Violin Concerto fabulously…
His virtuoso performance was profound, personal, and in every way convincing…


Il Gazzettino (By F.L.) 29/04/2005 Vicenza
(l'Orchestra del Teatro Olimpico - soloist - Tchaikovsky Violin Concerto)


...Shlomo Mintz’s, the soloist in Tchaikovsky’s Violin Concerto, bewitches audiences in all great concert halls of the world with his incredible talent...


Regards,

Ilona

From Ilona Schaareman
Posted on May 14, 2005 at 09:17 AM

By the way, you'd also might like to read what a german critic wrote about the Brahms concerto:

Münstersche Zeitung 17/06/2004
By Manuel Jennen

...Brahms was wonderful.
Guest star Shlomo Mintz proved that he was the excellent choice to perform this work. Calm and secure he stood on the stage with his eyes closed and overwhelmed the audience - first row till balcony - with an impressively great tone, which was versatile and round, but not sugary.
In the many highly moving chords, his violin sounded wonderfully secure and full of character, like a first-class primadonna.
Mintz’s flawless intonation fascinated also in the cadenza where he approached the frighteningly difficult double-toned intervals with sublime sureness.

The second movement sounded totally different. This movement does not start as a violin concerto but sounds more like an oboe concerto.
To the dark and even sound of the wind instrument Mintz answered with a grand romantic vibrato and the movement evolved into a touching duet with beautiful contrasts.

In the superb Finale Humburg and the orchestra followed the soloist in the vivid accents of the movement and let it dance in an exquisite way...

(Münster Symphony Orchestra conducted by Will Humburg)

Regards,

Ilona

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