For the Record, Op. 304: Ray Chen's 'Player 1'; London Chamber Ensemble Quartet

October 18, 2024 at 07:59 AM · It's good to see Charles Wood's last quartet finally get a proper recording. It's been 14 years since I uploaded my homegrown effort to IMSLP. I just reminded myself that the middle two movements are rather nice.

October 21, 2024 at 04:04 AM · As from ~ Violin Apostle of Heifetz, Elisabeth Matesky {#2}

As a veteran Violinist, Member of Violinist.com, I am shocked to read whomever authored the Article on Ray Chen playing a once owned Stradivarius 1714 'Dolphin' Violin belonging to my Violin Mentor, Jascha Heifetz?? Whomever wrote this isn't really following actual history but writing about some misinformed bit of information for it wasn't Mr. Heifetz who first premiered the Korngold Violin Concerto yet another lesser known violinist first w/Heifetz still continually being written about as premiering the Korngold Violin Concerto which he did not and not for any specific reasons which would be related to Heifetz's Personae musically, but due a younger generation Not There & unknowing of factual history re the glorious Korngold Violin Concerto & again, attributed to my Violin Mentor, Jascha Heifetz, who eventually did perform Erich Korngold's Violin Concerto magnificently so that few other violinists have been able to'match'/come close to the JH interpretation or recording! I studied with Mr. Heifetz in his Original Jascha Heifetz Violin Master Class at USC's Institute for Special Music Studies & our class of Only Seven (7) which was subsequently filmed by NYC Producer, Nathan Kroll, convincing Mr. Heifetz to allow him to film JH in his new 'Role'~ that of Violin Mentor to 7 artist pupil's and as it would happen not scripted as many have written to me on YouTube with eroneous fabrications of utter falsehoods! It's important here to make mention All Seven of us in the Original Jascha Heifetz Violin Master Class starting with only private JH Pupil Erick Friedman; Claire Hodgkins (later a JH Assistant); Adam Han Gorski; Robert Witte (formerly an Arthur Gruniaux pupil in Zurich); Carol Sindell of Cleveland & a Josef Gingold pupil; Varoujan Kodjian of Juilliard's Ivan Galamian and myself, pupil of my father, Ralph Matesky until acceptance into Mr. Heifetz's Orig JH Violin Master Class at USC and held in the lovely Queen Anne Clark House ... I've heard Clark House was torn down which hurts due All the Rare Musical History which was contained within its Walls and the specifically built Studio for Mr. Heifetz, for his Debut as Violin Mentor to all 7 of us! It amazes me to read mythical ideas about Jascha Heifetz to this writing and I would just mention comparing a young violinist in Ray Chen to Erich Korngold's youth might be gilding the lily a lot! Let Mr. Chen prove himself over time to then be written about in the same breath as the 20th Century Iconic Composer, Erich Korngold, for I would be willing to wager Ray Chen would agree!!

All said, some of the verbiage used above went over my head not being in the Gen Z Age Group but it is a good thing to refer to an obvious Great Composer of the Twentieth Century with all due respect with Twentieth Century Verbs and Compliments which will forever be current and understood by serious professional's in a Music Profession which hopefully will not bend to current weird wording and most questionable descriptions which are non relevant! In a perfect world we would maintain the compliments of old for those truly deserving of Great of GOAT or Genius, yet many are now termed these very rare words who have not warranted such compliments and in this sort of Everything Goes Culture, how can those possessing genuine gifts survive or even come to public notice minus a too much overdone publicity machine behind many wanna be Heifetz's???

I rest my case and never have veered away from the dazzling and most beautiful melodies with harmonies accompanying the glorious Korngold Violin Concerto with Full Symphony Orchestra Score which seems to become more beautiful with 'age' and at this time of cyclops being praised over Beauty Unadorned . . .

With best wishes to Editor, Laurie Niles, from absentee Violinist!

Elisabeth Matesky, Carrier of the Heifetz-Milstein Violin Legacy

Fwd ~ dmg

October 21, 2024 at 07:12 AM · The Wikipedia entry for the Korngold violin concerto gives Heifetz as the soloist at the première. It seems that this should be corrected, and the name of the first performer substituted.

October 21, 2024 at 03:51 PM · Elizabeth, There are many sources that say that Heifetz premiered the Korngold. So then who was it that premiered the Korngold Concerto, so we can set the record straight?

October 21, 2024 at 04:57 PM · Also, Ray Chen is indeed truly deserving of the highest praise, and yes, his name can be breathed in the same sentence as Jascha Heifetz. He is a player of the highest caliber, with an epic career and worldwide following. He a millennial, not Gen Z, born in 1989 in Australia. He is a laureate of the highest-level competitions (First place in both the Queen Elisabeth and Menuhin Competitions) and a graduate of the Curtis Institute, where he studied with Aaron Rosand. Beyond that, having heard him play live many times, the man has incredible technique and he shows up to PLAY. He travels the world and advocates for classical music and the study of the violin, emboldening people to continue to study and love this instrument. He is an incredibly positive force in our classical world and he absolutely has every credential to back up his ability, expertise, etc. He is also ALIVE, and we do need some violinists to admire who live in this century. He is very responsible about the way he uses his well-earned fame. So enough gate-keeping, there are GOAT violinists alive today. And that particular ex-Heifetz Strad is in good hands.