30 June 2023

Enescu plays Bach and Beethoven (1949)



Also available on YT, but this is the complete concert in a better source 

(very good for a live recording of the late 40s).

Beethoven's Concerto, performed with extreme freedom and intensity, 

not only highlights the musicality but also the humanity and even the fragility 

of an immense musician perhaps still underestimated as a composer.

Maybe it helps us understand why Menuhin, despite his relationships 

with Elgar, Bartók (!), Furtwängler - and many others - considered Enescu 

to be the greatest musician he ever met.



BACH Violin concerto n. 2, BWV 1042

BEETHOVEN Violin Concerto op.61 (cadenzas by Joseph Joachim)

BACH Fugue from Violin Sonata n. 1 BWV 1001


George Enescu, violin

University of Illinois Orchestra

John Kuypers

 

Live - Smith Music Hall, University of Illinois

February 16, 1949


FLAC - 7 Separated tracks


 

8 comments:

Guido said...

https://www.mediafire.com/file/8u1f23kpehe75lw/B-B-Enescu.zip/file

lsl said...

Wow! Thanks for sharing this. A fascinating insight into one of the last century's great musicians.
Best wishes,
Louis

Scientist_Timpanist said...

Thank you very much Guido! You always suprise us with unexpected, mouth-watering treasures!

Renegade Priest said...

Thank you, Guido - very much appreciated.

No disrespect to the University of Illinois or its orchestra, but I would be interested to know the background to Enescu playing with them.

Grover Gardner said...

This is terrific, thank you! Enecu is never uninteresting!

Grover Gardner said...

A lot of composers and performers taught or made guest appearances at American universities in the 1940's and 50's. Dohnanyi, Milhaud, and others. Things were pretty bad in post-war Europe and lucrative visits to America must have been welcome. Enescu gave master classes and performances at the University of Illinois from 1948 to 1950.

David Newyear said...

Thank you! Always a pleasure to listen to this remarkable musician!

centuri said...

Fantastic historical and well-preserved document. Many thanks !