Does anyone here ever torture themselves wondering what a peformance by the composer himself would've been like? ...To hear the emotions in the music that inspired others, to hear the true sound of the creator himself? I can't help but to feel and beleive that mastery of an instrument and even technical precision can only serve as second best to originality, voice and soul. This player has it, in their playing, as few others do, but i can't stop thinking about how Bach would have played it.
Yes! Szeryng is one of the greatest,in many works he is a leader in clear sound and musicianship of the higest order! I satt in the orchestra when he playd Paganini-Brams and Sibelius..will never forget that evenings…
Honestly Henryk Szeryng caused my love to classical music and violin. I listened to many artists for chacconne after him and he is simply second to none. True maestro
Es una interpretación Magistral del Prestigioso Maestro y Vioilinista Henryk Szeryng ; su excelente sonido me recuerda cuántas veces escuchaba la grabación , su tono es por siempre fabuloso . Gracias por compartir tan Valioso Video de uno de los grandes Violinista que hiso grandes aportes al instrumento ; graduando a generaciones de Violinistas muy brillantes
One of the most 'faithful' interpretation of Bach's work by old masters of violins ( a personal thought). Szeryng (and milstein, Francescatti) plays Bach in Bach's way. Some, like Heifetz, play theirs.
In looking back, Henryk Szeryng stands out as a flawless jewel among many fine violin players. By and large, I consider him perhaps the greatest that ever lived.
This, to me, is the most sublime musical composition ever composed. It is not only a finely sculptured musical work but also a deep examination of the spirit. I own at least 8 sets of the Bach unaccompanied violin works. Syeryng's and Ida Haendel's stand out as the best in my mind with Milstein's following pretty close. Gidon Kremer also has a fine, if a bit eccentric at times , interpretation of these monumental works.
When you said "deep examination of the spirit" it hit me hard cause that is exactly what happened to me when I first heard this piece. I broke down into million pieces and felt feelings i never knew about. He lasered my soul and my spirit and showed me my wrongs and my rights. I will forever be grateful to Bach. I own him my life.
Henryk Szeryng was born in Warsaw, Poland into a wealthy Jewish family. The surname "Szeryng" is a Polish transliteration of his Yiddish surname, which nowadays would be spelled "Shering" in the modern Yiddish-to-English transliteration. His teachers were Maurice Frenkel, Carl Flesch and Jacques Thibaud.
I think this is my favorite version of this masterpiece. He plays with nice speed, connects the chords so effortlessly, and still manages to infuse rubato and such musicality in his music. Also, he handles my favorite section, 11:46 -- 12:23 so beautifully! Szeryng is the KING of Bach.
Großartig! Die alten Meister konnten noch Bach spielen. Szering, Menuhin, Stern, Milstein. Was man heute hört ist größtenteils zum Schuhe ausziehen. Wie kann irgendjemand bei dieser phantastischen Interpretation ein Dislike geben?
Ive heard many interpretations of Bach’s Chaconne over the years and use to play this myself at the Melba Con ( Teacher Cecil Parkes ) but this is perhaps the best
This is the most beautifully and masterfully played version of The Chaconne in history, even among the other records of Henryk playing it.
7 лет назад
la plus belle version que j'ai jamais écouté. Il se dégage une telle expressivité que les seuls mots qui me viennent sont: lumière, foi, ferveur, un cri...du coeur sans pourvoir exprimer ni plainte, ni joie, ni quoique ce soit. La musique parle...
Let's not forget Henryk Szeryng; critics have been so hard on him. Szering was a first class violinist, who has given us one of the most beautiful Chaconne's ever played.
@@pluutoop - I believe that his intonation was called into question. I certainly don't hear too much of a problem on this recording, but I have on others.
Not exactly. His intonation was in fact the best of his generation, and recognized as such. Criticism stemmed from from his very difficult personality - pompous, arrogant, condesceding, insufferable at times - and from the extreme perfection of his playing, for which others, including D. Oistrakh and Perlman accused him of lacking individuality. To me, he ranks at the very top of the all-time greats. Especially his Bach, which is in many ways unmatched. I knew him well; he was a family friend from 1974 to his death in 1988. I also attended his masterclasses in Geneva in the '80s, where he was generous and very kind. As he always was with young colleagues. In my personal opinion, he has no equal in the history of re order violin playing in terms of intonation and tonal power.
@@uliwidmaier5192 - Thank you so much for sharing this, Lili. I hate to impune the motives of Oistrakh or Perlman, but it is very difficult to find any justification for their opinions. I don't think this recording could be improved upon,
indiscutablement la plus magnifique et sublime version ! l'enregistrement des suites de Bach pour violon seul est un sommet inégalable, absolu et éternel!
While I cant comment if this is the best performance of Bach's Chaconne it certainly gives me goosebumps, makes my spine tingle and my heart soar. I can say that this is one of the greatest works of art of all time, one that I have listened to 100s of times over the years and it never fails to amaze me. As a pianist, I find Beethoven's piano sontas, particularly the late sonatas such as No. 32 Op 111 equally as profound, majestic and awe inspiring. There is a very intimate version of Claudio Arrau playing it on RU-vid that is worth a listen. And of course Bach's Well Tempered Clavier preludes and fugues provide as complex and deep emotional stories and purely beautiful music as one could ever hope to hear.
Even being not an expert, I find this version absolutely the best I've ever listen to, since my youth. Two genious performing toghether, the Author and the Player, manage to touch the heart of whoever want to listen.... Thank you 🙏
The only one rendition of this piece for me. Still hold Sonata & Partita by Szeryng on old cassette. Bought 30 years ago way before YT. Have been hearing this countless of times. None performer is even close to Szeryng's interpretation. Even Heifetz, Perlman and Vengerov could not catch this imho. Szeryng played distinctively and articulated clearly leading line amongst three and even four simultaneous tracks. Not just genius performance but Divine!
When I studied at the academy there was a portrait of Henryk S. in our room. Every time I played Bach in that room - I pulled the curtins over that big picture. I actually met the man once. He just showed up once - and never again. Almost shit my pants..!!
Interesting they have a similar style. I hate Mutter's violin concertos but her Partita 2 Sarabande is the best I've heard. Actually an interpretation by Peijun the violist might be even a bit better.
I must admit that my favorite version of the Chaconne is Milstein's, but Szeryng's transition to the major is unequaled (6:42). This is a very moving rendition.
Thank you !! Henryk Szeryng was born in 1918 in Zelazowa Wola like Fryderyk Chopin. Szeryng is one of last true Violin Virtuosos but also a wonderful man and hero ! In 1941 as assistant to gen. Sikorski he saved 4000 People from death !!! This is why after WWII NKWD gave him death sentence and he could not come back for many years to Poland.
another great interpretation of this work! and this is LIVE recording!! love it. up there with the live recording of Heifetz's interpretation of this monumental work!
Its amazing that historical informed playing didn’t really exist at that time and he managed to come surprisingly close to that. At the same making the listener experience colors and emotions that nobody else couldn’t do to that extent. He became my favorite violinist after surrounding myself so much with him as a person and especially with his music!
Totally classical music amateur here. Listened to Perlman at first, liked it but didn't feel too much other than that. Then listened to Heifetz - mind blew up by his techniques, but still felt no much emotions. Then I found Gidon Kremer, and got addicted. Later I found Milstein. It was good, but I went back to Kremer. Finally, I found Szeryng...and so far I've probably listened to his version for a hundred times. And there will be infinitely more.
El Sonido y Timbre brillante del Prestigioso Violinista HENRYK SZERYNG es Súper fABULOSO , nadie como él ejecuta con ese derrame de formas y colores para dar paso a una ejecución MARAVILLOSA ; entre tantas notas prevalece el mejor de los cantables para terminar la Obra Maestra del Genial Compositor J.S.Bach con una Magistral Interpretación .
Essential parts of the chaconne Szeryng plays best. Other parts he plays as good or better as any. I have listened tens of other players versions - and simply, this is the BEST.
Esta fué la primera versión que escuché en mi vida de la chaconne de Bach. Eso fué hace décadas, a los 16 años, cuando empezó mi admiración por el viejo kantor, el maestro Peluca. Hallar la partitura unos años después y poder tocarla fué como hallar un tesoro. Gracias por la alegría de poder escuchar de nuevo específicamente esta versión de Szeryng.
I found this version of Chaconne somehow 20 yrs ago recorded on old style cd :) And still keep on listening to this - Szeryng is far the best performer of this piece and so far and by far others. It is just my opinion but I hardly believe anyone could disagree.
Unfortunately most people are deaf and swear by other renditions. Szerying's interpretation hasn't been surpassed - couple measures here and there occasionally but as a whole? No intonation problems, no sloppy articulations that you hear in almost every single mainstream violinist (i.e Heifetz, Perlman, Mullova, Millstein, etc.), carefully crafted dynamics, no constant same width vibrato that Hahn likes to use to stagnate every single measure instead of allowing the music to breathe, etc. His double stops is also the only double stops that lets you get a glorious view of this polyphonic structure, not this pseudo authentic breaking of chords that people somehow think is representative of this music (well it's also partly because they don't have the technique to render it).
@@cheriangang Never heard of him. I'm really impressed with his bow control (double stops, controlling the speed) and his intonation. I love how he starts the major key of the piece, quiet and with a steady bow; also much better executed tempo change and rubatos than the 1st part. The 1st part honestly sounded like a worse version of Szerying, a less disciplined romanticism. It's too stagnant like Hahn, who tries to emphasize every note instead of seeing the whole forest; but the 2nd part of the Chaconne sounds like an actual story with the way he planned his dynamics and tempo changes. I also thought his 3rd part was better than the 1st part, much less stagnant. Also on a side note, I don't think live version of Chaconne is Szerying's best. The 1st part is great but the 2nd part is much too fast compared to his recording, with none of the dynamic and articulation nuisances. It's almost as if he was nervous playing this live.
There is in this piece the highest musical ecstasy ever composed (going from 4'22'' to 5'55'' in this recording). In my opinion this passage should be played as a single phrase, a long and intense legatto. Szeryng does it quite well.
I totally agree with you. Basically I prefer to listen to Szeryng’s Bach unaccompanied Sonatas and Patitas, and specially ciaccona because of the part you mentioned. Which performance is the best really depends but at least I can say about the part Szeryng is the best.
I've listened to a number of the top players on the Chaconne ....Szeryng is the master in this genre...I also give high marks to H.Hahn. Has anyone heard Sarah Chang do this? That would be really interesting.
When Oistrach was finally allowedby the Soviets to travel, all the Russian refugee violinists in the States went to hear him at Carnegie. Isaac Stern, Milstein, Menuhin, etc. Asked after the concert what he thought, Milstein said, "Acchh, he's worse than Heifetz." Nice to have so many choices!
This is amazingly beautiful, really tops among the best ... along with Milstein. It's a shame that the recording is not very good, sounds like he's under water.
Glad someone turned me on to this version. Technically brilliant (especially for a live version) and played at a non-plodding speed. This becomes my personal 2nd favorite version. That is of course highly subjective to my own musical preferences/sensibilities. I tend to prefer live performances with passion and dynamics over technical perfection, so my favorite remains the live PBS recording of a 70 y/o Jascha Heifetz (the only one that actually made me cry) - but that is just my personal preference.
que sonido! Szeryng entendió a Bach completamente. Que lastima que los grandes maestros tengan que morir, deberían tener permiso especial para vivir más. Grande Szeryng!
Maestro Szeryng's chaconne is incredible, so incredibly moving. Fancy, a piece written for one instrument (albeit playing four notes at once at times). Bach's mind must have been so incredible. He was begat of wonderful genes. God (who does not exist) had NOTHING to do with this man's incredible talent. Just great genes, a long line of Bachs extending back for generations.
I'm not one to make absolute assertions as to the existence of 'God' or not, but one who does is limiting themselves to a very reductionist viewpoint and doesn't understand that the existence of God is not a question that can be solved with true objectivity by the finite mind with which we often broach the topic. It's about pursuing an experience of the transcendent, and that is what comes through in many of Bach's pieces. Genes don't explain inspiration, but only provide a potential support pattern for such inspiration to bring latent talents to life in the execution of one's craft. If Bach himself claims his inspiration was God, who among us can tell him he is wrong? That would be silly, whether I agree with Christian doctrine or not. I would trust the intelligence of Bach to interpret his own experience better than you or I. By the way, there are also many gene scientists who have worked on the human genome project that are Christian (not the Mary Baker Eddy variety but Christians who also are good scientists). I am also not a Christian. I have released my genetically modified gas upon this topic. Let its stench uplift you as the sweet strains of Szeryng strad teleports you into the mind and heart of Bach.
I can't agree more with what you wrote. And, as most of you well know, Bach wrote - "The aim and final end of all music should be none other than the glory of GOD and the refreshment of the soul".
Many years ago I heard a performance in a small, cold church in Florence, by a good but not great violinist. It was awesome. You just can’t compare, just enjoy
