My father, who had a career as a violinist in a major symphony during the time of Milstein, studied with Stassavitch who was friends with Milstein. Sometimes, Milstein came over during my father's lessons to play something for Stassavitch, and get his opinion of it. My father said that it was astounding to watch him play close up, as he could seemingly do anything.
What kind of cajones does it take to look at the works of Paganini and say, "That's alright, but I'm kinda getting bored. I need to spice it up a bit!!"
To violin accordion He was a happy, successful, happily married violin virtuoso. He had a wonderful sense of humor, was kind to his students, loved the violin, played it as well as anyone on the planet, and loved jokes, soccer, wine and cigars if his wife was not there. Nothing sour there just seriously great violin playing. And really one of the all time greatest.
+Frank Pam I now see you are one of the various self-appointed RU-vid nannies, Mr. Pam. That puts your compulsive, gratuitous ad-hominem attacks in perspective. Thank you.
+Ramón G Castañeda You are a self-appointed know-all expert who cannot abide any questioning of his extreme views. You attended recitals and concerts as a toddler? Perhaps that is why you have such set views.
Milstein's horizontal playing of chords is exceptional as well his inaudible shifting between all the positions. His articulation of every note is his trade mark. And then the little smile after the job has been done.
@@ElsweyrDiego It's a term mostly used in Guitar playing, if that's what he means. I think he's referring to how effortlessly he walks double-stops up and down the fingerboard. Like right about 5:15.
I saw him at a RFH concert in London as a student in around 1962. He played the Tchaikovsky concerto and broke a string, changed violins with the leader Hugh Bean and never blinked an eye. I didn't notice any difference. Milstein was totally at home on stage and fully in control of all situations that could arise.
He definitely has his own way of holding the violin, it seemed almost careless, yet so natural. Other great violinists have had somewhat similar position, like a Ricci. One of a kind.
@@adriantucaciuc2769I can't find a full performance of it anywhere? What I've seen is good but it's jot milstein. I personally love Guy Braunstein's rendition and Hilary Hahn's rendition. Clara Jumi-Kang is also very good.
When Milstein found the 24th Caprice too easy -- what does he do? He creates a Paganini full course meal. When he went to Ysaye, the master asked him if he could play a Paganini caprice and his response was "Which one?" After listening to Hilary Hahn's version, I realized Milstein created a few more variations over time.
He kept making changes to this piece throughout his lifetime. This is the 5th or 6th version of it that I have heard and the variations are all different from each other
After hearing this and seeing his technique it is readily apparent why Milstein was one of the greats of the violin world! I saw him perform at the University of Arizona in 1959 when I was a violin performance major there. Students and faculty alike sat there and salivated at the marvel of his playing! He still played magnificently in his late 70's and early 80's! Bravissimo, Milstein!
I'm a few days into learning about violin as a guitarist and I can tell this guy is heavily underrated. One of the most skilled musically there has been.
I'm more than a few years into learning the violin, and even now, I can't explain anything this guy does. It's like he's speaking a completely different language
i started chewing on a piece of gum before listening to this piece and by the end of this song i forgot that it was still in my mouth, jesus that was some superb violin playing!
One of my favorite things. Such virtuosity, fire, and a sense of humor, too, fitting all the Paganini quotes into the changes of the 24th Caprice, like a Jazz musician. This is a treasure.
Everything rings, there is the most sumptuous, rich sound, even in the most virtuosic passages and the clarity of articulation and coordination between the two hands is astonishing.
I really love the way he almost whips his violin lightly but it is still makes a very agressive sound. Also very noticable in his interpretation of Bruchs violin concerto.
Milstein's left-hand fingerings on a fretless board of a violin is an astonishingly eye-opener hallucinatory that makes you zone-out for a split second.
I was fortunate enough to hear him play this at is 50th anniversary recital at Carnegie Hall in 1979. He was always changing it a bit here and there. Seems like it is always a bit different here and there and a bit different from what was published!
@@yimuxiao8941 It is amazing that Leopold Auer, in his biography, could not remember his name. Violinists of Milstein's generation did not play this work in public. Today's generation of fiddle players do play this.
This video should be saved as soon as possible as a Music World treasure! When we have the oportunity to watch a Master playing his own musical piece himself? Marvelous!
+Suzana Corritori People know Elman and Francescatti better than Milstein? No, just you who didn't know him. Step into the violin music world and he's right there!
Milstein went to Ysaye as a teenager, and when asked if he could play a Paganini caprice, he simply asked, "Which one?" He is quite well known to classical lovers and musicians. Itzhak Perlman has stated that Milstein's left hand was the most articulate of his generation.
Thanks so much for posting this video. What a great musician- such a wonderful sense of humor to combine great pieces of violin repertoire with the Paganini Caprice, and to have the virtuosity and flair to make it all musical and exciting.
Y'know, I just love stuff like this, it shows that the violin can be so good it can stand on its own two feet. this is where you get down to it's roots. orchestra is fine, but you can't really hear its true beauty.
Milstein is one of my two favorite violinists (Rabin is the other). I just love the combination of his intense focus and magnificent technical prowess. He makes it look effortless, yet it's clear that he cares about every single note he plays.
It’s fascinating me how different he plays from other violinist. I had just watched Hillary play this piece. It’s really different and I like when violinist interpret music differently
One of the true masters of his time period and will truly stand the test of time IMHO!! I have to agree with most all of the great violinist comments...
His bow gives me goosebumps. As a violinist I don't understand how he can make this sound with his unorthodox bow control! (Not parallel to bridge at the tip) I always think it's gonna slip and slide. But holy shit what a god😂
It's easier to bow like this, G and D tend to be easier to play and also sound better closer to the fingerboard than A and E. Ricci had similar bowing. Milstein also has the Auer bow hold which gives the best stability.
Both Milstein and Heifetz are one in the same to me. When I think about Heifetz in particular, his double stops from Bach's Chaconne is totally synonymous him. I have listened to Milstein play the Chaconne and it was great. For pure imagination, I prefer Heifetz's arrangement. I wish Heifetz had a Paganini recording because I am sure this particular piece would mirror Milstein's version. Milstein knocked it out of the park. Taking Caprice 24 and just being lost in the music. This is pure virtuosity at it's finest.
Milstein is not mentioned as much as Heifetz because, even though his bowing and left hand were both outstanding, just as outstanding as Heifetz, it wasn’t bow speed you could not just feel, but SMELL, like Heifetz. He made it look and sound easy. It wasn’t difficult for Heifetz either, but in a lot ways, Heifetz made it “look” more difficult. This is very similar to why, in baseball, Hank Aaron, even though he holds the MLB for Runs Batted In, and, for years, homeruns, is still considered underrated, because he wasn’t flashy. He wasn’t flashy because nothing was that hard for him. He didn’t need to dive for balls because he had an unerring sense of when it was worth it to let it bounce and not possibly injure himself, like Milstein, unlike someone fiery, like Ken Griffey Jr, who would make highlight reel plays, but suffered many injuries because he was risky, like Heifetz
I remember an interview of Milstein where the interviewer was praising him, but Milstein in effect said he 'was only a technician fiddling around. It was the composers who were geniuses'. He was a very common and humble man for a virtuoso.
