I listened to Francescatti play Beethoven Violin Concerto with the Philadelphia Philharmonic in Ann Arbor while studying for an organic chemistry exam - around 1956, unforgettable.
It was Zino Francescatti's interpretation of Sibelius Violin Concerto that got me interested in classical music during college. I remember going to the school library, closing myself in one of the listening rooms and listening to that majestic concerto. I couldn't get over the beauty and passion of the Adagio di Molto, and the interpretation of Francescatti was impecable. Gabe Meruelo.
I was always a great fan of Francescatti and heard him many times live in NY when I was a child, and you are right in what you say - he was a bit erratic. When he was good, he was untouchable - I'll never forget a Symphonie Espagnol with Pittsburg (I think) in Carnegie Hall sometime around 1965 or 1966 - electrifying. But on an off day it was quite disconcerting. Still, what an artist!
This maybe the best version I have ever heard of "Zigeunerweisen". Francescatti's violin has such a bold sound. Great tone. This piece requires alot of vibrato and harmonics and Fran plays it just Right!!
francescatti was definitelly one of the greatest violinist,and i think of him being simply underrated. One compares him occasionally with heifetz. Heifetz was surelly a great virtuoso, but francescatti had also a beatifull tone, and he was an excellent technician.
FRANCESCATTI and WILLIAM WALTON: William Walton went to Lisbon in October 1963 to conduct the Portuguese Broadcasting Corporation Orchestra in a concert entirely devoted to some of his works, namely: 1) Johannesburg Festival Overture; 2) Variations on a theme by Hindemith; 3) 1st Symphony. The concert took place on the 12th and was preceded by a couple of rehearsals. (to be continued)
i dont say he was a better violinist than heifetz,but there was nothing heifetz could and zino couldnt.But Zino was never a downer level violinist than heifetz,kogan,perlman etc.Any recording i have from him is better than anybody else.You should get the Paganini Concerto No1 from him.You may then understand what i mean.This underration of Zino will always be a secret of Music History.this was truly a great violinist.For me one ofhe Top Five...
OMG!!! WELL I watched thousend of violin videos but THIS blows me away. This is in my opinion better than Heifetzs version OMG!! Please somebody help me to shut my mouth. Thanks a lot for the upload
A muddy picture, but the sound is good. Francescatti's very powerful singing tone is exactly right for this lyrical, virtuosic, heart-on-sleeve music, and he was a formidable technician too, so it's not surprise that this is a first-rate performance.
The “Variations” (a very good, very solid work) was certainly a novelty for the Orchestra, for it had been composed that same year and “premièred” in London, at the Royal Festival Hall, a mere seven months ago: on March 8th.. So, it’s possible that, having the piece been “prémièred” in London, its “deuxième” had taken place in Lisbon. Anyway, my good friend Vasco Barbosa, at the time, was one of the first violins - there were two of them and took turns (to be continued)
This is a timeless piece of a timeless violonist / star performer. I have some original records of that era end will upload one of these days one of them. Watch his bowtechnique. Fantastic control!
Diese Aufnahme ist wirklich fantastisch und ich liebe Francescattis Ton--eine der besten und interessantesten, eigenständigsten Tongebungen, die ich überhaupt kenne. Kann aber BITTE irgend jemand dieses Stück und ALLES, was es von ULF HÖLSCHER gibt, einstellen?--Ich weiß leider nicht, wie das geht...
During some break of one of the rehearsals Vasco addressed the composer, asking him a perhaps somewhat unexpected question: - “Maestro, do you think that Francescatti is as good as Heifetz?” - This must have come to Walton a bit out of the blue… However the answer came quick, concise, dissyllabic: - “At least…”
Absolutely agree. Heifetz was unique, but Francescatti's technical command was near absolute and he had a lovely strong, 'fat' lyrical sound. I always enjoy listening to him.
Re: Zarff: In his last years on earth, Zino sold is very isotaric and rare Strad to the reknowned Italian violinist Salvatore Accardo. This was done in order to fund a contest and it's associated scholarship grant for a talented and upcomming young violinist at the Conservatoire de Paris....
His father taught by the only pupil Paganini ever had in turn taught his son Zeno. Not only was Zeno's father a great and also not well known violinist like his son but he being a great French conductor also married a violinist...his student Zeno's mother...violin is this family's heritage gents.
Have you heard about Zino's Francescatti's student Gaëtane Prouvost ? I have discovered her interpretation of Prokofiev's sonatas which is exciting ! You may find it on deezer. Another way to discover Francescatti's incredible talent.
you can see a better version in his web page, with all his discography some pictures, video y recordings. The best violinist ever . I got almost all his recordings in vynil. Too bad one can get them in CD.
RE: erikcray ...and chazzunusmaven...Zino's Strad was very rare but in larger halls with bigger orchestral accompaniment it like other Strads, does not carry extremely far....it is a larger violin as per your perception...it is a Guanarius del Gesu ....and it belonged to his dear friend Fritz Kreisler, who loaned it to him.......
I can't agree! I can always recognise Francescatti's tone. It is much less 'pretty', less sweet, than that of many other violinists, but has great strength and body and can be used (as he often did use it) in a marvellously lyrical way. I would describe it as robust rather than beautiful - and I mean that as a compliment ; whatever, I think it was very much his own and separated him out from lots of other more 'ordinary' players who could cope technically with what all the top players play.
Themusicdr: "...he also made mistakes and his position is not unassailable and often i feel his playing lacks emotion. " I personally disagree about Heifetz's lack of emotion but this is my opinion. Actually, I completely agree with you about the impossibility of declaring who was the "best" violinist ever heard... and of course... what beautiful sound Francescatti had! Pure Mediterranean!
Ottimo video. Grande Francescatti(ma non si chiamava Zino anzichè Zeno?). Appartiene ai grandi del passato, signori immortali del concertismo violinistico. Possedeva uno splendido Stradivari , lo Hart 1727, ceduto in seguito a Salvatore Accardo. Fu allievo del padre, a sua volta allievo di Sivori unico allievo di Paganini e di bassa statura, ma di gandi qualità. Quindi Francescatti si può considerare della filiera di Paganini.
In response to happyfunnyfoo: Not only is this impossible because of Francescatti's age (He is far too young to have been taught by anyone who knew Paganini personally), but also: Paganini had multiple pupils, which included for example Ole Bull, and many who went on to found the Belgian school of violin-playing.
I don't know - sorry! - but he also wrote original compositions for violin and piano which are well worth looking at - for example, a lovely 'Aria' which I sometime splay. There is a good CD of his music played by a pupil, Gaetane Prouvost, and it includes two transcriptions, of the Vitali Chaconne and Tartini Varitions on a Theme of Corelli. Maybe he did these, as Milstein did his 'Paganiniana', just for fun.
When Fritz Kreisler retired, he called a public meeting of journalists to celebrate the event, at which he "officially" handed his violin bow to...who else? Zino Francescatti!
Re: Original Moonbeam: recorded in 1959......Zino' admired Fritz Kreisler...violinist, pianist and composer extra-ordinaire...whose silky smooth pallet is dearly missed...Kreisler aged 10, took the top prize at the Conservatoire de Paris.....and the only violinist who did not have to practice continuously in order to maintain his unerring pure sound. Seeing Zino playing his dear friend's Del Gesu......is priceless..and one should hear Fritz's rendition also on this, his own violin.......
Heifetz had an advantage of being studied under a more famous teacher, Leopold Auer. During Heifetz's time, it was called the Auer dynasty because of the amount of famous virtuosoists coming from Auer. also, Heifetz's speed is something uncomparable :P
No argument here. Please don't misunderstand: he was my favorite violinist when I was a kid growing up in NY. I was merely replying to the letter of zigeunerviolin.Who can say who was "the best?" In those days there were so many-not just great violinists, but great personalities. Nowadays, they pretty much all sound the same.
Maybe it's true that Francescatti was underrated, but it is not true that he was technically better than Heifetz. Heifetz was more consistent. I have heard live recordings of Francescatti that were very sloppy, but this is never the case with Heifetz. And he did not have a better right arm than Heifetz. It was different, but I think it's clear that Heifetz had more control and versatility with his right hand (and left hand). Francescatti was still amazing. One of my favorites.
Not technically impossible. Paganini died in 1840 and Francescatti was born in 1902, so someone who studied with Paganini at age 10 could have been 82 when Francescatti was 10. However: happyfunnyfoo mustve been reading Wikipedia. Francescatti studied with his father who studied with Camillo Silvori who according to Wikipedia was "Paganini's only pupil"
who is to say whos the best violinist. all of our opinions are purely subjective. we base what we say on what our ear perceives to be pleasing. yes there is a lot to be said for technical mastery eg mr heifetz but he also made mistakes and his position is not unassailable and often i feel his playing lacks emotion. however francescattis playing always does someting to me inside, much like kogan. at the end of the days lets enjoy the work of all these great masters
fRANCESCATTI, FOR SURE, IS ONE OF THE GREATEST VIOLIN PLAYERS, BUT NO THE ONLY ONE. DONT FORGET OITRACH, MENUHIN, PERLMAN, GRUMIAUX, HEIFETZ, CAMPOLI, MILSTEIN, AND SO ON.
i say it ones more....francescatti was very underrated.he was most certainly a better violinist than lets say,a stern,or oistrakh or menuhin,the prejudicies aside,who is a menuhin against this giant.but,menuhin was much more famous.i have the walton concerto with heifetz and francescatti,and technically-(very important-technically)zino plays much preciser than heifetz.he deserved more fame for that what he could.
