Solo Violin...suggestions.


I know nothing about classical oriented music, and neither do my friends.

I did like the movie "the Red Violin" and have the soundtrack. I believe the score is done by someone named Joshua Bell, or is it John Corigliano (might be the composer). Anyhow, quite enjoying it.

Any suggestions along this vein? Must have recordings.. kinda like the violin equivalent of Pink Floyd's DSOTM.

Solo cello suggestions would be good too. Classical guitar.

thanks.
elf73
Geez - after all that, I forgot the Solo suggestions.

I would venture that the Bach Sonatas and Partitas closest to being a DSOTM equivalent is Georges Enesco playing. It's not exactly audiophile, but it's very unique in it's emotional content.

Cello - Absolutely no doubt. This IS the DSOTM of Cello here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rCB9X9a77uU
Be careful. It starts innocently enough with Solo Violin, then a concerto or two - and then Cellos - and then maybe you start thinking what Double Bass would be like. And then you wake up one day on the couch surrounded by Contra Bassoon and Tuba CD's.

It's a slippery slope... :)

As to a DSOM of violin -
I would have to say a good version of Vivaldi's Four Season's (such as the Simon Standage and Trevor Pinnock) would be a good one.
A 2nd, and very different, possibility would be the Janacek string quartets. I would recommend the Jancek Quartet version, which has been called, "one of the most important chamber music recordings ever made." See here for info: http://www.arkivmusic.com/classical/album.jsp?album_id=49457
I picked up a copy of Hilary Hahn playing Bach Partitas on solo violin. Fantastic recording.

My favorite violinist is Itzhak Perlman.
For solo violin you must, of course, get at least one disc of Paganini, one of the most celebrated violinists of all times, & a composer. His "caprices" make excellent listening I'm sure you'll enjoy.
Thanks. I'll look into the suggestions. As you put it Rushton, "emotion" and "passion"..., is what I"m looking for I guess, with the solo strings.
This is one of those dejavu threads, so you may get more recommendations as well as repeats of the excellent recommendations above. I'll add my own, neither of which have been mentioned yet, but I'm sure I've echoed on other threads:

Bach Works for Violin Solo, Lara St. John
Vengerov Plays Bach, Shchedrin, Ysaye, Maxim Vengerov
I am not a fan of Joshua Bell but I do like Anne Sophie Mutter and yes the Pablo Sarasate arrangements are pretty exciting if you want a demo of violin. However, IMHO, violin is better as playing its part in an orchestra rather than profilled too prominently. Russian composers seems to have employed strings to great effect (think Prokofiev Romeo & Julliet). Brandburg Concertos are a must for someone getting into classical. Oh and don't forget BOND's version of "Winter" or better known as Quattro Staggioni by Vivaldi - BOND are best selling string quartet of all time - you'll never guess why unless you've seen a photo.
Try Hilary Hahn's Bach partitas and sonatas for violin. I really love her Bach.
You might also try some of Truls Mork's solo cello on Virgin classics. Some of these are pretty cheap and he is very good.
Try Julia Fischer - J.S. Bach: Sonatas and Partitas for Solo Violin; and here's a cello suggestion - Janos Starker, Bach: Suites for Solo Cello; Sonatas in G&D Major (be sure to get the Mercury Living Presence version). Good luck and happy listening.
Here are some of my favors

Selections from the Miracle Makers, Elmar Oliveira violin, ABC Records

Oh! That Stradivarius, Linda Rosenthal violin, FIM Music

Heifetz Showpieces, Jascha Heifetz violin, RCA

Sarasate: Carmen Fantasy, Itzhak Perlman violin, EMI

Encores, Itzhak Perlman violin, Samuel Sanders piano, EMI

I violini di Cremona, Salvatore Accardo violin, Fone
You might consider some of the recordings by both Joshua Bell, whom you correctly named as the violinist on the soundtrack, or the violinist Arturo Delmoni. Both play with an emotion and passion that consistently do justice to the music they've selected.

Of Arturo Delmoni's recordings, I highly recommend the following:

"Ysaye, Kreisler, Bach: Solo Violin Works"

"Songs My Mother Taught Me" with piano accompanist Meg Vas..

"Music for a Glass Bead Game" with cellist Nathaniel Rosen, alternating the music of Bach and Kodaly

Enjoy your explorations!