THIS EXCELLENT AND ENTERTAINING PROGRAM
IS A MUST-SEE "
By
Katherine McLin
Associate Professor
School of Music
Arizona State University
The Art of the Violin is an outstanding program that provides an
intimate look at the playing styles of the greatest violinists of the
early to mid -20th century. This Great Performances broadcast does not
attempt to provide biographies of these violinists but instead honors
each by detailing the special, unique, and inspiring qualities in their
playing. To accomplish this, writer/director Bruno Monsaingeon relies
on extensive audio/video clips (almost three dozen major works are
performed in substantial excerpts throughout), archival interviews with
the violinists themselves, and insightful commentary by today’s
superstars such as Itzhak Perlman and Hilary Hahn. It is clear that
the profiled artists’ technical and artistic legacies continue to have
a profound impact on today’s violin virtuosi.
The Art of the Violin is in two parts, each an hour in length. The first part, titled “The Devil’s Instrument” in homage to the first great violin virtuosi Paganini, delves into the individual styles of Szigeti, Elman, Heifetz, Milstein, Francescatti, and Ricci. In one of the greatest sequences of the program, Monsaingeon stitches together the first movement of the Mendelssohn concerto from nine different archived performances. The effect is remarkable in the diversity of sound, phrasing, vibrato, and temperament and serves to illustrate the hallmark style of each performer. The anecdotes from commentators and archival interviews are delightful, warm, and humorous, with insights such as Milstein’s incessant playing (“doodle-doodle-doodle, practice, practice, doodle” in Perlman’s words ) and Francescatti saying of his instrument “it’s like my son, my brother----it’s my friend!” The second part, titled “Transcending the Violin,” explores the group of 20th century violinists who also composed and made significant contributions to the repertoire, most notably Kreisler and Ysaye. Attention is also given to the instruments each played and includes a more in-depth look at the production of sound and intonation. As with the first part, there are extensive video clips of performances and profiles of Stern, Enesco, Neveu, and Szeryng are included. Part two closes with a historic video of Oistrakh and Menuhin performing the Bach Double in 1958. For music lovers, The Art of the Violin is a condensed presentation of the greatest works in the violin repertoire, from Brahms Concerto to Bazzini’s Dance of the Goblins. It is also a wonderful resource for violinists of all levels as the program affords an intimate study of the myriad techniques of these virtuosi through the extensive close-up video footage. Commentator Itzhak Perlman remarks “If you compare violinists of today and violinists of the 1920s, ‘30s, ‘40s and ‘50s, in my mind, or to my ear, I don’t feel one of them sounded like the other. I feel they were all individuals....everybody sounded different.” The Art of the Violin serves as a celebration of the uniqueness and individuality of this handful of violin superstars of the 20th century and pays homage to their genius and lasting influence on today’s music world. For music lovers and violinists alike, this excellent and entertaining program is a must-see!
Great Performances "The Art of Violin" airs Sunday, May 22 at 4 p.m. on Channel 8
