The Best of Gil Shaham

This is Gil Shaham, an Urbana-born Israeli violinist at the age of 38. He made his debut in 1989, subbing in for Itzhak Perlman, who was sick, and flew to London after one day's notice to perform Bruch and Sibelius.

Let me begin in saying that Shaham is easily my second favourite violinist, the first being Perlman. His technique is so precise that you can distinctly recognize each note in the fastest of passages. His tone is so pure and concentrated that it cuts through the air in brilliant splendor. His passion burns deep, and this is evident as one listens, especially as one watches.

Praises aside, I think the one thing hindering him is the fact that he doesn't ever get rough with his playing. He handles his pieces so delicately and precisely that there is no grit to his playing. This usually isn't an issue, until he tackles a piece such as Bartok's second violin concerto. I have a recording of Isaac Stern's Bartok, and I consider it by far the definitive interpretation. Stern plays with such authority and knows when to get down and dirty. There's a rough texture to Stern's interpretation and when paired with perfect technique, one cannot help but beg for more.

Shaham's interpretation, on the other hand, is so clean cut (as is the orchestra's performance,) to the point where it's absurd. Bartok's music is folk music-derived, so shouldn't it be a bit coarse and crude? It's not like the opening bassoon solo in Stravinsky's Rite of Spring, where Stravinsky added all those ornamentations to force the melody to be primative.

Regardless, Shaham is a top-notch world-class violinist, and here are what I consider to be his top three recordings.

#3 - Camille Saint-Saëns

Sonata for Violin and Piano No. 1 in D minor, op. 75

II. Allegretto moderato - Allegro molto

Link

This movement has two faces, the first of which is light, almost elegant. Already here you can hear Shaham's great precision and how calculating he is with his right hand. Isn't his spiccato fantastic? The production is very intimate, I feel, as you can really get the sense that Shaham and his collaborator Gerhard Oppitz are really in tune with one another. As if the first section isn't dazzling enough, the movement kicks off into an allegro molto where it speaks volumes more for Shaham's technique. The synchronization between him and Oppitz is just fantastic, especially in the dazzling finale. How can one not fall in love with Shaham after listening to this?

#2 - Erich Wolfgang Korngold

Violin Concerto in D major, op. 35

II. Romance: andante

Link

So I've made it clear Shaham can play fast, and he can do it well. However, it's always the slow pieces that really seem to showcase one's skill. I really have to praise the London Symphony Orchestra (under the baton of André Previn) for its sensitive touch, from the very first Gmaj7 chord. After the eight introductory measures, one has no choice but to lose his or her breath with Shaham's first D. It pierces the pristine air with such clarity and lightness that it stirs something deep within. As the movement develops, so does Shaham's tone, waxing and waning as Korngold dictates on the score, with the orchestra in perfect harmony. Even the poco meno section leading up to Avanti! is done with such precision, one cannot hope for more!

#1 - Sergei Prokofiev

Violin Concerto No. 1 in D major, op. 19

I. Andantino - Andante assai

Link

This is the recording that got me hooked on Shaham. Friends, this is the definitive interpretation of Prokofiev's first violin concerto. The way he handled Prokofiev really makes me wish Shaham would do Walton. I get very excited thinking about how Shaham's Walton would sound, which I would like to believe would surpass Heifetz's Walton (though would that be too much to ask?). Shaham is so disciplined in that he holds back his emotions in the beginning melancholic theme until Prokofiev deems it appropriate to get excited. The middle section is so well calculated and really captures Prokofiev's sarcasm and wit perfectly. Every accent and stacatto is accounted for, and the ending will simply melt your heart in how bittersweet it is. Mr. Shaham, this is a BRILLIANT performance of Prokofiev's first!