What's the feeling on violinist Takako Nishizaki?

[Lance]

Takako has an imposing catalogue of recordings on the Naxos label. It's more than just because she's married to Naxos owner Klaus Heymann. She's a superb artist. Her repertoire on discs is highly diversified, some of which was also on the Marco Polo label many transferred to the Naxos label.

I have been searching for her RCA Victor recording of the Grieg violin sonatas, issued only on LP. Naxos re-recorded Grieg's No. 3 Violin Sonata w/pianist Jenö Jando 8.550417], which made me somewhat happy. Nishizaki has also issued some 10 or more CDs of the music of Fritz Kreisler. I have tried to get these (they seem to be only downloads in the USA) but they are not widely available.

Do others appreciate the art of Takako Nishizaki?

[violinland]

LANCE

I have two friends who work with Naxos, one researches 19C violin music and advises on things like Hanslip's Bazzini disc and on Kelvin's forthcoming Vieuxtemps salon pieces. We very often discuss this lady violinists and are all agreed she is outstanding possessed of a wonderful tone. When you analyse it there are no bad violinist today. They nearly all have tremendous talent, the average violinist today has the virtuosity of the violinists of yesterday. What many of them have yet to develop is their own style and to focus their sound. Kreisler is a good example of having developed is own sound. Who can not recognise Kreisler? Don Suk Kang and I when he visited me, discussed this facet of technique at great length - another great violinist.

Takako has an imposing catalogue of recordings on the Naxos label. It's more than just because she's married to Naxos owner Klaus Heymann. She's a superb artist. Her repertoire on discs is highly diversified, some of which was also on the Marco Polo label many transferred to the Naxos label.

I have been searching for her RCA Victor recording of the Grieg violin sonatas, issued only on LP. Naxos re-recorded Grieg's No. 3 Violin Sonata w/pianist Jenö Jando 8.550417], which made me somewhat happy. Nishizaki has also issued some 10 or more CDs of the music of Fritz Kreisler. I have tried to get these (they seem to be only downloads in the USA) but they are not widely available.

Do others appreciate the art of Takako Nishizaki?

[stenka razin]

Nishizaki is Klaus Heymann's wife. Enough said.............................

[Allen]

I like her. though my only recording featuring her is the "Butterfly Lovers Concerto".

Quoting from this site:

http://www.butterflylovers.fi/ENG/takako.html

In 1964 she won Second Prize at the Leventritt International Competition (behind Itzhak Perlman) and in 1969 First Prize in the Juilliard Concerto Competition (performing Mozart’s Sinfonia Concertante with Nobuko Imai).

[Lance]

I guess we might compare the Heymann/Nishizaki marriage to Elisabeth Schwarzkopf being EMI record producer Walter Legge's wife. However, both, Schwarzkopf and Nishizaki seem to have proven their artistic accomplishments with or without their husbands' involvement. Then, too, there was the lovely soprano, Anna Moffo, who married Robert Sarnoff of RCA Victor.

Nishizaki is Klaus Heymann's wife. Enough said.............................

[John F]

I like her recording of Joachim's concerto #3, an appealing Brahmsian piece that I'm very happy to know. She doesn't quite have it for the double-stopped main theme of the finale - double-stopping was a Joachim specialty, it seems, judging also from the Brahms concerto which was more or less made to order for him. Mostly, though, her tone is easy on the ears, and she sounds very musical. Wouldn't buy her in standard repertoire, though - haven't heard anything in her playing that's striking enough to command attention, among all the outstanding performances already on records.

[DSzymborski]

I find Nishizaki's work very solid, but not quite to the level of the top violinists. She's served a lot of lesser-played works tremendously well (I'm thinking Joachim, Rubinstein, Boulogne, and Vanhal), but in at least the Mendelssohn and Tchaikovsky VCs, I found them played too "straight" to put them up there in the top of the pack, even though there were extremely competent and musical.

[Febnyc]

I have lots of her recordings - haven't had a quibble with any of them.

Here's a disc which is a beaut. A delightful compilation of mostly Russian folk song melodies. Done to a turn...

[Lance]

Frank, the image didn't come out for me, but what, specifically, were you referring to of Nishizaki?

I have lots of her recordings - haven't had a quibble with any of them.

Here's a disc which is a beaut. A delightful compilation of mostly Russian folk song melodies. Done to a turn...

[Allen]

Lance

Try this:

http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/5 ... SS500_.jpg

[Febnyc]

Lance - my fault. I attempted to post on a beautiful summer's day - on the premises: four kids, four grandkids, two dogs, one wife, one brother- and sister-in-law. Controlled chaos in and out of the swimming pool, lawn games, getting lost in the woods, unceasing rides on the tractor and you-can-only-imagine-what. Taxing on an old guy, but lots of fun, too! Anyway, got distracted (I wonder why? ) and I failed to connect the image. Thankfully, Allen - employing impressive intuition - came to the rescue.

Try this CD - it's a winner!

[Lance]

I understand fully, Frank. I get caught up in the same things on occasion.

Anyway, "Russian Romances" with Peter Breiner is one I have and have enjoyed it completely. And thank you, Allen, for putting up the photo of the CD!

Lance - my fault. I attempted to post on a beautiful summer's day - on the premises: four kids, four grandkids, two dogs, one wife, one brother- and sister-in-law. Controlled chaos in and out of the swimming pool, lawn games, getting lost in the woods, unceasing rides on the tractor and you-can-only-imagine-what. Taxing on an old guy, but lots of fun, too! Anyway, got distracted (I wonder why? ) and I failed to connect the image. Thankfully, Allen - employing impressive intuition - came to the rescue.

Try this CD - it's a winner!