The Violinist.com CD contest is back

September 29, 2011 at 5:05 AM

It's been a while since we've had a CD contest on Violinist.com, but now that it's fall, we're back to it! CDs are old-fashioned, but I like providing them to you because they have liner notes, and you can hold them in your hand. We hope these CD contests keep you in the loop about what kinds of projects today's violinists are doing, and if you win, that you receive a little something tangible to connect you with our community of violinists. If we are running a contest, it can always be found in the upper righthand corner of each Violinist.com page, and the link is always the same, http://www.violinist.com/contest.

This week we are giving away three copies of Vadim Gluzman's recording of works by Bruch: Violin Concerto, Romance and Quintet, which was released in the spring.

Did you know that Max Bruch wrote more than a violin concerto? Of course you do, but it's possible you've rarely heard any of his other compositions -- because that violin concerto dwarfed his every achievement. In his latest recording, violinist Vadim Gluzman has paired the famous Violin Concerto No. 1, premiered when the composer was 30, with Bruch's String Quintet in A minor, written when the composer was 80 and published after his death. He also includes the Romance in F major, played with the Bergen Philharmonic, Andrew Litton conducting, as is the concerto. The quintet, written for two violins, two violas and cello, has that romantic and melodious quality that people love in Bruch's violin concerto -- and Gluzman, violinist Sandis Steinbergs, violists Maxim Rysanov and Ilze Klava and cellist Reinis Birznieks give it an impeccable reading. It sounds downright fun to play -- definitely worth considering to play as a late Romantic quintet. And of course, there is a reason why Bruch's Violin Concerto stood out so prominently; it is a piece that truly showcases the most beautiful qualities of the violin, in this case, Vadim's 1690 ex-Auer Stradivarius, on loan from the Stradivari Society. Incidentally, the CD comes with thorough liner notes about Bruch, his life and works, written by Horst A. Scholz.

Our first CD went to Steven Wetstein of Miami, who correctly answered that Gluzman's 1690 fiddle was once played by the pedagogue Leopold Auer.

We still have two more CDs to give away this week, with new a question posted today, and one to come on Friday. To enter to win this recording go to this page:

http://www.violinist.com/contest

...and answer the question!

From Laurie Niles
Posted on September 30, 2011 at 8:38 PM

Congratulations to Thomas Cooper of Lincoln, Massachusetts, who won the second CD! The new question is up; you have until Sunday to enter to win!

From Laurie Niles
Posted on October 3, 2011 at 7:22 PM

Congratulations to Daniel Ciobanu of Lincoln, Neb., who won the third CD!

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