Jascha Heifetz Master Classes

Mr. Kodjian is an Armenian born Lebanese national who is in this country for the special purpose of studying with Mr. Heifetz. He performs Polonaise Brilliante No. 2 Henri Wieniawski and Brazilian Dance Ao pe da fogueira by F. Valle. The Polonaise Brillante No 2 by Henri Wieniawski is a violin virtuoso piece played in concert to this day by all violinists. Wieniawski, a Polish violin virtuoso who lived between 1825 and 1880, belonged to the great virtuoso violin school which also included Vieuxtemps and Ysaye, Paganini, Sarasate, Joachim, and in the present day, Kreisler and Heifetz. The Polonaise is one of two written by Wieniawski which is a must for all violinists. The Brazilian Dance, Ao pe da fogueira by F. Valle was discovered by Heifetz during a tour in Brazil. Mr. Heifetz who has transcribed around 65 pieces for the violin, created a highly engaging transcription of this charming Brazilian dance.

Mr. Friedman, now on his first concert tour of the United States, is Mr. Heifetzs graduate student. Mr. Friedman has recently done a recording for RCA Victor which Mr. Heifetz introduced. He performs Brahms Concerto D Major First Movement and Bach Concerto for Two Violins Last Movement with Mr. Heifetz and Erick Friedman. In spite of Brahms tremendous output, this is his only concerto for the violin. It is a work of full maturity and its date, August 8, 1878, coincides with a particularly happy and productive period in his life. There is little doubt that in composing it, Brahms took Beethovens Violin Concerto as his model. When Brahms first showed the work to his close friend, the great violinist Joachim, for whom he had composed the pieced, Joachim felt it was so difficult as to make it unplayable...

Ms. Hodgkins performs Scales and Dont Etude No. 5 and Chausson Poeme Op. 25. Of all the disciples in the Cesar Franck entourage, Ernest Chausson (1855-1899) unquestionably enjoyed the most spontaneous melodic gift. Essentially he was a lyricist; a kind of latter-day and only slightly less prolific Schubert. In 1896, he composed this exquisite work for the violin - The Poeme, Op. 25. Strictly speaking, the Poeme is a free-wheeling rhapsody for the violin. With the instruments soaring above the orchestra, the piece is a glory of communication rather than an exercise in form. It is one of the most beautiful pieces for violin and orchestra.

Ms. Sindell, a native of Cleveland, Ohio, is only 15 years old. She performs Bach Concerto in A Minor First Movement with Mr. Heifetz at the piano. Mr. Witte is a Swiss national who is in this country especially to study with Mr. Heifetz. He performs Tchaikovsky Concerto for Violin Third Movement. Concerto in D, Op.35. On this program we hear only the last movement of this famous violin warhorse, Tchaikovskys Concerto for Violin. It is worthwhile to point out, however, that like the Brahms and Beethoven Concertos, which preceded Tchaikovsky, it too is the only work for the violin Tchaikovsky wrote. It is also interesting to note that as with the Brahms Concerto, Tchaikovsky showed the work upon completion to his good friend, the distinguished violinist, Leopold Auer, who was the teacher of Jascha Heifetz. History repeats itself again here as it did with the Brahms Concerto. Auer considered the work unplayable on technical grounds...

Mr. Friedman, now on his first concert tour of the United States, is Mr. Heifetzs graduate student. Mr. Friedman has recently done a recording for RCA Victor which Mr. Heifetz introduced. He performs Bach Sonata for Violin G Minor Adagio and Fugue and Bach Concerto for Two Violins Second Movement with Mr. Heifetz and Friedman. This sonata in G Minor is one of six that Bach wrote for the violin along, that is, unaccompanied. The sonatas are not only melodious, as well as difficult, but stand alone in all music literature as a monumental creation. The Bach Concerto for Two Violins performed by Mr. Heifetz and Erick Friedman is one of the most joyous works from the pen of the great master. Heifetz chose this work to introduce his pupil Erick Friedman, to the musical world, via a recent RCA Victor album.

Ms. Matesky is a student going through the regular curriculum at the University of Southern California at Berkeley. She performs Khachaturian Concerto for Violin First Movement. Khachaturian is one of Russias most popular composers. He has written a great many works that have found favor with the masses of the Soviet Union. For example, pieces such as The Ballet Gayne and the Masquerade Suite. The Violin Concerto is dedicated to the Soviet Unions outstanding violinist David Oistrakh. The Concerto is an extremely popular work and has found a ready audience throughout the world.