No one could deny that Itzhak Perlman holds a special place in the world of music - and no one could define it more eloquently than his old friend and colleague, the pianist and conductor Daniel Barenboim: "It is quite impossible to imagine today's violin heritage without the absolute musical genius of Perlman." The most obvious manifestation of that genius is the famous Perlman Sound - lustrous, warm and generous, its impact compounded by often astounding virtuosity; and yet Perlman makes it all look so easy. In fact, he communicates a positive joy in his playing.
Released for Mr Perlman's 70th birthday, this 3-CD collection explores his artistry from the finest concerto highlights (Mendelssohn, Brahms, Beethoven, Tchaikovsky, Korngold, Sibelius, The Four Seasons), to virtuoso solo and chamber repertoire (Paganini Caprice No.24, Bach Partita No.3, the Méditation from Thaïs, Flight of the Bumblebee, Zapateado) and klezmer and jazz selections. The duo partners and conductors are some of the 20th century's biggest classical stars, many of whom count among Perlman's dearest friends and collaborators.
Disc 1
01 Mendelssohn: Violin Concerto No. 2 in E Minor, Op. 64: I. Allegro molto appassionato - Itzhak Perlman
02 Barhams: Violin Concerto in D Major, Op. 77: III. Allegro giocoso, ma non troppo vivace - Itzhak Perlman/Carlo Maria Giulini
03 Beethoven: Violin Concerto in D Major, Op. 61: II. Larghetto - - Itzhak Perlman
04 Beethoven: Violin Concerto in D Major, Op. 61: III. Rondo (Allegro) - Itzhak Perlman
05 Tchaikovsky: Violin Concerto in D Major, Op. 35: I. Allegro moderato - Itzhak Perlman
06 Korngold: Violin Concerto in D Major, Op. 35: II. Romance (Andante) - Itzhak Perlman/Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra/André Previn
07 Sibelius: Violin Concerto in D Minor, Op. 47: III. Allegro, ma non tanto - Itzhak Perlman/Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra/André Previn
Disc 2
01 Bach, JS: Violin Concerto in A Minor, BWV 1041: I. [Allegro] - Itzhak Perlman
02 Bach, JS: Violin Sonata No. 1 in G Minor, BWV 1001: I. Adagio - Itzhak Perlman
03 Mozart: Violin Concerto No. 3 in G Major, K. 216: III. Rondo (Allegro) - Itzhak Perlman
04 Bach, JS: Violin Partita No. 3 in E Major, BWV 1006: I. Preludio - Itzhak Perlman
05 Vivaldi: Le quattro stagioni (The Four Seasons), Violin Concerto in G Minor Op. 8 No. 2, RV 315, "Summer": III. Presto (Tempo impetuoso d"estate) - Itzhak Perlman/London Philharmonic Orchestra
06 Paganini: 24 Caprices, Op. 1: No. 24 in A Minor - Itzhak Perlman
07 Beethoven: Violin Sonata No. 9 in A Major, Op. 47, 'Kreutzer': III. Finale (Presto) - Itzhak Perlman
08 Kreisler: Prelude and Allegro in the style of Pugnani - Itzhak Perlman
09 Brahms: Violin Sonata No. 3 in D Minor, Op. 108: III. Un poco presto, e con sentimento - Itzhak Perlman/Vladimir Ashkenazy
10 Dvorák: 4 Romantic Pieces, Op. 75, B. 150: IV. Larghetto - Itzhak Perlman/Samuel Sanders
11 Saint-Saëns: Introduction and rondo capriccioso in A Minor, Op. 28 - Itzhak Perlman
12 Debussy: Petite Suite, L. 65: I. En bateau (arr. Choisnel) - Itzhak Perlman
13 Wieniawski: Scherzo tarantelle, Op. 16 - Itzhak Perlman
14 Stravinsky: Pucinella - Suite italienne: II. Serenata - Itzhak Perlman
15 Shostakovich: 3 Duets for 2 Violins and Piano, Op. 97d: I. Praeludium - Itzhak Perlman
16 Sarasate: Zigeunerweisen, Op. 20 - Itzhak Perlman/Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra/André Previn
Disc 3
01 Gluck / Arr Kreisler:Orfeo ed Euridice, Wq. 41: Dance of the Blessed Spirits - Itzhak Perlman
02 Kreisler: La vida breve: Danse Espagnole No. 1 - Itzhak Perlman
03 Sarasate: Carmen Fantasy, Op. 25 - Itzhak Perlman
04 Rachmaninov: Vocalise, Op. 34, No. 14 - Itzhak Perlman
05 Gershwin:Porgy and Bess, Act 2: "It ain't necessarily so" (arr. Heifetz) - Itzhak Perlman
06 Joplin: The Entertainer - Itzhak Perlman
07 Previn: Who Reads Reviews - Itzhak Perlman/André Previn/Shelly Manne/Jim Hall/Red Mitchell
08 Bazzini: La ronde des Lutins (Scherzo Fantastique), Op. 25 - Itzhak Perlman
09 Massenet: Élégie - Itzhak Perlman
10 Massenet: Thaïs: Méditation - Itzhak Perlman/Abbey Road Ensemble/Lawrence Foster
11 Rimsky-Korsakov: The Legend of Tsar Saltan, Act 3: Flight of the Bumblebee - Itzhak Perlman
12 Dvorák / Arr Kreisler: Slavonic Dance in E Minor, Op. 72, No. 2 - Itzhak Perlman
13 Elgar: Salut d'amour, Op. 12 - Itzhak Perlman
14 Kreisler: Liebesleid - Itzhak Perlman
15 Kreisler: Schön Rosmarin - Itzhak Perlman
16 Sarasate: Danzas españolas: Zapateado, Op. 23, No. 2 - Itzhak Perlman
17 Pollack: A Yiddishe Mamme - Itzhak Perlman/Israel Philharmonic Orchestra/Dov Seltzer
18 Trad: Basarabye - Itzhak Perlman/Brave Old World
