Nathan Milstein
Although Nathan Milstein hailed from Odessa, the cradle of Russian violin playing, his personal style was more classical and intellectual in approach than many of his colleagues. By the middle of the twentieth century he had become one of the most renowned violinists in the world, and he did as much as anyone else to imbue Bach's solo violin partitas and sonatas with the rather mystical aura they have presently. Milstein began to study violin at the age of seven. His first teacher was Pyotr Stolyarsky, who remained with him through 1914. Milstein's last recital as a Stolyarsky pupil included another promising student, the five-year-old David Oistrakh. Milstein then went to the St. Petersburg Conservatory to study with Leopold Auer.
Milstein began his concert career at age ten in Odessa, and soon after he played Glazunov's concerto with the composer conducting. He continued to tour the Soviet Union for the next five years. During this time, Milstein made numerous joint appearances with Vladimir Horowitz, and Horowitz's sister Regina also joined them as Milstein's accompanist. In 1925, Milstein and Horowitz were encouraged by government officials to make a concert trip outside of Russia; Milstein would never return. Milstein recalled in his memoirs that the dramatic "grand manner" of Horowitz immediately made the pianist a star, while Milstein, a much more reserved person, did not have such immediate success. In 1926, he went to Brussels to consult with and discuss matters of interpretation with the great violinist and teacher Ysaÿe.
He made his American debut with Leopold Stokowski and the Philadelphia Orchestra in 1929, and made his New York debut in 1930. He soon established his base there, eventually becoming a United States citizen in 1942. He may not have become a concert-hall idol like Horowitz, but he had a strong musical reputation and was always in demand. When Arturo Toscanini ended his tenure as music director of the New York Philharmonic in 1936, he asked for Milstein as soloist in his final concert. After World War II Milstein made his home primarily in London, teaching master classes around the world. He was widely regarded as a sympathetic and approachable teacher.
He also established a major recording career and remains best known for his landmark recordings of the complete solo works of J.S. Bach, becoming a pioneer of the Bach solo violin literature at a time when few players programmed these pieces, and he eschewed more superficial works that were a primary part of the violin soloist's repertory. His 1950s recording of the Bach solo partitas and sonatas on the American Capitol Records label are exemplary traversals of that great cycle and are still counted as classics of recording art. Milstein maintained a remarkably long career, keeping the muscular strength and fluid joint motion he needed until his retirement at the age of 83, acquiesced to only after he broke his arm in a fall.
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Baroque Masterpieces
Nathan Milstein, Leopold Mittman
Chamber Music - Released by Biddulph Recordings on Mar. 30, 1992
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
The Art of Nathan Milstein
Classical - Released by UME - Global Clearing House on Oct. 2, 2020
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Milstein Masterpieces for Violin and Orchestra (High Definition Remaster 2022)
Nathan Milstein, Walter Susskind, The Concert Arts Orchestra
Classical - Released by NewConcept Classical Remasters on Dec. 27, 2022
24-Bit 88.2 kHz - Stereo -
Mendelssohn, Tchaikovsky & Bruch: Violin Concertos (Remastered 2023)
Concertos - Released by Biddulph Recordings on Sep. 8, 2023
24-Bit 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Great Violin Concertos (Grands concertos pour violon)
Nathan Milstein, Pinchas Zukerman
Classical - Released by Deutsche Grammophon (DG) on Jan. 1, 1998
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Nathan Milstein: The U.S. Armed Forces Studio Recordings
Chamber Music - Released by Biddulph Recordings on Jun. 17, 2022
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Vivaldi, Bach, Mozart, Paradis & Brahms: Violin Works (Live)
Classical - Released by Orfeo on Aug. 1, 2007
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Tribute to Gregor Piatigorsky [Brahms, Saint-Saëns, Bloch]
Gregor Piatigorsky, Nathan Milstein, Fritz Reiner, Charles Munch
Concertos - Released by Praga Digitals on Apr. 1, 2017
24-Bit 96.0 kHz - Stereo -
Mendelssohn: Violin Concerto in E Minor, Op. 64 & A Midsummer Night's Dream
Classical - Released by Sony Classical on Oct. 18, 2019
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Vivaldi, Bach, Beethoven & Glazunov: Works for Violin (Live)
Nathan Milstein, Eugenio Bagnoli
Classical - Released by Orfeo on Mar. 1, 2019
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Bach: Partita for Solo Violin No. 2 & Sonata for Solo Violin No. 1 (Mono Version)
Classical - Released by BNF Collection on Jan. 1, 1955
24-Bit 96.0 kHz - Stereo -
Tartini, Vivaldi, Corelli & Geminiani: Sonates pour violon (Stereo Version)
Miscellaneous - Released by BNF Collection on Jan. 1, 1961
24-Bit 96.0 kHz - Stereo -
Niccolò Paganini Violin Concerto No.2
Nathan Milstein, Walter Susskind, Concerts Arts Orchestra
Classical - Released by In Vinyl We Trust on Sep. 30, 2022
24-Bit 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Bruch, Chopin & Others: Violin Works
Nathan Milstein, Leopold Mittman, New York Philharmonic, Sir John Barbirolli
Classical - Released by Biddulph Recordings on Jan. 1, 1994
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
BRAHMS: Double Concerto / Violin Sonata No. 3 / BEETHOVEN: Violin Sonata No. 5 (Milstein) (1950-51)
Nathan Milstein, Artur Balsam, Vladimir Horowitz, Gregor Piatigorsky, Philadelphia Robin Hood Dell Orchestra, Fritz Reiner
Chamber Music - Released by Naxos on Aug. 29, 2006
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Nathan Milstein Collection, Vol. 1 (Live)
Nathan Milstein, Artur Balsam, Valentin Pavlovsky, Artur Rodzinski, Unknown Artist, New York Philharmonic
Classical - Released by DOREMI on Apr. 20, 1999
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Bach: Works for Solo Violin (Live)
Classical - Released by Orfeo on Jul. 20, 2018
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Lalo : Symphonie espagnole - Brahms : Concerto pour violon ("Live")
Concertos - Released by Claves Records on Sep. 1, 2007
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Bach; Ciaccona - Mozart: Adagio K. 261 - Beethoven: Spring Sonata - Paganini: Capricci
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Classical - Released by Urania on Feb. 3, 2007
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Vignettes (Mono Version)
Miscellaneous - Released by BNF Collection on Jan. 1, 1959
24-Bit 96.0 kHz - Stereo -
Prokofiev: Violin Concerto No. 1 - Lalo: Symphonie espagnole, Extracts (Mono Version)
Nathan Milstein, Vladimir Golschmann, Saint Louis Symphony Orchestra
Classical - Released by BNF Collection on Jan. 1, 1960
24-Bit 96.0 kHz - Stereo