Samuel Barber violin concerto

Hi Fred,  don't know a specific one but a good classical DJ the other evening spent an hour going over his very first recordings and his history, a ballet on Medea was wonderful tho said SB hated it, and 1st version of hi 2nd sym which he revised 2 more times then ripped it up.  Beautiful stuff.

You might be able to search the show at KUSC.org.  Jim Svejda knows a lot.

A recent one by Gil Shaham and Previn on DG, coupled with Korngold's VC, got high praise on its release. I haven't heard it, so can't comment further.

Fred,

Although I am not very familiar with Barber's music, here's a recording I like for the combination of performances (sharp and focused, not as sickly sweet as Barber can be made to sound) and works. The piano concerto especially is very much worth hearing. 

Hope this helps, EJ

Thanks for the suggestions so far.

Anybody know this recording? Have read several glowing reviews of Ehnes.

I haven't heard this version but it is singled out for a rosette in the Penguin guide for 2008. Whilst this doesn't mean that it is the 'best' (whatever that means) - you should not be disappointed with it.

Joshua Bell/Zinman on Decca and Buswell/Alsop on Naxos are both very enjoyable.

Both recordings mentioned are excellent, but my favorite remains the performance I first learned this wonderful piece on, the Stern/Bernstein version, available in several different reissues very cheaply on Amazon.

A violinist friend of mine has recommended the Gil Shaham Barber as "stunning."

Now I'm waffling between it and the Ehnes ...