The Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra collaboration with William Steinberg exemplifies what Milstein could do with material often considered less than first rate. Milstein plays the concerto beautifully, with his typically aristocratic poise and a lightness of rhythm and purity of intonation that makes the music seem to float across the bar lines. The István Kertész inscription of Dvořák’s “My Home” fills out his survey of the complete symphony cycle for Decca.

Nathan Milstein (1904-1992) is acknowledged as one of the giants of violin playing in the 20th century. His playing epitomized elegance, yet his interpretations could be passionately intense when called for. Milstein’s immaculate technique was achieved through the utmost ease, allowing him to concertize well into his 80s, longer than any other violinist before or since. This CD brings together the Mendelssohn, Bruch No.1 and Tchaikovsky concertos, three of most popular 19th-century violin concertos ever written. Milstein’s first recordings of these three concertos were brought out on 78-rpm discs, but the ones on this CD are his second recordings originally issued on mono LPs recorded in 1953.

Violinist Nathan Milstein is backed by The Concert Arts Orchestra conducted by Walter Susskind for this recording of Violin and Orchestra masterpieces by Mozart, Beethoven, Wieniawski, Nováček, Stravinsky, and Saint-Saëns.

The late Nathan Milstein’s 1973 stereo remake (of his mid-Fifties New York recordings) was his own preferred version of these pillars of the violin repertoire with which he had been so associated since his youth in Odessa. These are epic virtuoso performances justifying Milstein’s view that with this music the performer could "bask in the most glamorous light". Stylistically, purists will object to their expressive liberty and gesture. But few will be able to resist their artistry or intensity of delivery. This album won Grammy in Best Classical Instrumental Solo Recording category (1975).