Who is the greatest Violinist?

Answer 1

Favorite Answer

for me it would be Jascha Heifetz - big fan of his!

Answer 2

Best violinist in history was Niccolo Paganini. Most likely there will not be anyone like him in the future either.

Best violinist today is either Itzhak Perlman or Maxim Vengerov, cant decide.

Some of my other favorites are Anne Sophie Mutter and Isaac Stern.

Answer 3

Since you did not say which period, I'm going to go with Paganini. He single-handedly enhanced the technical demands which the modern day violinists have to go by. I would sell my grandmother for that kind of technical prowess!

This is evident in the 24 Etudes of frightening disciplines. Although I confess myself not a very good score reader, what I read whenever I go through those scores make the hair on the back of my neck stand up, and my eyes well up with tears. The perilous octave jumps, the ottava passages - it makes you want to break down (if you're a bad fiddler) and cry (if you realise how beautiful the music really is).

Answer 4

The greatest violinist of all time was Niccolo Paganini.

The greatest violinist of the 20th century was Jascha Heifetz

The greatest living violinist today is Itzhak Perlman.

Other notable violinists living today : Kyung Wha Chung (retired), Sarah Chang , Hilary Hahn and Anne Sophie Mutter.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AloBa9SPM7U

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ueWVV_GnRIA

Answer 5

Brian forgot a few notable violinists in his answer - so for the sake of completeness I have to add a couple of names for consideration:

Maxim Vengerov

Gil Shaham

Answer 6

I agree completely with the answer given by brian777999.

Hands down.

With no specific time period, Paganini and Heifetz for the win!

<3

Answer 7

Itzhak Perlman

Answer 8

Paganini

Answer 9

Niccolo Paganini

Hands down.

Answer 10

Stefan Grapelli

Answer 11

Maxim Vengerov & Marat Bisengaliev all the way!!