259.00 PLN

CD:

Nr kat.: GEMM9125
Label  : Pearl

The main problem presented when compiling an anthology such as this is not who to put in but who to leave out, so many have been the great violinists who made records. Suffice it to say that those heard here are either household names or were seminal in the development of their art. The works played have been selected to give a pleasingly balanced programme. Except in the case of little-known pieces, no comment is made on the music to be heard here. Who better to open this recital than Fritz Kreisler (actually Friedrlch) (1875-1962). This well-loved performer, who began his activities at a very early age, was appreciated in particular for his rich tone, purity of phrasing and the romantic (though never sickly) approach which he brought to the great classics. Kreisler was also soldier, medical practitioner, and composer - mainly of ,encore' trifles, one of the bestknown of which is heard here. Like Kreisler, Mischa Elman (1891-1967) was a child prodigy, renowned from the very beginning for the fullness and sweetness of his tone although this was to become more austere as the years advanced and tastes changed. A pupil of both Auer (see below) and Cui, he made a sensational debut in 1904, and worked until the day of his death. Elman enjoyed great popularity, and his recordings are many. The Polish Bronislaw Huberman (1882-1947) was of Jewish origin - as were the two violinists mentioned above and, indeed, so many of this century's greatest instrumentalists - and was near the end of his life founder of the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra. Largely selftaught, he was able at a tender age to astonish Brahms in 1896 with his performance of that master's Violin Concerto. As can be heard in this rendering of the Jewish liturgical Kol Nidrei (by Max Bruch, not himself a Jew) Huberman's style was a most individual one. An artist whose performances will still remain fresh in the memories of many is Nathan Milstein (b. 1904). He was noted for his aristocratic approach, even to romantic music. Initially an Auer pupil, Milstein was at the age of 13 passed to the great Ysaye, who declared to the young man that there was nothing more that he could teach him. Milstein continued to play' superbly, well into old age. Unfortunately, Ginette Neveu (1919-1949) did not have the chance to develop her full potential because of her early death in a `plane crash. A child prodigy, she was a grand-niece of the composer Widor, and had been a pupil of Carl Flesch. Neveu was noted especially for the spirit and strength which she brought to her interpretations of major works, and additionally for the delicacy of delivery apparent when she played smaller pieces. The great Leopold Auer (18451930) was a pupil of - amongst others - Joachim. He was one of the legendary violin teachers, a child prodigy and soloist of great repute. His records were made late, but all display his formidable technique and musicianship. Auer's pupils were many and distinguished, as can be seen from other entries in this booklet. The energetic Adolf Busch (1891-1952) - brother of the great conductor Fritz, musical founder of Glyndebourne Opera - was active as much in solo work as in chamber music, an area he pursued with vigour throughout his life, especially during the inter-war years. The duo which he developed with pianist Rudolf Serkin was highly acclaimed. Busch was also conductor and composer, and in 1950 helped found the great- ly appreciated Marlboro Music Festival in Vermont, USA. Moravian Franz Drdla (18681944) was just as busy a composer as he was a fiddler, yet the Souvenir (which he plays here) seems to be the only one of his some 600 works to have remained in the general repertoire. A pupil of both HelImes-berger and Bruckner Drdla was, before embarking on his international career as soloist, the leader of various Austrian orchestras. If the passe, maudlin sweetness of Souvenir is anything to go by, it is not hard to guess why Drdla's other works are no longer played. The all-round Romanian musician Georges Enescu (18811955) is probably best remembered today as the principal teacher of Menuhin. This is to do him less than justice for he was, in addition to being a violinist of great renown and an idealist who strove constantly for the betterment of music-making in his own country, a composer of repute. Enescu is to be heard here in the Serenade by d'Ambrosio (1871-1914), another fiddler, and one who enjoyed great success with his `salon' compositions. Jan Kubelik (1880-1940, and father of the subsequently wellknown Rafael Kubelik, the conductor was yet another child prodigy, he also enjoyed great success in his youth. His career declined, and one reason suggested as to why this happened is that the public came to sense that he was more of a technical wizard than a genuine musician. Whether or not this be true, Kubelik remains one of the biggest `names' of the century, and must be included here -as he is, playing a charming piece by Wieniawski (1835-1880), himself a distinguished performer and composer. Although of Hungarian/German/Jewish origins, Carl Flesch (1873-1944) was a truly cosmopolitan musician, a great player and a great teacher. His main violin studies were with Professor Grun in Vienna, although it could be said that he was, as a player, largely self-taught. Flesch wrote pedagogical works on the playing of the violin which are now regarded as standard, and prepared in addition new editions of major classical masterpieces. As a performer, his reputation was enormous. Jascha Heifetz (1901-1987) is generally admitted to be the greatest technician of this century. It is said that, on the occasion of the young man's New York debut in 1917, Kreisler (who was in the audience) remarked to a colleague: "We may as well all break our bows over our knees!". The depth of feeling of his interpretations has been questioned, but this is hardly a matter for consideration in the work played here. He was an Auer pupil. Georg Kulenkampff (18981948) was a very different man. An Aryan, he remained in Germany throughout the war, defiantly - and riskily! - giving the Mendelssohn Concerto! His playing, as can be heard in this piece by Reger (1873-1916) was warn and sympathetic. In the case of Ruggiero Ricci (b. 1918) we have an artist with whom many present-day listeners will be familiar. A Persinger pupil, he made his first public appearance at the age of ten. This great virtuoso was a matchless exponent of the music of Paganini, but is heard here in teasing piece by Josef Suk (1874-1935), a composer best-remembered for his moving Asrael symphony. Alfredo Campoli (1906-1992) enjoyed a dual career. A popular dance-band leader in the 1930s he became, after the war, Decca's premier classical violinist . His performances of the great concerti are milestones in the history of recording. Campoli was proud of both parts of his career. A short while before the great man's death, it was Pearl's privilege to work with him on the preparation of Campoli's Choice, an anthology of recordings (many hitherto unpublished) from the artist's own collection. This record has the number (Flapper) PAST CD 9744. The Salon Orchestra is on (Flapper) PAST CD 9707). Probably the greatest Russian violinist of this century was David Oistrakh (1908-1974). After study in his home town of Odessa, he made his debut at Kiev in Glazunov's concerto, the composer conducting. Oistrakh's technique was remarkable and, happily, the Soviet authorities permitted his career to be worldwide. With Zino Francescatti (b. 1902) we have another artist who was active until recently. He was a pupil of his father, who had studied with Paganini [this latter, astonishing, claim comes from Baker's Cyclopedia] and, a child prodigy, gave the Beethoven Concerto when only ten. Francescatti's lengthy international career was complemented by his distinguished activites as a teacher. The final three tracks of this compilation are devoted to brief (for the quality of recorded sound is primitive) offerings by three major artists all of whom were, as teachers, seminal in the development of the various `schools' which they represented. First is heard Brahms' friend Joseph Joachim (1831-1907) giving a Bach piece which, for technical reasons connected with the development of violin playing, may sound strange to modern ears. Then comes the great Belgian Eugene Ysaye (1858-1931), in a short piece by Wieniawski. Finally we have the final section of Zigeunerweisen by Sarasate (1844-1908), this scintillating piece here played by the composer himself. Could anyone else have delivered it with such delicious insouciance? CHARLES HAYNES Pearl has also released two tbre record sets, The Recorded Violin, which give a representative selection of the greatest fiddlers who made records. Catalogue numbers are BVA I and BVA II.