Mendelssohn – Alto CD

Brahms and Mendelssohn Violin Concertos Corelli ‘La Folia’ Sonata

amuletts — Wed, 31 Jan 2024 23:45:56 +0000

[Brahms] “recordings are excellent, Grumiaux’s playing and interpretation equal any I have ever heard . . . balance between soloist and orchestra is natural, no praise is too high for interpretation – a most lyrical performance, full of beauty”
” [Mendelssohn] “these performances are among the best and Grumiaux’s playing has his usual purity of style and instinctive musicianship to commend it.”
[Corelli] : “a glorious tone, and he infuses Corelli’s beautiful slow movements with warm lyricism … difficult to resist such beauty” (all: Gramophone)

Mendelssohn: Violin Concerto in E minor, Op.64 [25:56]

1. I. Allegro molto appassionato 12:00

2. II. Andante 7:28

3. III. Allegro molto vivace 6:27

Brahms: Violin Concerto in D major, Op.77 [38:26]

4. I. Allegro non troppo 21:53

5. II. Adagio 8:44

6. III. Allegro giocoso, ma non troppo vivace – Poco più presto 7:48

BONUS TRACK

7. Corelli: Violin Sonata in D minor, Op.5 No.12 “La Folia” 11:44

with Riccardo Castagnone (piano)

Mendelssohn: Piano Concertos 1 & 2

amuletts — Wed, 31 Jan 2024 23:42:57 +0000

“Splendid performances by Serkin and Ormandy of the Mendelssohn concertos, with plenty of attack from them both and a really wonderful, fiery interpretation of the D minor’s opening movement. This is how these concertos should be played, yet still -as here – with delicacy as well as brilliance. Here is a great pianist … who makes the most of both (concertos).” (Gramophone)

Piano Concerto No. 1 in G minor, Op. 25 (1831) [19:11]

[1] I. Molto allegro con fuoco 6:47
[2] II. Andante 6:23
[3] III. Presto – Molto allegro e vivace 6:00

Piano Concerto No. 2 in D minor, Op. 40 (1837) [22:32]

[4] I. Allegro appassionato 8:32
[5] II. Adagio: Molto sostenuto 8:04
[6] III. Finale: Presto scherzando 5:55
[7] Capriccio Brillante in B minor Op. 22 (1832) 11:06
[8] Rondo Brillante in E flat major, Op. 29 (1835) 11:19
[9] Serenade and Allegro Giocoso in B minor Op. 43 (1838) 13:01

Felix Mendelssohn (1809-47)

amuletts — Wed, 31 Jan 2024 23:38:05 +0000

“(This) celebrates Tamás Vásáry’s debut on record as a symphonic conductor, and it seems to me a great success….another case of a musician who has made a fruitful transition from piano keyboard to podium, and …he is in firm and confident control of the proceedings. In the introduction of the Scottish Symphony’s first movement the mood is at once positive and purposeful, and the music moves forward with a strong cumulative feeling,.. while the Adagio is adorned by the most tender, lovingly shaped phrasing…..and I was particularly impressed by the excellently managed coda.

Symphony No. 3 in A minor, Op. 56 “Scottish”/Ecossaise/Schottische

[1] Introduction: Andante con moto –
Allegro un poco agitato – Andante come prima 15:21
[2] Vivace non troppo (Scherzo: Assai vivace) 4:21
[3] Adagio (Andante con moto) 10:20
[4] Allegro vivacissimo (Allegro guerriero) –
Allegro maestoso assai 9:41

Symphony No. 4 in A major, Op. 90 “Italian”/Italienne/Italienische

[5] Allegro vivace 10:45
[6] Andante con moto 6:45
[7] Con moto moderato 6:59
[8] Saltarello: Presto 5:23