Joseph Szigeti made his London debut at the Bechstein (Wigmore) Hall as a thirteen-year-old (the public was told he was twelve). From 1907 he was based in England and his concerto debut was made with the Bach Concerto in E major and Tchaikovsky’s Violin Concerto with the New Symphony Orchestra under Sir Thomas Beecham. While in Britain, until 1913, he toured with Nellie Melba and John McCormack, met Myra Hess and Ferruccio Busoni, gave the first performance of Hamilton Harty’s D minor Concerto and made his first records.

One of the most beloved and influential musical figures of the 20th century. He introduced and popularised works by many of the significant contemporary composers, among them Prokofiev, Bloch, Casella, Stravinsky, Bartók, Warlock, Martin, Cowell, Ives, Berg, Milhaud and Ravel. Were it not for Szigeti, we should also have fewer recordings of Bartók and Stravinsky as pianists: both composers were persuaded into the studio by the prospect of working with such a sympathetic musician. Szigeti was the most distinguished of a line of violinists taught by Hubay.

Johann Sebastian Bach

1. Chaconne from Partita No. 2 in D Minor (16:05)

Ludwig van Beethoven
Violin Sonata No. 4 in A Minor, Op. 23 (16:47)

2. I. Presto (5:32)
3. II. Andante scherzoso più allegretto (6:08)
4. III. Allegro molto (5:06)

Béla Bartók
Violin Rhapsody No. 1, Sz. 87 (9:07)

5. I. Lassú (4:12)
6. II. Friss (4:55)

Ernest Bloch
Violin Concerto in A Minor (34:30)

7. I. Allegro deciso (18:07)
8. II. Andante (6:10)
9. III. Deciso (10:12)

At the heart of this collection lies Menuhin’s recording of Schumman’s “lost” Violin Concerto. Recorded in 1938 with the New York Philharmonic and conductor John Barbirolli, the emotional intensity young Menuhin brings to this rediscovered masterpiece remains unmatched.

The collection spans nearly two decades of Menuhin’s early career, from intimate 1936 sessions with sister Hephzibah performing Enescu’s Romanian Folk-Style Sonata No. 3, to his commanding 1951 interpretation of Vieuxtemps’ Fourth Concerto. These aren’t merely historical curiosities—they’re revelatory performances that defined violin artistry for generations.

Gene Gaudette and Paul Arden-Taylor’s restorations reveal every nuance of Menuhin’s legendary tone and technique emerges with stunning presence, making this collection indispensable for serious collectors and newcomers alike.

Robert Schumann
Violin Concerto in D Minor, WoO 23 (26:59)

1. I. In kräftigem, nicht zu schnellem Tempo (12:23)
2. II. Langsam (5:48)
3. III. Lebhaft, doch nicht zu schnell (8:47)

Johannes Brahms
Hungarian Dances (Arr. Joachim)

4. No. 1 in G Minor (2:49)
5. No. 7 in A Major (1:58)

George Enescu
Violin Sonata No. 3 in A Minor, Op. 25 (23:33)

6. I. Moderato malinconico (7:55)
7. II. Andante sostenuto e misterioso (8:19)
8. III. Allegro con brio, ma non troppo mosso (7:19)

Henri Vieuxtemps
Violin Concerto No. 4 in D Minor, Op. 31 (23:10)

9. I. Andante – Moderato (6:49)
10. II. Adagio religioso (6:23)
11. III. Scherzo & Trio (4:16)
12. IV. Finale. Allegro

Shafran was born on 13 January 1923 in St Petersburg, then Petrograd/Leningrad, where his father, Boris, was principal cellist in the Leningrad Philharmonic. Studies with his father were followed by lessons with Aleksander Shtrimer (who had also taught Shafran’s father), first at the Special Music School, and then at the conservatoire two years later. Shafran made his concerto debut with the Philharmonic at the age of eleven, performing Tchaikovsky’s ‘Rococo’ Variations conducted by Albert Coates and three years later, in 1937, the same year that he won the All-Union Competition, he recorded the work with Alexander Gauk. His competition prize was a 1630 Amati cello (reputedly), slightly on the small side, that he used for the rest of his life. After his death, it turned out that it was, in fact, probably eighteenth-century German or Bohemian.

(Stephen Isserlis): “Sebastian Comberti had the best description …like finding the last member of a lost tribe of cellists. His playing takes you right back to a different era.”

“Comparisons in the Prokofiev are especially telling, Rostropovich is earnest but suave, Shafran more colourful but unremittingly intense. Rozhdestvensky’s mastery of the score is a bonus: this was the period when he made his greatest Prokofiev recordings” (Tsindzadze):

“every bar holds its own brand of magic.” (Gramophone)

Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky

1. Variations on a Rococo Theme (18:41)

David Popper
Spanish Dances, Op. 54

2. No. 5, Vito (3:58)

Concert Etudes, Op. 55

3. No. 2, Jagdstück (2:20)

Camille Saint-Saëns

4. Carnival of the Animals: The Swan (2:47)

Sergei Prokofiev
Symphony-Concerto in E Minor, Op. 125

5. I. Andante (9:39)
6. II. Allegro giusto (16:26)
7. III. Andante con moto (9:12)

St. John Passion was first performed in 1724 as part of a church service during Holy Week at St.Thomas’ Church in Leipzig with other items being added the following year, included in this recording (‘1725 setting’), although later Bach reverted to the original 1724 version. With its trial scenes St John Passion is noticeably more dramatic than the St. Matthew Passion which followed a couple of years later.

“A lively, well-paced version with original instruments and excellent team of characterful soloists, with the fresh-toned (King’s Choir) boy trebles adding dramatic bite. What especially distinguishes this set is that the alternative numbers that Bach wrote for a revival in 1725, are given in an appendix, including the Chorale fantasy in place of the opening …Most enjoyable” —Penguin Guide, 3 stars

“fine contributions especially from Stephen Varcoe, and an exceptionally immediate and affecting ‘Es ist vollbracht’ from Michael Chance.” —Gramophone

Each of Sibelius’s seven numbered symphonies possesses a quite different character, a fact that has led his followers to assert that he is the finest symphonist since Beethoven. These two renditions have been brought back to life in these newly remastered editions from Paul Arden-Taylor. 

“Davis reminds us now just how great he is in Sibelius with a marvellous new recording of the Second … the strength of this performance, where a patient (and more involving) build-up leads to a shattering finale. Davis loves Sibelius, and the orchestra clearly love playing it for him. Listening to a Sibelius performance of this calibre, there’s no other composer one would rather hear.” —Gramophone, Album of the Month (Symphony No. 2)

Album of the Month, Classic FM (Symphony No. 5)

Symphony No. 2 in D Major, Op. 43

1. I. Allegretto
2. II. Tempo andante, ma rubato
3. III. Vivacissimo
4. IV. Allegro moderato

Symphony No. 5 in E-Flat Major, Op. 82 (1919 Version)

5. I. Tempo molto moderato
6. II. Andante mosso
7. III. Allegro molto

1. I. Un poco Andante — Allegro molto ed agitato
2. II. Romanze. Andantino — Allegro agitato
3. III. Intermezzo. Allegro molto marcato — Più vivo e scherzando
4. IV. Finale. Lento — Presto al Saltarello

5. Fugue in F Minor
6. Andante con moto in C Minor for Piano Trio

String Quartet No. 2 in F Major, EG 117 (Completed by Julius Röntgen)

7. I. Sostenuto – Allegro vivace e grazioso
8. II. Allegro scherzando
9. III. Adagio
10. IV. Allegro giocoso

Alto returns to international availability, the Raphael Quartet’s acclaimed 1993 recordings of Edvard Grieg’s String Quartets 1 & 2, the Allegro con fuoco from the Fugue in F minor for string quartet, and the Andante con moto in C minor for piano trio with pianist Jet Röling.

The Raphael String Quartet was known far beyond their native Holland. Founded in the early 1980s, they came to prominence winning four distinctions at the European Broadcasting Union String Quartet Festival in 1983. The recipients of a number of important commissions, they have recorded extensively including works by Haydn, Beethoven, Schubert, Bruckner, Grieg, Janáček and Shostakovich. 

These sumptuous chamber music recordings have been newly remastered and restored by engineer Paul Arden-Taylor. 

“The Raphael Quartet give us … plenty of spirit, and the recorded sound is excellent.” —Penguin Guide, 3 Stars 

This new production features Emil Gilels in Tchaikovsky’s Piano Concerto No. 2 in a live recording from 1962, first issued by Musica on LP, and Tatiana Nikolayeva in the Concert Fantasia in G Minor, Op. 56 from Melodiya’s 1952 Moscow recordings. Both have been lovingly re-mastered and restored for Alto from the original sources by engineer Paul Arden-Taylor.

“Gilels elected to play the Siloti version of the 2nd concerto … his playing is of the highest order of mastery and has the virtue of presenting the work with the freshness of a new discovery” —Penguin Guide on Gilels’ Piano Concerto No. 2

“playing of an awe-inspiring musical strength and integrity. The massive cadenza in the Concert Fantasia played with all-Russian conviction … throughout, she inflects Tchaikovsky’s sumptuously decorated melodies with a warmth and breadth known to few pianists outside Russia” —Gramophone on Nikolayeva’s Concert Fantasia

Piano Concerto No. 2 in G Major, Op. 44

1. I. Allegro brillante e molto vivace
2. II. Andante non troppo
3. III. Allegro con fuoco

Emil Gilels, piano; USSR State Symphony Orchestra; Kirill Kondrashin, conductor

Concert Fantasia in G Minor, Op. 56

4. I. Quasi Rondo
5. II. Contrastes. Andante cantabile—Molto vivace

Tatiana Nikolayeva, piano; USSR State Symphony Orchestra; Kirill Kondrashin, conductor