Grumiaux/Moralt: Mozart Concerti K. 216/218 Eterna 820 132 - beautiful LP & copy

$

48

redgarnett Store ITEM DESCRIPTION:

This beautiful LP – a truly lovely production and arguably even finer than the original Philips issue – from Eterna (820 132, East German pressing, blue/white label – ED1, mono) – a license from the Dutch label’s 1956 Mozart Jubilee Edition – features Arthur Grumiaux's peerless readings of Mozart's Violin Concertos No. 3 in G Major K. 216 and No. 4 in D Major K. 218, warmly accompanied by Rudolf Moralt and the Vienna Symphony Orchestra.

One would be mistaken to readily pass this over in favor of the original Philips issue – these early East German Eterna pressings were very fine, arguably smoother than the Minigroove imprints from the Dutch label. Moreover, in this case, Eterna has also supplied fine art work.

Both works were recorded in rich acoustics of the Grosser Saal in Vienna’s Musikverein on 23 November 1953, and this LP won the Grand Prix du Disque 'Academie Charles Cros'. These are classic accounts that have lost none of their freshness or appeal, the playing unfailingly natural and unerringly stylish, with beautifully balanced analog sound to boot, equalled only by Grumiaux himself in his stereo remakes with Sir Colin Davis and the London Symphony Orchestra. Moralt was a superb Mozartian and these performances resonate in the memory long after the music stops – outstanding!

Wrote esteemed critic Rob Cowan in the November 2003 issue of The Gramophone: "I was once told on good authority that Heifetz was a keen admirer of Grumiaux’s art, and little wonder. Like Heifetz, Grumiaux was a master of subtle shading, a disciplined stylist with a warm heart whose immaculate musicianship, silken tone and innate composure benefitted everything he played."

Incidentally, the fine liner notes on the reverse side of the jacket, printed in German only, were written by Horst Seeger. The amazing cover art is uncredited.

CONDITION:

The gradations of condition I use are as follows: MINT, Near-Mint, Excellent, Very Good, Good, Fair, Poor.

The condition of the jacket is EXCELLENT. There is minor bumping at corners, some slight edgewear, and mild discoloration, but that is all. Really, this is close to NM. There are no seamsplits, bends, or owners' markings and the album remains perfectly solid, bright, and very striking in appearance – overall, an excellent collector's copy.

The condition of the LP itself is EXCELLENT. Although the surfaces are not CD silent, in general the playback is superb. If you must have a flawless or near-MINT copy, then you are advised to look elsewhere. Overall, this rates as an excellent collector's copy.

PLEASE NOTE:
This LP has been carefully cleaned using a VPI cleaning machine. All LPs are provided with a new Nagaoka (or Nagaoka-style) inner sleeve. The images I've provided are of the actual item you are potentially bidding on - these are not stock images or images I've taken from other sites. Bid with confidence!

PAYMENT:
Payment by PayPal is greatly preferred. Payment should be made within 5 days.

SHIPPING:
Shipping is free to anywhere in the world; this is true regardless of the number of LPs you buy, be it 1 or a 100. All LPs will be sent via standard airmail (7-10 days delivery). Note: There is no tracking number provided with standard airmail. Should you wish to have your item(s) sent via certified airmail (i.e., with a tracking number), please contact me.

FEEDBACK:
I will promptly leave feedback for all buyers. Please do not leave negative, or even neutral, feedback without first giving me an opportunity to resolve any dissatisfaction you might have with an item or transaction. I do understand that, on occasion, a buyer might believe the item description to be inaccurate or that a buyer may be disappointed in some other way regarding the sale. I promise I will do my very best to resolve any unhappiness you've experienced in your buying experience with me to your complete satisfaction. Thank you.

REFUNDS:
Returns are honored, and any buyer you makes a return will be refunded in full. Please contact me before making a return.

Please see my other classical LP and CD auctions, and feel free to write with any questions, I'll be glad to help.