Oistrakh: Beethoven 10 VIolin Sonatas: Philips (5LP box set, NZ pressing, mono)
$
80
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Description
ITEM DESCRIPTION:
This excellent 5 LP box set from Philips (A 02269 L – A 02273 L, New Zealand pressings, red/silver “Minigroove” label, booklet included, sturdy cloth box, mono) features David Oistrakh’s peerless readings of the complete Beethoven Violin Sonatas, recorded with long-time collaborator, pianist Lev Oborin – recorded in the warm acoustics of Le Chant du Monde studios, Paris during May/June 1962, a landmark cycle even 45 years later.
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This particular Phiips issue is very attractive, consisting of a heavy cloth box with gilt lettering and an 8-page booklet, with a striking portrait of Oistrakh and extensive note on the music (in English only, author uncredited) – however, see “CONDITION” below.
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There have been fine traversals by the likes of Menuhin, Szeryng, Stern, and Perlman, but Oistrakh brings a marvelous purity of playing to this repertoire, his cycle touched by a wisdom and humanity, allied to a brilliant technique, that sets him apart from nearly all others.
The engineers afforded the veteran duo with uncommonly fine sound, the violin perfectly distanced from the microphone and its balance with the piano in optimum measure. Unlike so many collaborations captured on disc, this is one of equals, with Oborin consistently matching Oistrakh in imagination. Indeed, not unlike Eugene Istomin, Oborin was at his finest in chamber music and remains fully equal to Oistrakh’s artistry throughout all ten sonatas – an inspired musical partnership that was a model of its kind.
Thus, included are all 10 of Beethoven's Violin Sonatas:
No. 1 in D Major Op. 12 No. 1
No. 2 in A Major Op. 12 No. 2
No. 3 in E-flat Major Op. 12 No. 3
No. 4 in A minor Op. 23
No. 5 in F Major Op. 24 'Spring'
No. 6 in A Major Op. 30 No. 1
No. 7 in C minor Op. 30 No. 2
No. 8 in G Major Op. 30 No. 3
No. 9 in A Major Op. 47 'Kreutzer'
No. 10 in G Major Op. 96
As much a tribute to Oistrakh as to Beethoven, this beautiful set remains a great rarity.
Incidentally, for these sessions, Oistrakh played his 1702 Stradivarius 'La Fontana'.
CONDITION – PLEASE READ VERY CAREFULLY:
The gradations of condition I use are as follows: MINT, Near-Mint, Excellent, Very Good, Good, Fair, Poor.
The condition of the cloth box is GOOD (Note: This is towards the lower end of my grading scale). There are two tears to the edge of the spine/front panel, one at the top and the other at the bottom – these are just tears to the fabric and not seamsplits. Also the spine itself is quite discolored and is not readily legible. On the plus side, there are no corner breaks, seamsplits, or owners’ markings and the box remains perfectly solid and quite impressive in appearance – the box will stand upright on its own without falling over or the records spilling out – it could be in better condition, visually, but remains a solid collector’s copy.
The condition of the 8-page booklet is FAIR. There is a fair amount of discoloration and it betrays some evidence of handling. On the plus side, there are no tears, the pages remain bright and crisp, the binding perfectly solid. It is just a matter of the booklet being a bit soiled – still a serviceable and decent copy.
The condition of the 5 LPs is EXCELLENT throughout. The vinyl has a rich gloss to it and, in terms of sound, the surfaces – if not always completely CD silent – offer superb playback. However, if you must have a flawless copy then please do not buy this set. Overall, these LPs rate as truly excellent collector's copies.
PLEASE NOTE: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:
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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. The fee for this $5.00 USD.
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REFUNDS:
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Please see my other classical LP and CD auctions, and feel free to write with any questions, I'll be glad to help.
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