Staryk: "Every Violinist's Guide" (Virtuoso Violin Etudes) - Imperial ILX 1015

$

65

redgarnett Store ITEM DESCRIPTION:

This remarkable and very rare LP from Imperial (ILX 1015, Dutch pressing, black/silver label, mono) entitled "Every Violinist's Guide" features a dazzling program of violin etudes, caprices, and studies performed in brilliant fashion by the extraordinary Canadian virtuoso Steven Staryk, former Concertmaster of the Concertgebouw, Royal Philharmonic, Chicago Symphony, and Toronto Symphony Orchestras, as well as a magnificent soloist in his own right. He is heard here in an amazing recital, mixing well-known works and relative rarities, warmly recorded in London in 1962. Several of these pieces were first recordings.

The opening work on Side 1, Rodolphe Kreutzer’s Étude No. 2 (from 42 Études ou caprices for Violin Solo – grand detaché) is absolutely stunning as heard here – not only for Staryk’s incredible playing, but also as a sonic experience – really it is quite amazing in every way.

Included are the following works, many of which received their very first recording here:

Rodolphe Kreutzer: Étude No. 2, from 42 Études ou caprices for Violin Solo

grand detaché

Charles Dancla: Caprice No. 16, from The Method for Violin Solo Op. 52

legato at point of bow

Charles Dancla: Caprice No. 9, from The Method for Violin Solo Op. 52

            dexterity in 2nd position

Pierre Rode: Caprice No. 2, from 24 Caprices for Violin Op. 24

            study in fp (forte piano)

Pierre Rode: Caprice No. 21, from 24 Caprices for Violin Op. 24

            accentuated martelé

Pierre Rode: Caprice No. 17, from 24 Caprices for Violin Op. 24

            controlled spiccato

Pierre Rode: Caprice No. 8, from 24 Caprices for Violin Op. 24

            legato in separate bowing

Federigo Fiorillo: Etude pour le violon formant No. 14, from 36 Caprices Op. 3

            cantabile on one string

Heinrich Ernst Kayser: Etude No. 4, from 36 Etudes for Violin Solo Op. 20

            facility and stamina in finger action

Federigo Fiorillo: Etude pour le violin formant No. 3, from 36 caprices Op. 3

            controlled staccato

Federigo Fiorillo: Etude pour le violin formant No. 28 in D Major, from 36 Caprices Op. 3

            wrist action and coordination

Federigo Fiorillo: Etude pour le violin formant No. 8 in D Major, from 36 Caprices Op. 3

            control in sostenuto

Jakob Dont: Caprice No. 2, from 24 Etudes and Caprices for Violin Solo Op. 35

            coordination in spiccato

Rodolphe Kreutzer: Étude No. 15, from 42 Études ou caprices for Violin Solo

            short trill etude

Rodolphe Kreutzer: Étude No. 8, from 42 Études ou caprices for Violin Solo

            study in string crossing

Henri Wieniawski: “Caprice alla Saltarella”, Etude No. 5 from L'école moderne Op. 10

            includes various problems, changes in position, higher position, etc.

Henri Wieniawski: “Le Sautille”, Etude No. 1 from L'école moderne Op. 10

            includes thrown staccato, coordination in velocity

Henri Wieniawski: “La cadenza”, No. 7 from L'école moderne Op. 10

            includes doublestops, bow control, finger dexterity, etc.

Wrote the superb critic Margaret MacDonald in her review for the April 1968 issue of The Gramophone:

“And now let me hear your study". Surely every teacher says this at some moment during a lesson. And, equally surely, at this moment every student's heart sinks. For studies mean work, hard work, but if properly learnt enormously rewarding work.

“Staryk himself says in the sleeve-note, the present collection of Etudes-Caprices, as yet unreplaced in bridging the gap between the acquisition of a basic technique and the study for the ultimate performance of music, has been sorely neglected in every respect: teaching, performing and recording". Whether these studies have been so universally neglected in teaching is questionable. But they have certainly in the past been neglected by the gramophone. Though if any teacher or student should now be in doubt as to how they should really sound, he has only to put on this record. At Grade I level they may seem unreal, at Grade VIII level depressing; but at Grade XXIV they may be found something of a challenge.

“The studies of Kreutzer, Dancla, Rode, Fiorillo, Kayser, Dont and Wieniawski are aimed at acquiring a mastership of the advanced technique of the fiddle, and here Staryk shows us just how easy it can be (?). His playing is beautifully controlled, exploiting all the facets of technique with care and perfection. Legato in separate bowing so smooth that we cannot hear the change of bow; spiccato and martelé so clear and rhythmic; double-stopping—most students' nightmare—perfectly executed in La Cadenza.

“The record is called "Every Violinist's Guide". This is to be optimistic. But every serious violinist must surely listen to and be guided by the record, for to play like this is, or should be, the ultimate aim of every student. The recorded sound is excellent, clean and resonant except, perhaps, for a slight background 'woosh' on one of the tracks. It would take far more than this to begin to obscure the superlative quality of Staryk's playing.”

Incidentally, there are brief liner notes on the reverse side of the jacket written by Staryk himself – all texts are in English only.

CONDITION – PLEASE READ CAREFULLY:

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

The condition of the jacket is VERY GOOD. There is edgewear, particularly at corners, as well as mild ringwear and creasing. However, there are no seamsplits, owners’ markings, bends, or other defects, and the album remains solid, bright, and highly attractive – overall, this rates as a very good collector’s copy.

The condition of the LP itself is EXCELLENT. Although the surfaces are not absolutely silent, this is a fine copy and the playback is quite superb. Those requiring flawless or NM surfaces are kindly advised to look elsewhere. Overall, this rates as an excellent collector's copy.

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