Szeryng: The Virtuoso Violin - Philips 838 427 DXY (red/silver) - stunning

$

55

ITEM DESCRIPTION:

This beautiful LP – a superb collector's copy – from Philips (838 427 DXY, Dutch pressing pressing, red/silver label, stereo, original inner sleeve included) entitled "Henryk Szeryng · Die virtuose Violine" features the great virtuoso in a magical encore recital, recorded with pianist Charles Reiner on 13/14 February 1963.

Szeryng brings off these pieces with tremendous flair and imagination and it is clear that here is a great personality at work. Moreover, in addition to the more familiar fare, there are several rarities on offer, including Sabre-Marroquin's Mexican Lullaby and Locatelli's The Labyrinth. Philips' sound is warm and truthful – a wonderful disc, not to be missed.

Included are the following pieces:

Béla Bartók (arr. Zoltán Székely): Six Roumanian Folk Dances

Claude Debussy (arr. Léon Roques): La plus que lente

Ottokar Novácek: Perpetuum Mobile, No. 2 from the 8 Caprices for Violin and Piano Op. 5

Johannes Brahms (arr. Fritz Kreisler): Hungarian Dance No. 17 in F minor

José Sabre-Marroquin: Berceuse · Mexican Lullaby

Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov (arr. Jascha Heifetz): Flight of the Bumblebee, from The Tale of Tsar Saltan

Jean-Marie Leclair: Violin Sonata in D Major Op. 9 No. 3

Christoph Willibald Gluck (arr. Fritz Kreisler): Melodie, from Orfeo and Euridice

Tommaso Antonio Vitali (arr. Leopold Charlier): Chaconne in G minor

Pietro Locatelli (arr. Ferdinand David): Il labirinto armonico, No. 23 of 24 Caprices from L'arte del violino Op. 3

Wrote the critic W.A. Chislett in his “Nights at the Round Table” column for the June 1966 issue of The Gramophone:

“This record may well have appeared in America earlier on a full-price label but I cannot trace any previous release here and I have no sleeve-note to help. There are, as will be seen, some bon-bons similar to those played by Derck Collier in the record above and very pleasant they are but it is for the Leclair Sonata and the Bartok dances that this record appeals particularly. The Sonata, which is not otherwise available, dates from 1738 and is one of a group written for violin and continuo, so the transfer to piano is something of a compromise. One misses sometimes the bass line of a stringed instrument. Leclair's Sonatas, or such of them as I know, are not great music by any means but are attractive in the style of their period, although too many at once would be indigestible. They sound far better on the violin than on the flute, for which some of them are written alternatively. The Bartok dances were originally written for the piano but take to the combination of violin and piano like a duck to water. In this form they are delicious morceaux. However effective Locatelli's The Labyrinth may be as a display piece it has little other interest. One feels that the composer was only concerned with something that few could play. Szeryng, of course, plays it with perfect aplomb and in the other items he displays fine musicianship and sense of style as well as a prodigious technique- -attributes that are well matched by those of his partner, although Charles Reiner has comparatively little to do in some of the pieces. The recording in both forms is very good both tonally and in the matter of balance, although there is a curious effect in the charming Mexican Lullaby. It is as if Szeryng has stepped back a pace from the microphone as well as put on his mute.”

Incidentally, on the reverse side of the jacket are printed superb liner notes in German and in English.

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 VERY GOOD-. There is edgewear, more so at corners, minor bumping at corners, shelfwear, and mild discoloration to the rear panel. However, there are no seamsplits, bends, owners’ markings, or other defects, and the album remains solid, bright, glossy, and highly attractive – overall, this rates as a very good collector’s copy.

The condition of the LP itself is near-MINT. Although the surfaces are not completely silent (and thus I have rated it NM vs. MINT), really this is a very fine copy and playback is superb. However, if you must have absolutely perfect surfaces, then please do not buy this LP. Overall, this rates as a lovely collector's copy.