Mischa Elman: Franck / Faure Violin Sonatas - London Records LL1628
$
44
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Description
ITEM DESCRIPTION:
This lovely and rare LP from London Records (LL1628, English Decca pressing, red/silver FFRR label, mono – no stereo edition exists) features the legendary Mischa Elman in exalted accounts of Franck’s Violin Sonata in A Major and Faure’s Violin Sonata No. 1 in A minor Op. 13, both recorded with his longtime recital partner, pianist Joseph Seiger, at Decca’s West Hampstead Studios, London, the former on 27 April 1955 and the latter on 16 October 1956.
This is playing of a bygone age and if without the faultless intonation of Heifetz, Elman's performances are nonetheless imbued with enormous character and his fabled golden tone remains as fulsome as ever. The finer liner notes are by long-time Gramophone contributor Joan Chissell.
Of Testament’s CD re-issue of these performances, the wonderful musician and critic Jed Distler wrote for ClassicsToday: “Mischa Elman's prime years in the late teens and early 1920s were overshadowed by the arrival of Jascha Heifetz, who ushered in the modern violin era virtually overnight. The fallout rendered Elman's late-19th century Russian Romantic style anachronistic. Thus when Elman signed on with Decca in 1954 his reputation was more that of a relic than an icon. Yet time lends perspective, and the recordings he made for the label with pianist Joseph Seiger reveal Elman's artistry to be quite engaging and serious, his technique up to par and his celebrated tone still huge, resonant, and communicative. There are tiny intonation bobbles in high-lying passages, but not many, and they're not important.
“Don't expect incendiary splendor or the most incisive bow arm in the Brahms D minor sonata's intense finale, or in the light-footed scherzos of Fauré's A major and Beethoven's "Spring" sonatas, or in the "Kreutzer" sonata's outer movements. Instead, notice how Elman's subtle freedom, telling portamentos, and varied articulations never draw attention to themselves (unlike, say, Anne Sophie Mutter's occasional overphrasing) but rather bring a disarming, storytelling quality to Brahms and Franck's loftiest ideas. And if we must have old-fashioned Handel, or more tempo changes in the "Spring" sonata's outer movement than Beethoven indicates, Elman's natural authority within the style that formed his aesthetic is governed by genuine musical impulse. Perhaps Grieg's First and Third sonatas find the closest meeting of minds and hearts between composer and violinist, where Seiger's accompaniments rise above his sensitive yet deferential norm.”
Incidentally, there are fine liner notes on the reverse side of the jacket, provided in English only, by Norman Suckling.
CONDITION:
The gradations of condition I use are as follows: MINT, Near-Mint, Excellent, Very Good, Good, Fair, Poor.
The condition of the front laminated jacket is VERY GOOD. There is slight bumping/wear at corners and some evidence of shelfwear, as well as a former owner’s stamp and mild discoloration to the rear panel. However, there are no seamsplits, bends, or other defects and the album remains solid, bright, glossy, and attractive – in all, a very good collector's copy.
The condition of the LP itself is VERY GOOD (Faure) / GOOD (Franck). There is a scratch on the Franck side that causes a soft repetitive ticking through half the slow movement and all of the final movement. The rest of the LP plays fine, though there is light surface noise. IN all, it remains a decent copy, if not a collector’s copy, and is priced accordingly.
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