Eight violinists, eighteen scintillating encores or
near encores (I don’t think the Handel Sonata allegro is quite the same
thing). The lion’s share - nine - goes to the two fabulous Russians,
Heifetz and Milstein, with Auer-pupil Zimbalist, suave Francescatti
and Isaac Stern all with two each. There are single examples of the
art of Kreisler, Ricci and Elman. Of the galaxy of violinistic talent
only Ruggiero Ricci is still alive and has recently (2002) retired from
the concert stage. Pearl’s immensely valuable 'Recorded Violinists'
sets offer a chronological conspectus of violin playing on record, a
resource of lasting value. Here we have a lighter and more popular disc
which still allows one the privilege of hearing stellar talents in fascinating
conjunction.
Zino Francescatti gives a barely perceptible twitch
in his Wieniawski – such suave ease of execution and in his Tartini,
in his own arrangement (many of these pieces are arrangements) his is
robust but supremely elegant. In Suk’s Burleska Ruggiero Ricci
is accompanied by his own teacher, the celebrated Louis Persinger, who
had performed the same role on disc for another of his star pupils,
Yehudi Menuhin. It’s one of Ricci’s earliest discs. He was twenty and
in particularly vibrant and fruity form. With Efrem Zimbalist we come
to the juxtapositions that cast interesting light on the technical and
expressive armouries of individual musicians. Zimbalist has been something
of a battleground over the years. Lauded as one of the great triumvirate
of Auer pupils – with Heifetz and Elman – he was picked apart in Carl
Flesch’s memoirs and Flesch’s view has, by and large, remained the accepted
norm ever since. Sandwiched on this disc between Milstein’s coruscating
Wieniawski Scherzo Tarantelle (listen to those fabulously quick
slides) and Heifetz’s Albeniz and Zimbalist rather withers. He
has a distinctly slow – bedevillingly slow – vibrato that limits his
tone colouration but what he does possess is pellucid upper strings
and a still excellent technique. He doesn’t really possess the theatricality
for Sarasate’s Carmen Fantasia or Zigeunerweisen but I
would rather hear him in a Sonata than Toscha Seidel (Flesch’s suggested
replacement in the Great Three). Stern is represented by a scrupulously
clean Handel – not as exciting or involving as Szigeti but attractive
– and by his Flight of the Bumble Bee which is the only track
without piano accompaniment; instead Franz Waxman conducts an orchestra
in his own arrangement – pretty stunning all round. Elman makes a valued
appearance in a Wilhelmj arranged Chopin Nocturne; luscious with
dramatic portamenti and with his molten lower strings still intact in
1930 who will object to the meretricious arrangement when the playing
is so involving? Kreisler plays his own Liebesfreud from 1926
– rather too much hiss on this disc; about the only occasion it remotely
disturbed me. Which leaves Milstein and Heifetz. The former is cool
in Massenet, somewhat aloof and unengaged, but makes up for it with
some sumptuous lyric expressivity amongst the devilry of Wieniawski’s
Scherzo Tarantelle. He is immaculate in Sarasate and attractively
husky voiced in the Kreisler. As for Heifetz it is frightening to hear
the dramatic incision of his Paganini much less the fast but flexible
Bazzini with superbly judged rubato and unmistakeable Heifetz fingerprints.
The Wieniawski Polonaise Brillante is slashing and piquant and
his pizzicatos in Sarasate’s Zapateado jaw dropping.
Excellent transfers – Kreisler aside – and with notes
by Tully Potter this is a formidably exciting disc.
Jonathan Woolf
Zino Francescatti, Jascha
Heifetz, Nathan Milstein, Ruggiero Ricci, Efrem Zimbalist, Fritz Kreisler,
Isaac Stern, Mischa Elman. With various accompanists.