This CD brings to the catalog, for the first time, superb performances by two leading twentieth century artists. Henryk Szeryng was the most cosmopolitan violinist of his generation. Born in 1918 near Warsaw, he knew Paderewski and Huberman as friends of his parents. By the time Szeryng was 15 years old he was touring, though he continued to study with, among others, Jacques Thibaud. Settling in Mexico after WW2, Szeryng began to tour with Artur Rubinstein. In 1956 Szeryng became official cultural ambassador for the Mexican government, while simultaneously pursuing a career in which he came to be regarded as one of the greatest violinists of his era. Gary Graffman was born in 1928. Graduating from Curtis in 1946, he won the Rachmaninoff Prize, making his debut the following year with Eugene Ormandy and the Philadelphia Orchestra. In 1949 Graffman won the Leventritt Award, after which he toured throughout the world until a right hand injury in 1979 slowed a major career. These excellent performances from 1970 and 1971 were captured in very good sound at the Library of Congress, and are the first of two Szeryng/Graffman discs that Bridge will be releasing. At the time of these concerts, critic Irving Lowens in the Washington Evening Star raved about these performances, comparing them favorably to the legendary concerts given in the same hall by the Busch/Serkin duo. Notes by Tully Potter and a series of rare photographs complete this historic release.
Reviews:
“True to Beethoven’s description of Op. 12 as ‘for piano with a violin’, this duo of equals, recorded live, reveals every detail. Graffman is strikingly virtuosic in the variations and dazzling presto of the Kreutzer.” - BBC Music Magazine
“Szeryng’s on top form, and the sound quality is way above average for archival recordings. Recommended with pleasure.” - ClassicsToday.com
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Op. 12, No. 1
Op. 12, No. 3
Op. 47 "Kreutzer"
Henryk Szeryng, violin
Gary Graffman, piano
BRIDGE 9165