Arthur Grumiaux – Historic Philips Recordings, 1953-1962 (5 CD box set, APE)

Performer: Istvan Hajdu
Orchestra: Vienna Symphony Orchestra, Lamoureux Concert Association Orchestra
Conductor: Bernhard Paumgartner, Rudolf Moralt, Jean Fournet, Franco Gallini
Composer: Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Claude Debussy, Maurice Ravel, Gabriel Faure, Pablo de Sarasate, et al.
Audio CD
SPARS Code: A-D
Number of Discs: 5 CD box set
Format: APE (image+cue)
Label: Philips
Size: 1.29 GB
Recovery: +3%
Scan: yes

# Violin Concerto No. 1 in B flat major, K. 207
Composed by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Performed by Vienna Symphony Orchestra
with Arthur Grumiaux
Conducted by Bernhard Paumgartner

# Violin Concerto No. 2 in D major, K. 211
Composed by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Performed by Vienna Symphony Orchestra
with Arthur Grumiaux
Conducted by Bernhard Paumgartner

# Violin Concerto No. 5 in A major (“Turkish”) K. 219
Composed by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Performed by Vienna Symphony Orchestra
with Arthur Grumiaux
Conducted by Bernhard Paumgartner

# Violin Concerto No. 3 in G major, K. 216
Composed by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Performed by Vienna Symphony Orchestra
with Arthur Grumiaux
Conducted by Rudolf Moralt

# Violin Concerto No. 4 in D major, K. 218
Composed by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Performed by Vienna Symphony Orchestra
with Arthur Grumiaux
Conducted by Rudolf Moralt

# Violin Concerto in D major (doubtful, “Concerto No. 7”), K(2) 271a (K. 271i)
Composed by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Performed by Vienna Symphony Orchestra
with Arthur Grumiaux
Conducted by Bernhard Paumgartner

# Sonata for violin & piano, L. 140
Composed by Claude Debussy
with Arthur Grumiaux, Istvan Hajdu

# Sonata for violin & piano No. 2 in G major
Composed by Maurice Ravel
with Arthur Grumiaux, Istvan Hajdu

# Sonata for violin & piano No. 1 in A major, Op. 13
Composed by Gabriel Faure
with Arthur Grumiaux, Istvan Hajdu

# Pièce en forme de Habanera, for solo instrument & keyboard (arr.)
Composed by Maurice Ravel
with Arthur Grumiaux, Istvan Hajdu

# Les berceaux, song for voice & piano in B flat minor, Op. 23/1
Composed by Gabriel Faure
with Arthur Grumiaux, Istvan Hajdu

# Zigeunerweisen, for violin & piano (or orchestra) (“Gypsy Airs”), Op. 20
Composed by Pablo de Sarasate
with Arthur Grumiaux, Istvan Hajdu

# Pièces de Clavecin for harpsichord, Op 1, Suite No 1 Allegro
Composed by Joseph-Hector Fiocco
with Arthur Grumiaux, Istvan Hajdu

# Andaluza (Playera), various guitar & other non-piano arrangements (No.5 of “Spanish Dances (12)”)
Composed by Enrique Granados
with Arthur Grumiaux, Istvan Hajdu

# España, album leaves (6) for piano, Op. 165, B. 37 2. Tango
Composed by Isaac Albeniz
with Arthur Grumiaux, Istvan Hajdu

# Symphonie espagnole, for violin and orchestra in D minor, Op. 21 I. Allegro non troppo
Composed by Edouard Lalo
Performed by Lamoureux Concert Association Orchestra
with Arthur Grumiaux
Conducted by Jean Fournet

# Symphonie espagnole, for violin and orchestra in D minor, Op. 21 II. Scherzando (Allegro molto)
Composed by Edouard Lalo
Performed by Lamoureux Concert Association Orchestra
with Arthur Grumiaux
Conducted by Jean Fournet

# Symphonie espagnole, for violin and orchestra in D minor, Op. 21 IV. Andante
Composed by Edouard Lalo
Performed by Lamoureux Concert Association Orchestra
with Arthur Grumiaux
Conducted by Jean Fournet

# Symphonie espagnole, for violin and orchestra in D minor, Op. 21 V. Rondo: Allegro
Composed by Edouard Lalo
Performed by Lamoureux Concert Association Orchestra
with Arthur Grumiaux
Conducted by Jean Fournet

# Poème, for violin & orchestra, Op. 25
Composed by Ernest Chausson
Performed by Lamoureux Concert Association Orchestra
with Arthur Grumiaux
Conducted by Jean Fournet

# Tzigane, rhapsodie de concert, for violin & piano (or orchestra)
Composed by Maurice Ravel
Performed by Lamoureux Concert Association Orchestra
with Arthur Grumiaux
Conducted by Jean Fournet

# Introduction and Rondo Capriccioso, for violin & orchestra in A minor, Op. 28
Composed by Camille Saint-Saens
Performed by Lamoureux Concert Association Orchestra
with Arthur Grumiaux
Conducted by Jean Fournet

# Havanaise, in E major for violin & piano (or orchestra), Op. 83
Composed by Camille Saint-Saens
Performed by Lamoureux Concert Association Orchestra
with Arthur Grumiaux
Conducted by Jean Fournet

# Violin Concerto in E minor, Op. 64
Composed by Felix Mendelssohn
Performed by Vienna Symphony Orchestra
with Arthur Grumiaux
Conducted by Rudolf Moralt

# Violin Concerto No.4 in D minor, MS 60
Composed by Niccolo Paganini
Performed by Lamoureux Concert Association Orchestra
with Arthur Grumiaux
Conducted by Franco Gallini

# I palpiti, introduction & variations on “Di tanti palpiti” from Rossini’s “Tancredi,” for violin & orchestra, Op 13, MS 77
Composed by Niccolo Paganini
with Arthur Grumiaux, Riccardo Castagnone

# Le streghe, variations for violin & orchestra in E flat major, Op. 8, MS 19
Composed by Niccolo Paganini
with Arthur Grumiaux, Riccardo Castagnone

Brilliant Recordings Rescued From The Vaults

Now that Decca, Philips and Deutsche Grammophon, among others, are all part of Universal, we have seen some interesting things happen, and not all of them bad. What I’m referring to in this case is the new “Original Masters” Limited Edition Box Set series. Finally, the classical music world has taken a page out of the jazz reissue handbook — put out a quality product featuring rare recordings but make its availability limited, and people will snatch it up. In the “Original Masters” series, first DG and now Decca/Philips have each reissued five box sets, of 4 to 7 CDs each, in distinguished, space-saving slim paper boxes, though the style of packaging is different. The DG sets feature 50s style graphics design on their covers, while the Decca/Philips ones have a distinctive rainbow/spectrum pattern on the spines and banners, and a black-and-white photo of the artist in question on the face of the box.

This particular set features the historical Philips recordings of the great violinist Arthur Grumiaux from 1953-62. As the track information is non-existent above, I will try to be of assistance. The first two discs contain the complete Mozart Violin Concertos, including K271i which is now regarded as doubtful (to be composed by Mozart), with Bernhard Paumgartner and the Vienna Symphony Orchestra (VSO) from 1953-55. It is wonderful to compare these performances to Grumiaux’s stereo Mozart VC Cycle on Philips with Colin Davis (see my review). Disc three is all works for violin and piano (with pianist Istvan Hajdu) — Debussy, Ravel and Faure (No. 1) Sonatas, Ravel’s Piece en Forme de Habanera, Faure’s Les Berceaux, Saraste’s Zigeunerweisen, Fiocco’s Allegro, Granados’ Andaluza, and Albeniz’s Tango (all from 1962). Disc four features shorter works for violin and orchestra — Lalo’s Symphonie Espagnole, Chausson’s Poeme, Ravel’s Tzigane, Saint-Saens’ Introduction and Rondo Capriccioso, and Havanaise. All are with Jean Fournet conducting the Orchestre des Concerts Lamoureux (OCL) from 1954, except the Capriccioso which is 1956. Lastly, CD Five returns to concertos with the Mendelssohn (Rudolf Moralt/VSO, 1954) and Paganini No. 4 (Franco Gallini/OCL, 1954), and concludes with Paganini’s I Palpiti and Le Streghe with pianist Riccardo Castagnone (1958). Despite the fact that the recordings on four of the five discs are in mono (CD3 is in stereo), the first rate performances more than compensate for any audio shortcomings. Well, I guess the consolidation of the music industry isn’t so bad after all, as long as I can look forward to more reissues like this.