Reviews
«[...] this is a good example of Ricci’s sonata art, and perhaps even better is his Prokofiev [No.1], which he never did for a record label. There’s real resinous bruscodrive here and the performance is also lyrically aware, and never devitalised by complacent phrasing. [...] The peach here is the Saint-Saëns Sonata No.1 because he never otherwise recorded it. It’s not at all Gallic, so forget the shades of Thibaud or Merckel and enjoy instead a combustible and lively reading. Ravel’s Tzigane is powerfully projected. [...] Heard in 24bit 96kHz mastering, this whole series is dedicated to and realized under the auspices of Ricci’s wife Julia and the tapes have been excellently restored by Emilio Pessina. Full track listings can be found in the most attractively produced booklet, which has a fine selection of images of Ricci.» EN
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6 Feb 2019 | Jonathan Woolf | Music Web International | Ruggiero Ricci Centenary Edition -3- showpieces
«Rhine Classics is back in business with a tranche of new releases of which the majority concentrate on the explosive art of Ruggiero Ricci. There are two 4-CD sets devoted to showpieces and to sonatas and a 6-CD set to concertos. [...] The final recital comes from November 1986, in the Teatro Comunale, Monfalcone. It was recorded by Emilio Pessina in situ on tape with Ricci’s permission. This consists of one of Ricci’s great set-pieces, a complete recital of Paganini’s Caprices in an ordering of his devising. [...] This lovingly compiled release has been very well engineered, from disparate source material, and features an attractive, photograph-laden booklet. The 24bit 96 kHz remastering sounds excellent. This is a boon for Ricci collectors.» EN
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31 Jan 2019 | Jonathan Woolf | Music Web International | Ruggiero Ricci Centenary Edition -1- concertos
«Sporting six CDs this is the largest of the three sets celebrating the centenary of the birth of Ruggiero Ricci. The recordings preserve tuning up and applause and have been remastered in 24bit 96kHz to provide over seven hours of listening charting the violinist between the years 1951 and 1978. Most of the concerto performances are captured live whilst some others are heard in studio readings. Two concertos are heard in duplicate performances; the Brahms and Paganini’s D major, No.1.[...] All three boxes have attractive booklets with full recording details and attractively reproduced photographs. Emilio Pessina’s mastering is first class once again. These three sets, available separately, are a worthy and significant addition to Ricci’s discography.» EN
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15 Jan 2019 | Luca Ciammarughi | Radio Classica broadcast | Pietro Scarpini Edition - Mozart
«Ora in onda. Grazie al produttore Emilio Pessina per il restauro e l’editing di questi preziosi documenti! Al “Pianista” oggi ci dedichiamo a un grande interprete storico, Pietro Scarpini, finalmente pienamente valorizzato grazie alla riscoperta e il restauro di sue interpretazioni da parte dell’etichetta Rhine Classics.» IT
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14 Jan 2019 | Victor Eskenasy | Suplimentul de Cultura No.629 | Revelations at the beginning of the year - Pietro Scarpini Edition: (Re) Discoveries
«In a volume of memoirs that was also translated in Romania, but in an edition with a limited circulation, Romanian-Italian composer Roman Vlad evokes the figure of a great and original italian pianist, known mostly by professionals and music lovers from the piano world. He is Pietro Scarpini (Rome, 1911 - Florence, 1997). If I talk about him, is because of the appearance at the end of last year of an excellent edition of his recordings, two sets of eight (6+2) CDs under the aegis of Rhine Classics (RH-007 and RH-014), remastered and presented by a our good friend, Emilio Pessina.» RO
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Favourite releases of 2018 | 1 Jan. 2019 | Mark Ainley | THE PIANO FILES | Pietro Scarpini Edition - Busoni & Liszt - Mozart
«A wonderful end-of-year release from Rhine Classics includes two fantastic sets devoted to the Italian pianist Pietro Scarpini. A wonderful pianist not well represented on records, Scarpini was an elusive figure who played with marvellous tonal colours and disarming directness. One six-disc set focuses on works by Busoni & Liszt (including a stupendous Busoni Piano Concerto in glorious sound) while another two-disc set features his Mozart: glowing, sumptuous, forthright playing of two piano concertos and some solo works.» EN
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Le disque du jour | 30 Dec 2018 | Jean-Charles Hoffelé | ARTAMAG' - Focus | Pietro Scarpini Edition - Busoni & Liszt - Mozart
«Récemment, j’appelais de mes vœux une édition de bandes de concerts de Pietro Scarpini, génie du piano trop peu illustré au disque et ignoré des grands éditeurs. Le hasard fait bien les choses parfois, me voici rapidement comblé. Rhine Classics regroupe dans un premier album tout son legs Busoni ajoutant au Concerto avec Kubelik, la divulgation des Sonatines (dont celle sur Carmen, irrésistible), trois Elégies, le Journal indien et deux opus avec orchestre, le rare Romanza e Scherzoso (Abbado dirige !) et la plus courue Fantaisie indienne. La virtuosité transcendante de Scarpini ressuscite celle de Busoni, mais son intellect brillant rend ces pages absolument modernes. [...] Personne ne s’étonnera que cette défense de la modernité s’étende aux deux ultimes disques de ce premier coffret, dédiés à des opus rares de Liszt ! [...] Lecture imparable, indispensable. [...] Mais il ne faudrait pas que cet ensemble saisissant vous détourne du mince étui Mozart qui l’accompagne : deux disques seulement, mais bluffant par l’engagement physique, la hauteur de vue, la perfection pianistique, l’exigence stylistique et simplement la personnalité. [...] L’éditeur annonce pour janvier un troisième volume: 12 CD. Je suis certain que 2019 va bien commencer.» FR
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5 stars | 26 Dec 2018 | Gary Lemco | Audiophile Audition | Sergio Fiorentino - live in Taiwan
«Taken from the private collection of Italian master-pianist Sergio Fiorentino, this restored recital from Taiwan’s Novel Hall (29 May 1998) captures the artist at the peak of his form in splendid sound, courtesy of Emilio Pessina. The resonance of Fiorentino’s Steinway proves stunning, especially profound in the Scriabin Sonata, whose liquid appeal to the senses mesmerizes and dazzles in its erotic figurations. But to single out any of the individual works provides an immediate disproportion to the holistic nature of the recital, whose emotional canvas vibrates on an equal plane with the intellectual, aesthetic and dramatic context that unfolds only months before Fiorentino’s untimely death.» EN
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Les Clefs d'or 2017 | 11 Dec 2017 | Maciej Chizynski | ResMusica | Aldo Ferraresi - complete recordings
«Si Aldo Ferraresi est de nos jours méconnu, il fut jadis considéré comme l’un des grands musiciens de son époque. Aujourd’hui, son héritage discographique nous est offert par un label nouvellement créé, Rhine Classics, dans le cadre de la série « L’Art du violon.» FR
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Recording of the Year 2017 | Music Web International | Dec 2017 | Wanda Luzzato
1st nomination (p.13): « The metaphor about the two buses definitely applies here. Until this year I'd never heard of the violinist Wanda Luzzato, probably because she never made any commercial recordings. Then, in the space of two months, two sets of live airings come along, a double CD set and this more substantial 8 CD box from Rhine Classics. For violin aficionados like myself, this is a rare treat. »
2nd nomination (p.27): « Rhine Classics is a label devoted to rare and historic material and has made an excellent start to what looks like being a splendid stable of recordings. Wanda Luzzato is the subject of an 8-CD box made all the more valuable because the pupil of the great pedagogue Hubay never made a single studio recording. This lovingly presented box provides irrefutable of her status as one of Italy’s greatest string players. » EN
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5 stars | Sep-Oct 2017 | Riccardo Pini | ARCHI magazine No.67 (p.90-91) | Aldo Ferraresi
« Dal felice incontro d'intenti tra Gianluca La Villa, uno dei massimi competenti italiani di storia del violino e dei violinisti e l'etichetta Rhine Classics ed Emilio Pessina, autentico artista del remastering di preziosi documenti sonori altrimenti compromessi dalle ingiurie del tempo, è stato di recente presentato il primo di una serie di cofanetti [...] Questa meritoria raccolta nel suo numero d'esordio riunisce in 18CD tutte le incisioni esistenti del grande virtuoso italiano Aldo Ferraresi [...] capace di porsi su di una linea nient'affatto subalterna rispetto agli archetipi interpretativi definiti da colossi come Heifetz ed Oistrakh. » IT
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4**** Musica | Sep 2017 | Carlo Bellora | Musica No.289 (p.100-103) | Wanda Luzzato
« Questo splendido cofanetto si apre con una delle migliori interpretazioni di Wanda Luzzato, il "Concerto per violino" di Ciaikovski, suonato con l'Orchestra della RAI di Milano diretta da Efrem Kurtz il 25 marzo 1960. [...] Violinista dal suono possente, con le rotondità del suo splendido Guadagnini. [...] Tra tutte queste splendide incisioni svettano i "3 Canti" di Pizzetti, ma soprattutto "La Fontaine di Arethuse" (di Szymanowski) che dà modo alla violinista di far emergere il prorompente violinismo trascendentale, che si coniuga ad una sensibilissima musicalità [...] » IT
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4 Diapason | Sep 2017 | Jean-Michel Molkhou | Diapason No.661 (p.130-131) | Wanda Luzzato
« [...] Il suffit d'entendre la première phrase de la Sonate en ré mineur de Schumann pour réaliser quelle intense poésie habitait son jeu. Le sens donné aux phrasés force l'admiration, tant par la richesse de l'imagination que par cette art de faire "parler" les notes ... un peu alla Menuhin. [...] L'imposant coffret de Rhine Classics a l'avantage d'un généreux livret (pourvu d'une impressionante collection de photographies) et d'un panorama plus vaste sur l'art de cette violoniste italienne mêlant concertos, sonates et miniatures. En publiant des documents provenant de la propre collection de l'artiste, incluant des répétitions, des bandes radio et des enregistrements live, forcément disparates mais tous méticulesement restaurés, il représente une somme de travail qui, en ces temps de projets faciles ou bâclés, mérite le respect. [...] » FR
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Le disque du jour | 31 Aug 2017 | Jean-Charles Hoffelé | ARTAMAG' - Focus | Wanda Luzzato, une oublieé du disque
«25 mars 1960, Efrem Kurtz enflamme dans la Grande Salle du Conservatoire Giuseppe Verdi l’Orchestre Symphonique de la RAI de Milan pour un des plus somptueux Concerto pour violon de Tchaikovski qu’il m’ait été donné d’entendre. [...] Rhine Classics regroupe ici tous les gravures réalisées pour la RAI. [...] Tout l’album est à thésauriser, jusqu’aux précieux disques qui reproduisent ses sessions de travail, jusqu’aux ultimes enregistrements en janvier 1979. Emilio Pessina, qui a fait avec ce premier volume une vraie œuvre d’art – l’iconographie est aussi abondante que le texte de notice passionnant – nous doit un second volume d’autres radios conservent des merveilles : le Concerto de Glazounov, la 7e Sonate de Beethoven à Paris avec André Collard, les archives de Bâle (Troisième Sonate de Grieg) veulent être révélés.» FR
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Aug 2017 | email from our customer:
Dear all,
regarding the future releases I would like that the recordings of the concerts given by Jascha Heifetz in the framework of the Bell Telephone Hour will be restored in high definitition, in particular the virtuosity pieces. Besides Mr Heifetz has interpreted in his youth some famous masterpieces but I do not know if these interpretations have been recorded. For example "The Palpiti", "Nel cor più non mi sento" of Paganini or the "Variations on an original theme" of Wieniawski.
I would like if such records exist and are available they will be restored by Mr. Pessina.
Thanks. Best regards. J.-J. Leandri
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5 Diapason | Jul 2017 | Jean-Michel Molkhou | Diapason No.659 (p.124) | Jascha Heifetz - The legendary Los Angeles Concerts
«La Révélation de témoignages inédits de Jascha Heifetz est toujours un événement. Les deux concertos ont été captés (live) à une époque où le violoniste, qui s'était installé en Californie, régnait encore quasiment sans partage sur le monde du violon américain. [...] Heifetz se livre à une démonstration d'anthologie, apparaissant là au sommet absolu de son art, et peut-être même de l'art de jouer du violon. Deux documents plus anciens (1950), dont une fantastique Habanera de Sarasate qui n'avait guère circulé que sur un rarissime microsillon du label Penzance, complètent ce double album agrémenté de superbes photos.» FR
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5 stars | 9 Jul 2017 | Gary Lemco | Audiophile Audition | Jascha Heifetz
«Jascha Heifetz performances previously unreleased emerge on a new, important label in excellent sound. The live broadcasts offered here through the efforts of Producer and Audio Restoration Engineer Emilio Pessina derive from radio master and unreleased reel-to-reel audio tapes from both the Hollywood Bowl (1 September 1963) and the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion (6 December 1964). Pessina has maintained the audience response, and so the sheer level of excitement remains undeniable, especially after the Brahms Double Concerto with Piatigorsky and Bernstein. This Rhine Classics label promises to rank high in the pantheon of historic reissues.» EN
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Jul 2017 | Jonathan Woolf | Music Web International | Alfonso Mosesti - Violin Concertos by Sinigaglia & Illersberg
«Despite the rarity of the repertoire, Rhine Classics has promoted its latest release under the name of the soloist in both works, Alfonso Mosesti, in its ‘The Golden Age of Concertmasters’ marque. [...] This brace of Italian concertos preserves much that is lyric and generous-minded. If you have an affinity with the composers cited in the review and are not allergic to historic recordings, then you will enjoy exploring these barely-heard scores, and find much pleasure in doing so. [...] The restoration by Emilio Pessina is excellent.» EN
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Jun 2017 | Jonathan Woolf | Music Web International | Jascha Heifetz
«This is a valuable addition to the discography. - The Los Angeles concerts of 1963-1964 were given at the Hollywood Bowl, in which Heifetz and Piatigorsky played the Brahms Double with Leonard Bernstein, and at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion where the violinist essayed the Beethoven with Zubin Mehta. Neither concert has apparently been issued before. There are two bonus tracks, previously released, that come from the Bell Telephone Hour with Donald Voorhees conducting in Radio City, New York in February 1950. The Dvořák is tightly coiled, cloaked and hooded, full of inimitable tonal splendour and not remotely relaxed, whilst the Sarasate Habanera is suave and bewitching. Cembal d’amour once issued this (CD-113) but their transfer is cloudy and palpably inferior to this one.» EN
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12 Jun 2017 | Victor Eskenasy | Suplimentul de Cultura No.569
Wanda Luzzato | "A precocious talent, becoming a great accomplished artist"
«Not long ago, opening the second set of discs of the collection "The Art violin", published for label Rhine Classics (RH-002) by two great enthusiasts of violin in Italy, Gianluca La Villa and Emilio Pessina, I had the surprise to discover George Enescu and his signature in two photos of the booklet. The set is dedicated to the violonist, today almost forgotten, WANDA LUZZATO, according to the subtitle - which takes her professor's statement - "Jenö Hubay's most talented pupil after [Franz von] Vecsey." The eight CDs bring out for the first time the "unpublished recordings 1955-1979", remastered by Emilio Pessina in 24bit/96Khz.» RO
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Jun 2017 | Jonathan Woolf | Music Web International | Wanda Luzzato
«Bravo to all concerned for this loving, extensive and rewarding box. - A second release to be devoted to the art of Italian violinist Wanda Luzzato and it appears as an 8-CD box in the second volume of Rhine Classics’s exciting new "The Art of Violin" series. This outstanding box comes with a particularly, indeed conspicuously excellent 32-page booklet, with commentary by Gianluca La Villa. The tapes existed in various states [...] with restoration process completed by the remastering of Emilio Pessina.» EN
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Jun. 2017 | Trinax Chou | AudioArt Vol.345 | Wanda Luzzato
«This is my top recommended historical recording in this year. - In my opinion, “historical recording” not only should present the playing style for the specific era, but also should find the best artist and best playing from that era. Wish more musical lovers can understand the efforts of Rhine Classics from this Luzzato’s box set. If you like this Luzzato’s set, the other publications from Rhine Classics (Aldo Ferraresi, Alfonso Mosesti, Jascha Heifetz) will also make you surprised. Rare recordings, fantastic artists, interesting works, all of my concerning points for “historical recordings” are fulfilled in Rhine Classics’ CDs.» TP
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Récompense: Les Clefs du mois | 25 May 2017 | Maciej Chizynski | ResMusica | À emporter, CD | Aldo Ferraresi, maitre oublié du violon
«Si Aldo Ferraresi est de nos jours méconnu, il fut jadis considéré comme l’un des grands musiciens de son époque. Son héritage discographique nous est offert par un label nouvellement créé, Rhine Classics, dans le cadre de la série "L’Art du violon". C’est celle-ci, ainsi qu’une légèreté d’archet extraordinaire, qui planent sur les interprétations du violoniste: Ferraresi fait chanter son instrument comme peu d’autres. C’est pourquoi, d’ailleurs, on l’appelle le "Gigli du violon", comparant ainsi son art à celui de Beniamino Gigli, qui possédait une des plus belles voix jamais entendues, avec une maîtrise totale du style et de la technique belcantistes.» FR
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Recording of the Month | May 2017 | Stephen Greenbank | Music Web International | Wanda Luzzato
«Valuable recorded documents from the Wanda Luzzato Archive. - I would encourage all violin afficionados to explore this compelling collection. I’m most impressed by Rhine Classics presentation. Everything about this production spells quality. [...] Luzzato commands a formidable technique. Her tone is sweet and pure and comes over as silvery in some recordings. Her vibrato is on the fast side, and her coloristic range isn’t as varied as the likes of say Menuhin, Heifetz or Perlman. Intonation is for the most part pristine. She seems to be greatly influenced by Heifetz in her use of expressive slides and position changes. Emilio Pessina's expert restorations and remasterings are to be commended.» EN
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May 2017 | Stephen Greenbank | Music Web International | Jascha Heifetz - The Legendary Los Angeles Concerts
«Valuable additions to the Heifetz discography using a high quality remastering process. - These audio documents have been expertly restored and emerge warmly defined and vibrant, having been given a new lease of life by Emilio Pessina. I’m pleased that the soloist’s pre-performance tuning and applause has been retained, as this creates some of the atmosphere of the live event. There is an added bonus in the form of some beautifully produced black and white photographs of the musicians, including several I have never seen before.» EN
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May 2017 | Stephen Greenbank | Music Web International | Sinigaglia & Illersberg, Violin Concertos
«The value of this release lies in the rarity of these captivating scores, performed by a violinist with a close affinity to both. - This interesting release focuses on the Italian violinist Alfonso Mosesti (b.1924). The recordings have scrubbed up well for their age and provenance thanks to the expert remastering of Emilio Pessina. The documentation is second-to-none, written by Gianluca La Villa, who sets the music in some sort of historical context. The beautifully reproduced black and white photographs are the icing on the cake.» EN
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Jan 2017 | Jonathan Woolf | Music Web International | ALDO FERRARESI
«This new box does Ferraresi’s memory proud. - A splendid and attractive conventional box. There is a 32-page booklet in which one can find full discographic information, an excellent biographical portrait and some splendidly reproduced photographs. A further piece of good news is that advances in restoration have taken place so that the tapes and LP transfers sound better now, in a number of cases, than in their first appearance [...] the recorded sound varies [...] but Emilio Pessina has done a fine job on all these matters. Ferraresi was a rather fascinating character and these performances, invariably show spontaneity and excitement. Full marks to all concerned for revisiting and enlarging and improving the already substantial earlier edition.» EN
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16 Jan 2017 | Victor Eskenasy | Suplimentul de Cultura No.550
Italian musical heritage: Aldo Ferraresi | Talking with Emilio Pessina (part I)
23 Jan 2017 | Victor Eskenasy | Suplimentul de Cultura No.551
Italian musical heritage: Aldo Ferraresi | Talking with Emilio Pessina (part II)
«An admirable set of 18 CD, published by label Rhine Classics. - The box, that puts together ALDO FERRARESI 's 1929-1973 recordings, is the first from a very promising series named "The Art of Violin". Born in 1902, Ferraresi, recommended to Ysaye [...] made further an admirable carrier, especially in Italy, playing under great conductors, not the last Celibidache. An American critic wrote that there are many tapes with Ferraresi, and he urged to be published. Today is done, result of the collaboration between professionist of the violin, Gianluca La Villa and audio restoration engineer and producer Emilio Pessina, that gave us an exclusive interview.» RO
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Nov 2016 | Jean-Michel Molkhou | critique musical pour Diapason
«Aldo Ferraresi - Un splendide coffret qui répare une injustice de l'histoire. Belle présentation, renseignements discographiques précis, nombreuses photographies, biographie détaillée. Je vais écouter cela avec la plus grande attention. Bravo.» FR
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Nov 2016 | Cheniston K. Roland | violin historian
«Magnificent Aldo Ferraresi box set. What can I say the set is a masterpiece, beautifully presented and a real work of art. I was delighted. Let me once again thank you for your magnum opus, the Ferraresi Box, which I shall treasure and am proud to add to my collection. Your grateful friend.» EN