Reviews | PORTFOLIO 2024-2025

#14/2025 (USA)

Jan/Feb 2026 | Henry Fogel | FANFARE Magazine - Issue 49:3 | Aaron Rosand: In Memoriam

Aaron Rosand (1927–2019) was an extraordinary American violinist who never achieved the stature his talent merited. He studied at Curtis with Efrem Zimbalist and later himself became an important teacher there. He made some heralded recordings for Vox, and his concert performances were almost invariably reviewed enthusiastically, but superstardom eluded him. In Fanfare 9:2 Roger Dettmer wrote, “Rosand’s less-than-sensational career in this country defies any reasonable explanation,” and I can only agree.

It is widely believed in musical circles that Isaac Stern, an enormously powerful figure, held Rosand back, allegedly because Rosand resisted Stern’s advice on career management, or perhaps out of jealousy because Columbia Records proposed to give the Barber Violin Concerto under Bernstein to Rosand. Stern wanted the Barber for himself (he got it, too). The broadest reason given was that Stern didn’t want competition from a Jewish-American violinist of the same generation. (Stern later strongly promoted the careers of Itzhak Perlman and Pinchas Zukerman, but they were over 25 years younger, and he was a firmly established superstar by that time.) Some details of these stories are given in Gary Lemco’s excellent notes in this set. Whatever the truth might be (I believe the reports to be accurate, based on knowing various personalities involved), this set is a magnificent tribute to Rosand.

Rhine Classics is a Taiwan-based company (website: rhineclassics.com) that specializes in issuing live performances of important artists who have not been fully represented by the major labels. Rhine’s sets featuring Ivry Gitlis, Pietro Scarpini, and Berl Senofsky are wonderful examples of their work. They also supplement major labels’ studio recordings of celebrated performers with live performance releases. Their Heifetz live performance volumes are absolute treasures. The restorations are consistently of very high quality.

This collection includes recitals from Butler University, NHK Hall in Tokyo, and Pacific University in California along with orchestral concerts with the Minnesota Orchestra, RAI Symphony Orchestra of Rome, NHK Symphony Orchestra, and the Gelderland Orchestra in the Netherlands. Throughout, Rosand’s spot-on intonation, beautiful, rich tone, and Romantic temperament are on full display. Rosand applied a wider range of vibrato than most, varying the degree and speed depending on the musical context of a given passage, and his liberal use of portamento was something of a throwback. Never, in my experience, did these gestures veer into excess or tastelessness. Rosand found the right balance between interpretive freedom and spontaneity on the one hand and elegance on the other.

Rhine’s sources, while varied, provide a warmer, more spacious sound stage than many of Rosand’s studio recordings, and the gorgeous tone of his “ex-Kochanski” Guarnieri del Gesù is reproduced beautifully.

Although I can’t claim a thorough knowledge of Rosand’s discography, I am fairly certain that he made no recordings of two major works in this collection, the Violin Concertos No. 2 by Prokofiev and Wieniawski. They alone make this a significant release. Moreover, some of the works Rosand recorded in the studio make a stronger impact in these live performances, which are frequently more naturally balanced than their studio equivalents, where engineers sometimes favored the soloist unrealistically.

Rosand’s playing here is so spectacularly beautiful, spontaneously communicative, and technically secure that it is hard to pick out favorite moments from the five hours of music. Surely the Prokofiev Concerto No. 2 has rarely received a performance that so ideally combines rhythmic tautness and lyrical expansiveness. Rosand milks all the beauty possible out of the slow movement, but he and conductor Peter Maag never let the line sag.

Norwegian pianist Geir Henning Braaten became a frequent partner of Rosand after illness forced his first wife, Eileen Flissler, to cease playing. Braaten is the accompanist in a 1983 Tokyo recital that comprises the third disc in the set. He generally matches Rosand’s flair, though in Beethoven’s “Kreutzer” Sonata I find his playing a little bangy. Braaten has the virtuosity to keep up with Rosand in showpieces like Heifetz’s transcription of Khachaturian’s “Sabre Dance.” In the 2001 California recital, when Rosand was 74, the pianist is Gerald Robbins, who does a good job substituting for the orchestra in the violin-piano version of Bruch’s Scottish Fantasy; he also has the technique to match Rosand’s virtuosity. Their rendering of Ravel’s Tzigane is mesmerizing.

Rosand’s Bach may well upset HIP purists, with its greater degree of vibrato and more flexible tempos than was the norm even in his day, but I cannot think of a more powerful and absorbing performance of the Chaconne in D Minor from Partita No. 2 than the one given here.

There is no need to go on and repeat myself. I will only add that if Rosand’s account of Vieuxtemps’s Souvenir d’Amèrique on “Yankee Doodle” fails to bring a smile and a sense of astonishment at his technical brilliance, you might want to check for a pulse.

One final point: Rhine only identifies only some of these recordings as stereo, but in fact they all are. This is a set of huge importance to all who love great violin playing. It is urgently recommended. 

This article originally appeared in Issue 49:3 (Jan/Feb 2026) of Fanfare Magazine.

17 August 2025 | Jean-Charles Hoffelé | ARTAMAG' - Focus - Le disque du jour | RARETÉS KREISLER

Fritz Kreisler pianiste ? Ceux qui savent ne seront pas surpris, le piano était son violon d’Ingres !, et il en usait d’abord pour accompagner ses amis chanteurs, source constante d’inspiration pour le cantabile de son archet.

Ampico lui demanda des arrangements de ses « bibelots » pour le seul piano, bien plus que de simples commentaires des accompagnements originaux, afin qu’il les gravât sur rouleaux, vecteur idéal pour entrer dans les foyers américains de la middle class, et par effet immédiat d’accroître les ventes de ses partitions.

Les rouleaux existants sont devenus rares, matériel assemblé au mieux ici par Emilio Pessina d’après les documents prêtés par Urs Joseph Flury, mais c’est merveille d’entendre le style si vif, le clavier entre piment et sucre que Kreisler anime avec tant de dextérité et d’humour, trois quarts d’heure de pur plaisir dans un son fatalement excellent pour des enregistrements des années vingt captés en stéréophonie sur un beau piano hélas non mentionné ! Ecoutez l’espagnolade de l’Entr’acte, ce charme ! C’est faire Kreisler présent dans la pièce pour mieux nous enchanter.

Rhine Classics ajoute l’écho d’un concert pour la Maison Blanche, retransmis depuis le studio de la NBC en 1940, avec présentation du speaker et quelques mots du violoniste. A la fin, quelques souvenirs en forme d’anecdotes et hommages mêlés, dit par Franklin Delano Roosevelt lui-même. L’archet n’est plus si parfait, mais le style est demeuré toujours aussi impeccable.

Livret passionnant, assorti d’une belle iconographie, comme toujours chez cet éditeur.

Fritz Kreisler, pianist? Those who know will not be surprised, the piano was his hobby!, and he used it first to accompany his singer friends, a constant source of inspiration for the cantabile of his bow.

Ampico asked him for arrangements of his "trinkets" for the piano alone, much more than simple commentaries on the original accompaniments, so that he could engrave them on rolls, an ideal vehicle for entering middle-class American homes and, as an immediate effect, increasing sales of his scores.

The existing rolls have become rare, the material assembled here as best as possible by Emilio Pessina from documents lent by Urs Joseph Flury. But it's a marvel to hear the lively style, the keyboard between spice and sugar that Kreisler brings to life with such dexterity and humor, three-quarters of an hour of pure pleasure in a sound that is inevitably excellent for recordings from the 1920s, captured in stereo on a beautiful piano that, sadly, isn't mentioned! Listen to the Spanish dance of the Entr'acte, what charm! It's making Kreisler present in the play to better enchant us.

Rhine Classics adds the echo of a White House concert, broadcast from the NBC studio in 1940, with an introduction by the announcer and a few words from the violinist. At the end, a few memories in the form of anecdotes and tributes, spoken by Franklin Delano Roosevelt himself. The bow is no longer as perfect, but the style remains as impeccable as ever.

A fascinating booklet, accompanied by beautiful illustrations, as always with this publisher. [JCH]

     

July 2025 | Christoph Schlüren | FONO FORUM - 07/25 p.66 | Rhine Classics' Historical Anthologies "Rediscoveries by Christine Walevska, Sergio Fiorentino, Aaron Rosand, Berl Senofsky, Cornelia Vasile, Erick Friedman and Fritz Kreisler."

Northern Italian Emilio Pessina is not only one of the best experts on historical recordings, but also the most successful treasure hunter and most brilliant remastering producer in this field, which has long been so neglected by current EU law. As artistic director of the Taiwanese label Rhine Classics, he has blessed us – circumventing EU copyright sanctions – with musically valuable anthologies by the outstanding violinists Aldo Ferraresi, Franco Gulli, Christian Ferras, Gabriella Lengyel, Wanda Luzzato, Ruggiero Ricci, Jean Ter-Merguerian, and Ivry Gitlis, the pianists Pietro Scarpini and Sergio Fiorentino (1927-98), and others, containing much that was never before accessible. 

Another Sergio Fiorentino box set has now been released, making all the albums on the Saga label (recorded 1958-60) available on CD for the first time. They have been compiled and presented by Ernst Lumpe, the leading expert on the subject and late patron of the long-forgotten pianist. Hailed by his colleague Michelangeli as "the only other pianist", Fiorentino once again, despite all the blows of fate, proves himself to be one of the most gifted pianists of the last century, brimming with musicality, with a perfectly cultivated sound and, in the most natural way and without any gimmicks, a first-class virtuoso. In addition to piano concertos by Beethoven (No. 5), Schumann, Liszt (No. 1), Tchaikovsky (No. 1) and Gershwin, he played works by, among others, all of Chopin's nocturnes, preludes and 19 waltzes, Schumann's Carnaval and a whole lot of Liszt, all with timeless classical magic and unsurpassed vitality.

For the first time, Pessina has brought a cello legend into the spotlight: the wildly romantic Christine Walevska (born 1945), a master student of the great Ennio Bolognini. I previously knew her from her Philips recordings with Eliahu Inbal from Monte Carlo in 1972/73: the two concertos and the suite by Saint-Saëns (the hypervirtuosic Second Concerto sets the standard), as well as the great concertos by Prokofiev and Khachaturian. Here, she sweeps us off our feet, brilliantly and without arbitrariness, live with maximum risk-taking, in three cello suites by Bach (young cellists may take the verve and poetry of the D minor Suite as a model), and in sonatas by Chopin, Brahms, Debussy, Prokofiev, and Pierre Sancan, Beethoven's Triple Concerto, Bloch's Schelomo, and the Dvořák Concerto. Her controlled, explosive spontaneity is absolutely worth hearing. A particular highlight is the Hindemith concerto with Dean Dixon, a select rarity by William Schuman's 'A Song of Orpheus,' where we encounter the eminent violinist Henri Temianka in 1964 as leader of the California Chamber Symphony. Her homages to Argentina should not be missed either: Piazzolla, Ginastera, and—three times—Bolognini.

Fritz Kreisler, surprisingly, can be heard as an exquisite pianist, performing ten of his delicacies (plus Heuberger, Krakauer, Winternitz, and Kramer), in New York cylinder recordings from 1919-27! This is a magnificent opportunity to study his authentic agogics and dynamic agility. And then, too, on the violin, in 1940 with the National Symphony Orchestra for the POTUS with La Gitana, Caprice viennois, and Schön Rosmarin – and with this irresistibly declamatory, singing playing, one cannot help but immediately grasp how unmistakably unique, timelessly youthful, and natural Kreisler captivated his audiences for half a century.

Otherwise, there are, of course, other great violinists to whom Pessina's loving dedication (in collaboration with Gary Lemco during the US excavations) is directed. The Romanian Cornelia Vasile (1948-2010), once discovered by Deutsche Grammophon and, according to Ivry Gitlis, "better than Milstein and Szeryng combined," plays Paganini's Second Violin Concerto and seven of his Caprices live with searing fire and lyrical intimacy that is a true joy. Her social decline was a tragedy. She died impoverished in Munich.

Berl Senofsky (1926-2002), a legendary mentor in Baltimore, is represented with powerful performances of sonatas by Mendelssohn, Brahms, and Strauss, as well as, in 1959, with Shirley Trepel, a Brahms double concerto that is as daring as it is poetically dialogic.

Erick Friedman (1939-2004), Heifetz's immaculately perfect and yet independent model pupil, plays sonatas by Brahms (No. 3), Grieg (No. 2), and Prokofiev (No. 1) in a perfectly balanced manner.

And then there's Aaron Rosand (1927-2019), the former master student of Efrem Zimbalist, who, even into his old age, enchanted the world with a Romantic-style violin playing that seemed to transport us back to a bygone era: his magnificent performances of Joseph Joachim's Concerto 'in the Hungarian Style,' Wieniawski's Second Concerto, and Paganini's First Concerto! He performed Prokofiev's Second Concerto with Peter Maag in 1988, fervently, as well as Handel's Sonata in G minor (measured in the 'old style') and Beethoven's Kreutzer Sonata, along with the many miniatures, including some Heifetz transcriptions.

What also emerges repeatedly from Gary Lemco's competent liner notes is the conniving role played by the powerful player Isaac Stern in thwarting the careers of many outstanding musicians. Perhaps this explains a lot?

30 March 2025 | Jean-Charles Hoffelé | ARTAMAG' - Focus - Le disque du jour | LA RETROUVÉE

Au long des années soixante-dix, Christine Walevska enregistra une poignée de microsillons qui révélaient un sacré tempérament. Je n’ai pas oublié ses Concertos de Saint-Saëns d’une folle virtuosité sous la baguette d’Eliahu Inbal, comme exalté par cette pure énergie qui emportera également un admirable Concerto de Schumann. Philips tenait là l’un des archets majeurs de sa génération, et toutes ses gravures pour le label néerlandais ont été récemment réunies dans un beau petit coffret pour le marché japonais.

Emilio Pessina a eu accès aux archives privées de la violoncelliste : le report de deux rares microsillons (« Concerto de violoncello » paru sous l’étiquette brésilienne Sodira, le LP édité à compte d’auteur « The Artistry of Christine Walevska ») mais surtout quantité de captations en concert qui montrent l’étendue de son répertoire, de Bach à Jean Françaix, illustrant la part chambriste que Philips avait ignorée, préférant mettre l’accent sur la virtuose plutôt que sur la musicienne.

Trois Suites de Bach, les Sonates de Chopin et de Prokofiev, la Première Sonate de Brahms, celle de Debussy, soulignent à quel point cet archet « parlait les notes » ; une rareté absolue, la Sonate de Pierre Sancan, rappelle sa gourmandise côté répertoires, aussi dans le domaine baroque – ses Vivaldi chez Philips l’indiquaient déjà, ici, hors Bach ces Concerts de Couperin relu en une seule suite par Bazelaire.

Les ajouts côté concerto sont tout aussi précieux : le Dvořák fut son cheval de bataille, outil idéal pour démontrer sa grande technique mais aussi à quel point le son de ce violoncelle portait : deux mouvements seulement à Bruxelles pour André Vandernoot, mais à Paris, en 1976, sous le geste impérieux de Carlos Païta, toute l’œuvre emportée par ce lyrisme inextinguible qu’au disque Sir Alexander Gibson avait déjà goûté.

Le Concerto d’Hindemith, littéralement transfiguré par un archet si autoritaire, et si splendidement conduit par Dean Dixon, à Francfort en 1967, deux ans plus tard le Schelomo d’Hambourg où Hans Schmidt-Isserstedt hausse l’œuvre à une dimension quasi philosophique – la gravure de studio avec Eliahu inbal était aussi superbe – et enfin A Song of Orpheus de William Schuman, donné sous la baguette d’Henri Temianka à Los Angeles en création pour la côte Ouest des Etats-Unis, qui rappelle sa dévotion aux compositeurs de son pays natal, complètent à coup d’inédits ce portrait parfait d’une interprète majeure, enfin retrouvée.

Throughout the 1970s, Christine Walevska recorded a handful of LPs that revealed a truly remarkable temperament. I haven't forgotten her breathtakingly virtuosic Saint-Saëns Concertos under the baton of Eliahu Inbal, as if exalted by that pure energy that also propelled her to an admirable Schumann Concerto. Philips had one of the leading violinists of her generation, and all her recordings for the Dutch label have recently been collected in a beautiful little box set for the Japanese market.

Emilio Pessina gained access to the cellist's private archives: the remastering of two rare LPs ("Concerto de violoncello," released on the Brazilian label Sodira, and the self-released LP "The Artistry of Christine Walevska"), but above all, a wealth of concert recordings that demonstrate the breadth of her repertoire, from Bach to Jean Françaix, illustrating the chamber music side that Philips had overlooked, preferring to emphasize the virtuoso rather than the musician.

Three Bach Suites, the Sonatas of Chopin and Prokofiev, Brahms's First Sonata, and Debussy's Sonata underscore how this bow truly "spoke the notes"; an absolute rarity, the Sonata by Pierre Sancan, recalls her voracious appetite for repertoire, including in the Baroque realm—her Vivaldi recordings on Philips already indicated this, here, in addition to Bach, are the Couperin Concertos reinterpreted as a single suite by Bazelaire.

The additions to the concerto repertoire are equally valuable: Dvořák was his forte, an ideal tool for demonstrating his great technique but also the powerful sound of this cello: only two movements in Brussels for André Vandernoot, but in Paris, in 1976, under the commanding baton of Carlos Païta, the entire work was swept away by that inextinguishable lyricism that Sir Alexander Gibson had already experienced on record.

Hindemith's Concerto, literally transfigured by such an authoritative bow, and so splendidly conducted by Dean Dixon, in Frankfurt in 1967, two years later the Schelomo in Hamburg where Hans Schmidt-Isserstedt raises the work to an almost philosophical dimension – the studio recording with Eliahu Inbal was also superb – and finally A Song of Orpheus by William Schuman, given under the baton of Henri Temianka in Los Angeles as a premiere for the West Coast of the United States, which recalls her devotion to the composers of her native country, complete with unreleased material this perfect portrait of a major performer, finally rediscovered. [JCH]

March 2025 | Luca Ciammarughi | Il Libero Professionista - Reloaded - N°32 p.128-129 | Recensioni CD

SERGIO FIORENTINO - THE COMPLETE SAGA ALBUM COLLECTION

Quella di Sergio Fiorentino è la storia di un pianista immenso, che, a causa di un incidente aereo e forse di un eccesso di umiltà nella gestione della propria carriera, rimase a lungo estraneo ai grandi circuiti del concertismo internazionale. Ritornato nelle grandi sale negli anno Novanta, poco prima della morte avvenuta nel 1998, il musicista napoletano è sempre più oggetto di una riscoperta che ha fatto ormai di lui una vera e propria leggenda. In questo box do 10 CD Rhine Classics, derivanti da un restauro certosino dei nastri originali degli LP SAGA, ascoltiamo Fiorentino fra la fine degli anni '50 e l'inizio dei '60, al culmine del proprio virtuosismo ma già maturo per affrontare con impressionante profondità, per esempio, l'integrale dei Nocturnes di Chopin. Vastissimo il repertorio, da Beethoven al Novecento, anche con orchestra. [LC]

Sergio Fiorentino's story is that of a master pianist who, due to a plane crash and perhaps excessive humility in managing his career, remained outside the mainstream international concert circuit for a long time. Having returned to the great halls in the 1990s, shortly before his death in 1998, the Neapolitan musician is increasingly the subject of a rediscovery that has now made him a true legend. In this 10-CD Rhine Classics box set, derived from a meticulous restoration of the original SAGA LP tapes, we hear Fiorentino in the late 1950s and early 1960s, at the height of his virtuosity but already mature enough to tackle, with impressive depth, for example, the complete Chopin Nocturnes. His repertoire is vast, from Beethoven to the twentieth century, even with orchestra. [LC]

21 March 2025 | Rob Cowan | GRAMOPHONE - Vol.109 April 2025 | Box-Set / Round-Up

Much that features in Rhine Classics’ set of Sergio Fiorentino’s Saga recordings (presented in facsimiles of their original LP sleeve designs) is also of interest, although I never recall seeing the complete Chopin Nocturnes – mostly taken at a broad pace and high in dramatic incident – on LP. These transfers are in the main good, although visited on occasion with residual vinyl surface noise.
Among the concertos included is Gershwin’s F major with the LPO under conductor/jazz violinist Hugo Rignold (who in his day was rated, fiddle-wise, alongside Stéphane Grappelli, Joe Venuti and Eddie South) where a second, previously unissued stereo version offers us a slow movement with different takes. Fiorentino and Rignold certainly capture the spirit of the piece, while Fiorentino goes all out to demonstrate the virtuoso elements in Beethoven’s Emperor Concerto, Liszt’s First (said to be in mono or ‘pseudo-stereo’ but clearly in crudely engineered genuine stereo), the Schumann Concerto and the Tchaikovsky First. Generally speaking, the solo works (including Chopin’s Waltzes and Preludes and much Liszt) are the most individual, performance-wise, Chopin’s second Prelude in A minor playing for an amazingly solemn 3'48" (the more ‘regular’ Maurizio Pollini on DG stretches to just 2'17"). I can’t trace a previous CD reissue of this material – certainly not a ‘Saga only’ Fiorentino collection – so we should be grateful to Rhine Classics for this well produced set.

9 March 2025 | Stephen Greenbank | MusicWeb International

A pleasure to have Fiorentino’s complete Saga Recordings under one roof [SG]

[...] Rhine Classics must be lauded in championing the recordings, live and studio, of the Italian pianist. Their Sergio Fiorentino edition now comprises five releases. Reviews of the previous releases can be found here (review ~ review ~ review ~ review), and they are all self-recommending. In this latest offering all the discs are presented in their Original Jackets. With splendid remasterings and excellent documentation, not to mention the photographic element, this all amounts to a very recommendable package.

21 February 2025 | Rob Cowan | GRAMOPHONE - Vol.108 March 2025 | Box-Set / Round-Up

Another collection of archive CDs celebrates the considerable artistry and beautiful tone of the American cellist Christine Walevska, best known for her Philips recordings (a box, please, Eloquence?), especially of works by Saint-Saëns. The First Concerto also turns up in Rhine Classics’ Walevska collection ‘The Beauty & the Bow’, as does the Dvorák Concerto (two versions, one where we also hear Walevska interviewed by conductor André Vandernoot, the other under Carlos Païta), the Beethoven Triple with Henryk Szeryng and pianist Monique Duphil, Hindemith’s Third Concerto under Dean Dixon, William Schuman’s A Song of Orpheus with the distinguished violinist and quartet leader Henri Temianka conducting and a deeply moving account of Bloch’s Schelomo where Hans Schmidt-Isserstedt is on the rostrum. We also hear three Bach Cello Suites (Nos 1‑3), as well as duo pieces by Haydn, Brahms, Prokofiev (his Cello Sonata) and Chopin (his Introduction and Polonaise brillante). In her prime Walevska was one of those players who virtually became her instrument and I’m happy to report that in addition to some exceptional music-making, Rhine Classics’ collection is very well annotated (by Gary Lemco) and richly illustrated.

15 February 2025 | Jean-Michel Molkhou | PIANISTE N°151 - Cahier Critique / Disques

[...] La reproduction des jaquettes originales et un livret généreusement documenté séduiront les collectioneurs les plus exigeantes. À ne pas manquer! [JMM]

[...] The reproduction of the original covers and a generously documented booklet will appeal to the most demanding collectors. Not to be missed! [JMM]

9 February 2025 | Jean-Charles Hoffelé | ARTAMAG' - Focus - Le disque du jour | SAGA FIORENTINO

Il y a un paradoxe Fiorentino. Lorsqu’au début des années 1990, Ernst A. Lumpe commença d’exhumer des bandes de concert, et que Fiorentino lui-même revint au studio d’enregistrement pour APR, c’est l’art d’un pianiste bientôt octogénaire qui paraissait, décanté et pourtant resté prodigieusement présent. Mais il y eut un autre Fiorentino, ce jeune homme impétueux qu’Arturo Benedetti Michelangeli, le découvrant sidéré lors du concours de Monza, désigna comme « le seul autre pianiste ».

Début de carrière fulgurant brisé net en 1954 par un accident d’aéroplane qui faillit lui être fatal. Cette longue parenthèse ne calma pas ses ardeurs, et à la fin des années cinquante, il trouva enfin ce qui lui manquait : un éditeur discographique. S’en suivit une dizaine de microsillons pour un label dont il essuya le peu de professionnalisme et le caractère fantasque de son fondateur : Saga.

L’héritage est inégal, et certaines séances parfois approximatives, comme hélas celles des Nocturnes à l’Olympic Theater de Londres où ni l’instrument ni la prise de son ne rendent justice à son art. Mais toujours au rayon Chopin, des Valses prodigieuses, tour à tour exubérantes ou poétiques, de sombres Préludes, une Polonaise-fantaisie fuligineuse sont simplement inoubliables, comme le récital Liszt dominé par deux Ballades dites comme des contes.

Un Carnaval de Schumann mené grand train est l’autre perle de cet ensemble où les concertos pâtissent de chefs peu inspirés : celui de Schumann et le Premier de Liszt s’en tirent grâce à un bon orchestre hambourgeois, mais chaque trait du pianiste prouve qu’il passait au-dessus de ces contingences, au point d’être absolument éclatant au long d’un Empereur épique, il est vrai bien accordé à la direction de George Hurst.

Le Premier de Tchaikovski montre avant même le virtuose l’élégance du musicien, et celui de Gershwin est plus qu’une curiosité, refermant cette période Saga au fond si précieuse : ce sont les disques d’un jeune homme auquel la vie joua plus d’un tour, d’un pianiste éminent dont l’art heureusement fut sauvé par une poignée d’admirateurs, et la constance d’Emilio Pessina qui aura publié tant de ses trésors retrouvés.

There is a Fiorentino paradox. When, in the early 1990s, Ernst A. Lumpe began unearthing concert recordings, and Fiorentino himself returned to the recording studio for APR, it was the art of a pianist nearing eighty that emerged, refined yet still prodigiously present. But there was another Fiorentino, this impetuous young man whom Arturo Benedetti Michelangeli, discovering him with astonishment at the Monza competition, described as "the only other pianist."

His meteoric rise to fame was abruptly cut short in 1954 by a near-fatal plane crash. This long hiatus did not dampen his enthusiasm, and at the end of the 1950s, he finally found what he needed: a record label. This was followed by about ten LPs for a label whose lack of professionalism and the whimsical nature of its founder, Saga, he suffered from.

The legacy is uneven, and some sessions are occasionally sloppy, such as, unfortunately, those of the Nocturnes at the Olympic Theatre in London, where neither the instrument nor the recording does justice to his artistry. But still within the Chopin repertoire, the prodigious Waltzes, by turns exuberant and poetic, the somber Preludes, and a sooty Polonaise-Fantaisie are simply unforgettable, as is the Liszt recital dominated by two Ballades presented like fairy tales.

A spirited performance of Schumann's Carnaval is the other gem in this collection, where the concertos suffer from uninspired conductors: Schumann's and Liszt's First are salvaged thanks to a good Hamburg orchestra, but every nuance of the pianist's playing proves that he transcended these limitations, to the point of being absolutely dazzling throughout an epic Emperor Concerto, admittedly well-suited to George Hurst's conducting.

Tchaikovsky's First Concerto reveals the musician's elegance even before the virtuoso's virtuosity, and Gershwin's is more than just a curiosity, bringing this ultimately precious Saga period to a close: these are the recordings of a young man to whom life dealt more than one blow, of an eminent pianist whose art was fortunately saved by a handful of admirers, and of the unwavering commitment of Emilio Pessina, who has released so many of his rediscovered treasures. [JCH]

30 January 2025 | Jonathan Woolf | MusicWeb International

Fiorentino’s complete Saga recordings of 1958-60 heard in excellent remasterings [JW]

Don’t overlook Rhine Classics’ ‘early live and unissued takes’ in their Fiorentino Edition which also includes some Saga material (review).  The discs are presented in Original Jackets, with the reverse of the jacket simplified to present track listings and has been remastered in 24-bit 96 kHz. The earlier sessions were made in mono, though pseudo-stereo LPs were issued as well. The Chopin Nocturnes, for example, are in stereo as noted.  Pre-echo and wow, which bedevilled some of the Liszt recordings, in particular, and which can be heard in the Piano Classics transfers, have both been reduced in these remasterings, as also noted, and the remastering here is uniformly excellent, with the proviso that it’s impossible to make the Sagas sound sonically glamorous.

Ernst Lumpe’s booklet note tells the listener all he needs to know, there are some excellently reproduced photographs, and the box is an authoritative contribution to Fiorentino’s representation on disc.

16 January 2025 | Jonathan Woolf | MusicWeb International

The admirable cellist Christine Walevska traced over 50 years of performances and recordings [JW]

[...] The broadcasts, rare LPs and other material in this box reveal a formidably equipped performer across the span of the repertoire. In those Philips discs she was paired with conductors Eliahu Inbal, Alexander Gibson, Edo de Waart and Kurt Redel for a tranche of concerto recordings, and there are a few examples of repertoire duplication – the Dvořák concerto and Schelomo for instance – but very little else. [...] an excellent performance of Pierre Sancan’s test piece Sonata of 1961. She catches precisely its taut, sullen but finally cheerful qualities. Tchaikovsky’s Rococo Variations are heard with the piano accompaniment of Robert Parris – lyrically impressive and dextrous. There’s also the first exposure of her playing of Bolognini’s Serenata del Gaucho (there are four altogether throughout the box), a spicy pizzicato-and-legato study played with tremendous brio. Pièce en forme de habanera is here too and was one of Maréchal’s favourite encore pieces. [...] Dvořák’s Concerto, heard complete this time, with the Orchestre national de France directed by Carlos Paita in 1976. The orchestra is immeasurably better than the one in Brussels eight years earlier. Walevska plays eloquently throughout and one can hear why Josef Suk was so attracted to her playing and invited her to perform in Prague. [...]

21 November 2024 | Stephen Greenbank | MusicWeb International

A worthy release of outstanding playing [SG]

14 November 2024 | Jakub Puchalski | ICMA International Classical Music Awards - Nomination 2025

11 November 2024 | Stephen Greenbank | MusicWeb International

Of limited interest to Kreisler collectors [SG]

20 October 2024  | Jean-Charles Hoffelé | ARTAMAG' - Focus - Le disque du jour | TOUT D'UN GRAND

Mai 1980, Berl Senofsky revient en Belgique où il avait remporté vingt-cinq ans plus tôt le Concours Reine Elisabeth. Dans le studio de la Radio de Gand, porté par l’accompagnement somptueux de Jean-Claude Vanden Eyden, son violon chante avec un lyrisme désarmant au long d’une merveilleuse Deuxième Sonate de Brahms.

Emilio Pessina a pris soin d’encadrer les gravures éparses qu’il regroupe dans ce précieux album par les deux prises captées le même jour : la Sonate de Strauss qui referme l’ensemble, est un torrent de lyrisme où s’affirme la plénitude d’un archet que le disque ignora trop.

Né de parents tous deux violonistes, gamin prodigieux, Berl Senofsky fut un représentant majeur de l’école juive américaine, fêté par tous les orchestres, au fond seul le disque lui manqua ; quelques participations en trio pour Gary Graffman seront ses seules armes pour la RCA : Jascha Heifetz occupait tout l’espace, au point qu’au lendemain de sa victoire au Reine Elisabeth, ce sera en Europe, et pour Philips, qu’il enregistrera son seul disque en soliste, Rudolf Moralt lui tissant de fantastiques paysages pour une gravure mémorable du Concerto de Brahms, avec une forte pincée de paprika dans le Finale.

L’album connaîtra un beau succès aux USA sous étiquette Epic, sans pour autant attirer l’attention des éditeurs américains. Son archet stylé qui n’oublie jamais l’espressivo y fait merveille, Forgotten Records l’a parfaitement réédité. Cette discographie officielle minimaliste rend d’autant plus précieux les témoignages radiophoniques publiés pour la première fois par Rhine Classics.

La pure beauté de ce violon, sa charge émotionnelle font décidément merveille chez Brahms (malgré le léger pleurage dans le premier mouvement de la Troisième Sonate avec Claude Frank en 1955 à Bruxelles, écho du concours, on comprend qu’il l’ait gagné !), particulièrement dans un Double Concerto orageux où l’on peut également entendre le violoncelle altier de Shirley Trepel, toute grande artiste que le disque ignora honteusement.

Hors Brahms, l’élégance règne au long d’une Première Sonate de Saint-Saëns impeccable, la poésie déborde dans la Troisième Sonate de Mendelssohn, et quel charme dans le Liebesleid de Kreisler ! Oui, décidément, Berl Senofsky était un maître.

In May 1980, Berl Senofsky returned to Belgium, where he had won the Queen Elisabeth Competition twenty-five years earlier. In the Ghent Radio studio, accompanied by the sumptuous music of Jean-Claude Vanden Eyden, his violin sang with disarming lyricism throughout a marvelous performance of Brahms's Second Sonata.

Emilio Pessina has carefully framed the scattered recordings he has gathered in this precious album with two takes recorded on the same day: the Strauss Sonata that closes the set is a torrent of lyricism, showcasing the fullness of a bow technique that has been largely overlooked on record.

Born to parents who were both violinists, a prodigious child, Berl Senofsky was a major representative of the American Jewish school, celebrated by orchestras everywhere; ultimately, only a recording was lacking. A few trio appearances for Gary Graffman would be his only offerings for RCA: Jascha Heifetz dominated the scene, to the point that, following his Queen Elisabeth Competition victory, he recorded his only solo album in Europe for Philips, with Rudolf Moralt weaving fantastic soundscapes for a memorable recording of the Brahms Concerto, featuring a generous dose of paprika in the Finale.

The album enjoyed considerable success in the USA on the Epic label, without attracting the attention of American record labels. His stylish bowing, which never neglects the expressive tone, shines on the album, and Forgotten Records has given it a superb reissue. This minimalist official discography makes the radio recordings published for the first time by Rhine Classics all the more valuable.

The sheer beauty of this violin, its emotional resonance, truly works wonders in Brahms (despite the slight wistfulness in the first movement of the Third Sonata with Claude Frank in 1955 in Brussels—an echo of the competition—one understands why he won!), particularly in a tempestuous Double Concerto where one can also hear the soaring cello of Shirley Trepel, a truly great artist whom recordings have shamefully overlooked.

Apart from Brahms, elegance reigns throughout an impeccable First Sonata by Saint-Saëns, poetry overflows in the Third Sonata by Mendelssohn, and what charm in Kreisler's Liebesleid! Yes, indeed, Berl Senofsky was a master. [JCH]

14 October 2024 | Jonathan Woolf | MusicWeb International

Live sonata performances from a Heifetz protégé who became his own man [JW]

RECOMMENDED / RECORDING OF THE MONTH Oct.2024

The vibrant, alluring art of arch-Romanticist, Aaron Rosand [JW]

23 September 2024 | Jonathan Woolf | MusicWeb International

Strong, masculine playing from Berl Senofsky – along with some less than stellar performances [JW]

19 September 2024 | Stephen Greenbank | MusicWeb International

A pleasing addition to Friedman’s discography with these first CD releases [SG]

6 September 2024 | Rob Cowan | GRAMOPHONE - Vol.103 October 2024 | Box-Set / Round-Up

Violin aficionados will likely be aware of Aaron Rosand (1927-2019), whose many distinctive recordings include rarities such as Joachim’s Second Concerto in D minor ‘In the Hungarian Style’, which also turns up in Rhine Classics’ highly desirable live ‘In memoriam’ Rosand Collection, recorded in 1974 under Leo Driehuys. [...] Isaac Stern’s hegemony around American concert life is posited by Rhine Classics’ excellent annotator Gary Lemco as a possible reason, just as it was in the case of Aaron Rosand.

6 September 2024 | Rob Cowan | GRAMOPHONE - Vol.103 October 2024 | EDITOR’s CHOICE

A wonderful release that launches Berl Senofsky into the heady realms of collectable violin virtuosos.

Septembre 2024 | Jean-Michel Molkhou | "Talents oubliés" | CLASSICA n°265 p.89 | ROSAND [CHOC - Exceptionnel]; SENOFSKY, VASILE, KREISLER [☆☆☆☆☆ - Coup de coeur]; FRIEDMAN [☆☆☆ - Bon]. 

22 August 2024 | Jonathan Woolf | MusicWeb International

A Romanian Paganini specialist whose career trailed away [JW]

#3/2024 (UK)
15 August 2024 | Stephen Greenbank | MusicWeb International

Although something of a mixed bag, there’s much to please the Senofsky admirer enshrined in these two discs [SG]

#2/2024 (UK)
25 July 2024 | Jonathan Woolf | MusicWeb International

The piano rolls are real but the concert is not what it says [JW]

#1/2024 (UK)
18 July 2024 | Stephen Greenbank | MusicWeb International

An exciting discovery [SG]