MAX ROSTAL plays Bach, Beethoven, Biber, Brahms, Mozart and Paganini
CD 1
Brahms: Violin Sonata No 1 in G Major, Op 78
Max Rostal · violin
Maria Bergmann · piano
Recorded · 04 February 1956 · Baden-Baden · Studio 6 · Südwestrundfunk · Radio Studio Recording
Brahms: Violin Sonata No 2 in A Major, Op 100
Beethoven: Violin Sonata No 7 in C Minor, Op 30, No 2
Max Rostal · violin
Heinz Schröter · piano
Recorded · 10 March 1961 · Hannover · Studio A · Funkhaus · Norddeutscher Rundfunk · Radio Studio Recording
CD 2
Beethoven: Violin Sonata No 6 in A Major, Op 30, No 1
Max Rostal · violin
Heinz Schröter · piano
Recorded · 03 February 1961 · Bern · Funkstudio · Radio Bern · Radio Studio Recording
Beethoven: Violin Sonata No 3 in E-flat Major, Op 12, No 3
Max Rostal · violin
Ilse von Alpenheim · piano
Recorded · 03 June 1965 · Berlin · Saal 3 · Sender Freies Berlin · Radio Studio Recording
Mozart: Adagio in E Major, KV 261 & Rondo in C Major, KV 373
Paganini: Caprice No 20 in D major
Max Rostal · violin
Eugen Huber · piano
Recorded · 11 January 1958 · Bern · Funkstudio · Radio Bern · Radio Studio Recording
Bach: Violin Sonata in E minor, BWV 1023
Biber: Passacaglia in G minor for solo violin
Max Rostal · violin
Lothar Broddack · piano
Recorded · 10 July 1958 · Ettlingen · Schloss · Süddeutscher Rundfunk · Live Recording
Article number: MC 2033 ∙ Double CD
UPC barcode: 791154054376
Recording dates: 1956 – 1965
Release date: July 2016
Total timing: CD 1: 74:11 ∙ CD 2: 79:39
Booklet: 8 Pages
From the Original Masters ∙ © 2016 Meloclassic
October 2016 ∙ MusicWeb International ∙ Max Rostal plays Bach, Beethoven, Biber, Brahms, Mozart and Paganini
Which brings us to this twofer of radio inscriptions made in Germany and Switzerland between 1956 and 1965. His Brahms G major is full of gemütlich slides redolent of ingratiating Viennese charm which, allied to his slightly sentimental phrasing in places, delivered in his characteristically silvery tone, is certainly a very personal approach. So, too, is his sedate view of the sonata’s opening movement, ma non troppo being taken to the limits. His tone is somewhat dry – the opposite of opulent – and there are pinched, nasal moments along the way. Generally, his negotiation of some of the passagework is somewhat pedantic, and the reading as a whole rather lacks ‘lift’. Maria Bergmann plays well throughout. The A major suits him better temperamentally, one feels, and his tempi here are up to the mark. Maybe the fact that his regular chamber partner Heinz Schröter was on hand helped. There’s still a bit of tremulous phrasing but far less gesturing. The recorded sound of these disparate recitals is excellent as is the documentation.
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May 2017 ∙ MusicWeb International ∙ Max Rostal plays Bach, Beethoven, Biber, Brahms, Mozart and Paganini
In addition to a very limited number of commercial recordings, Rostal graced the radio stations on occasion. In London, he broadcast for the BBC. What we have here are several broadcasts he made in Germany and Switzerland between 1956 and 1965. The focus is on core Classical repertoire. Although remembered principally as a pedagogue and rather underrated as a violinist, these valuable recorded documents will hopefully go some way to redressing the balance. These are most enjoyable discs of generous playing time, and finely restored. Documentation, as always with Meloclassic, is first class. I don’t think anyone buying this twofer will be disappointed.
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