A few weeks back, Nick of Grumpy's Classics Cave (see my list of blogs at the right) presented us with a rare Albert Sammons recording of Gabriel Fauré's Violin Sonata in A, Op. 13. Here's my answer to that wonderful upload - a somewhat less rare, perhaps, though certainly not common, recording of the same work beautifully played by Mischa Elman (1891-1967). As far as I am aware, this 1941 recording for Victor has never been reissued on CD, although a later Elman recording of the sonata, for Decca in the 1950s, has turned up in a 4-CD Testament box set along with sonatas by Beethoven, Brahms, Franck, Grieg and Handel. It's rather a surprise to me that this recording was even made, as the Fauré Sonatas were considered music for the connoisseur in those days (perhaps they still are!), and the Victor catalogue of 1941 already boasted a recording by Elman's arch-rival Heifetz, which, in turn, had replaced a recording by Jacques Thibaud. Elman observes the first movement's exposition repeat, something rarely done on 78-rpm records.
Fauré: Violin Sonata No. 1 in A major, Op. 13
Mischa Elman, violin; Leopold Mittmann, piano
Recorded Spring, 1941
Victor Musical Masterpiece set DM-859, three 78-rpm records
Link (FLAC files, 62.88 MB)
Link (MP3 files, 28.7 MB)
Thanks so much! I'm amazed this has never been reissued. Trust you to come to the rescue! Very enjoyable: a more muscular, full-blooded, perhaps Slavic approach than we usually hear but, of course, very thoughtful and well-played. Wonderful! One can never have too much Fauré... G
ReplyDeleteBeautiful! And a very good transfer. A treasure again, thanx!
ReplyDeletemy grand uncle misha
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