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Bach to Webern - Roman Totenberg

Bach, J S: Beethoven: Brahms: Paganini: Copland: Dallapiccola: Debussy: Ravel: Schoenberg: Stravinsky: Webern

Full track list at http://www.prestoclassical.co.uk/r/Arbiter/

Including major works of Bach, Brahms and Debussy, Ravel, Copland and Stravinsky etc, this is a historic recording compilation of and for all time, an enthralling double CD of this great violinist Roman Totenberg as recorded from 1943 - 1996...

My second illustration is of Roman Totenberg enjoying his Centennial Celebration Concert last year; see the video on line!

From child prodigy to revered centenarian, and latterly a pillar of Boston University, Totenberg was a pupil of Flesch & Enescu, and he appeared with all the greats of the 20th C. He is totally secure throughout these live performances, his tone never prettified, always expressing the music in its essence, notably in the Stravinsky Duo, played with the composer's son Soulima, who is quoted about the problems of playing his father's music during his lifetime. The Brahms sonata is rather strident, but the anti-romantic Ravel sonata, which can still shock a bit, and Debussy's are given to perfection. The Ravel is the most recent of the recordings, in good sound.

ARBITER is an important label, with expert transfers and background scholarshop by Allen Evans; we have reviewed a number of his discs of historic pianists; check out "arbiter" on MusicalPointers.

Peter Grahame Woolf