DEVY ERLIH plays Tartini, Bach, Beethoven, Ravel & Encores – The Paris recital 1952
Tartini: Pastorale in A Major, B.A16, Op 1, No 13
Bach: Sonata for Solo Violin No 1 in G minor, BWV 1001
Beethoven: Violin Sonata No 7 in C minor, Op 30, No 2
Ravel: Violin Sonata in G Major, M 77
Sarasate: Zigeunerweisen, Op.20 (Gypsy Airs)
Falla: Danse Espagnole No 1 from “La vida breve” (arr. Kreisler)
Devy Erlih ∙ violin
Maurice Bureau ∙ piano
Recorded ∙ 15 December 1952 ∙ Paris ∙ Salle Gaveau ∙ Radiodiffusion-Télévision Française ∙ Live Recording
Article number: MC 2024
UPC barcode: 791154054147
Recording dates: 1952
Release date: March 2015
Total timing: 78:59
Booklet: 8 Pages
From the Original Masters ∙ © 2015 Meloclassic
May 2015 ∙ Artamag ∙ Jean-Charles Hoffelé ∙ Devy Erlih ∙ The Paris Recital 1952
Meloclassic ajoute à cette discographie si ténue un récital donné Salle Gaveau le 14 décembre 1952 – il avait vingt-quatre ans ! – où celui qui demeurera longtemps son partenaire de musique de chambre favori, Maurice Bureau, l’accompagne avec une attention de tous les instants. C’est qu’il faut suivre le jeune homme lorsqu’il se lance dans la coda du Zigeunerweisen de Sarasate ! Si le musicien était fabuleux, le technicien était transcendant et serait bientôt couronné par les lauriers du Long-Thibaud. J’admire sans réserve la vitalité de sa Première Sonate de Bach, l’élégance arcadienne de la Pastorale de Tartini où le chant se gorge d’harmoniques – ce violon savait être si plein, si rayonnant ! – et la 7e Sonate de Beethoven, toute en humeurs, avec dans le discours une concentration rarement entendue. La Danse de La Vie brève, le Zigeunerweisen, bis éclatants et irrépressibles ne parviennent pas à me faire oublier la poésie étrange dont Devy Erlih revêt la Sonate de Ravel, lecture sensualiste où l’archet semble infini, capricieux et à la fois tendre. Toutes les ambigüités de Ravel dans un violon. Je veux d’autres concerts !!
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June 2015 ∙ MusicWeb International ∙ Devy Erlih ∙ The Paris Recital 1952
Here we have a live concert which the violinist gave with the pianist Maurice Bureau at the Salle Gaveau, Paris on 15 December 1952. The Bach and Beethoven Sonatas form the main bulk of the recital and, for me, it is the former which constitutes the highlight of the disc. Erlih’s Bach is earthy and roughly hewn, calling to mind the young Menuhin, or perhaps more pertinently Georges Enescu, who was a formative influence on the young violinist. This is communicative playing, with an instinctive feel for the music, underpinned by rhythmic integrity. The opening Adagio has an improvisatory feel, countered with an innate sense of direction. The polyphonic clarity of the Fuga adds real distinction. Erlih draws a rich, full-blooded sound from his fiddle, with intonation spot-on. The violinist recorded the complete Sonatas and Partitas on LP for the French Adès label, but I wasn’t able to ascertain the date. I have seen a two-separate CD incarnation on Amazon at an exorbitant price- maybe something for a lottery win. The Beethoven is a performance of unshowy virtuosity, where both violinist and pianist effectively judge the ebb and flow of the music. The slow movement won me over immediately with its heartfelt lyricism. The Ravel Sonata sees Erlih comfortably ensconced in his comfort zone. It’s an idiomatic performance awash with a palette of tonal allure. The performance exploits the full gamut of moods and contrasts from the quirky lyricism of the first movement, to the exotic blues movement and the Perpetuum mobile of the Finale, with its strongly articulated pizzicatos. The Sarasate and de Falla/Kreisler pieces are the perfect foil to Erlih’s supreme technical command.Excellent booklet notes give a potted biography of the violinist, in English only. This release gets my enthusiastic endorsement.
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