Essential Historical Recordings: Pierre Fournier’s Envious Cello Mastery
By Sasha MargolisPierre Fournier (1906–86), known as “the aristocrat of cellists,” was among the twentieth century’s most wonderful string artists. A music... Read More...
essential historical recordings
These recordings are not new, but they are still captivating and beautiful, in addition to being inspirational and pivotal in musical history.
Essential Historical Recordings: The Tragically Short Lives of Gifted Violin Stars Hassid, Renardy, & Sitkovetsky
By Sasha MargolisWhen the thirty-year-old violinist Ginette Neveu perished in a plane crash in 1949, the music world experienced a deep sense of loss. In t... Read More...
Essential Historical Recordings: Violinist Ginette Neveu’s Tragically Short but Musically Rich Life
By Sasha MargolisThe death of Ginette Neveu was one of the great tragedies in violin history. The French violinist was 30, and a still-rising star, when th... Read More...
Essential Historical Recordings: Violinist Zino Francescatti
By Sasha MargolisFor many violinists these days, the name Zino Francescatti is more likely to evoke thoughts of printed music than actual violin-playing. L... Read More...
Essential Historical Recordings: Nathan Milstein
By Sasha MargolisIf ever a violinist was born to play the fiddle, it was Nathan Milstein. One of a seemingly endless line of spectacular Russian-Jewish vio... Read More...
Essential Historical Recordings: Gregor Piatigorsky
By Sasha MargolisCellist Gregor Piatigorsky was larger than life, a giant of a man whose personality was gigantic, too. A warm, deeply expressive musician,... Read More...
Essential Historical Recordings: Emanuel Feuermann
By Sasha MargolisFew musicians have been so respected by their peers as Emanuel Feuermann. Pianist Artur Rubinstein thought him “the greatest cellist of al... Read More...
Essential Historical Recordings: Szymon Goldberg
By Sasha MargolisSzymon Goldberg was one of the twentieth century’s great all-around violinists. Born in the same decade as famed soloists Jascha Heifetz, ... Read More...
Essential Historical Recordings: Ivry Gitlis
By Sasha MargolisIvry Gitlis, who turns ninety-eight years old this month, is a unique figure in the violin world—and an equally unique human being. His pl... Read More...
Essential Historical Recordings: Ida Haendel
By Sasha MargolisIda Haendel died on the thirtieth of June. Known as the “grande dame of the violin,” Haendel was one of the last of a legendary generation... Read More...