Michael Rabin
Ossy Renardy
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"Michael Rabin... is the postwar instrumental wunderkind. The appearance of this excellently recorded disc which offers Master Rabin's expert execution of a handful of Paganini's quite difficult Caprices should give the news a wider circulation."
American Record Guide, March 1951 "This series is among the most handsomely produced to be found these days, with documentation and presentation that are of unfailingly high quality."
Masterworks Heritage -- great artistry of the past, technology of the future
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 60894 - Available on CD |
Caprice No. 24, from Op. 1 wav (1,336k) | real audio |
Michael Rabin was one of the most superlative talents to emerge anywhere in the world. In 1950, at 14, he established himself as a genuine prodigy when he brilliantly recorded eleven Paganini caprices. A young man of extraordinary promise whose violinistic attributes were practically flawless, he possessed a powerful "fourth finger" that would make almost any violinist green with envy. All this was abetted by an instinctive suavity of phrasing and delivery recalling only the most supreme among his colleagues. Tenderness, charm, and a certain gentleness of character pervaded much of his playing, along with his tremendous virtuoso flair and daring. In his prime years his performance consistently exuded the aura of youth. It was the art of a phenomenal young violinist still en route to intellectual, spiritual, and cultural maturity. The premature demise of Michael Rabin was a tragic loss to the world of violin art, and we can best pay him tribute by continuing to listen to and revel in the splendor of his recorded heritage.
Rounding out this important release are several virtuoso showpieces by Sarasate and Paganini, performed by violinist Ossy Renardy. In addition to expert 20-bit remastering from original sources, this imported limited edition includes rare archival photos and fascinating notes by violin scholar Eric Wen.
From the incredible remastered sound to the packaging design, the critical acclaim is unanimous for Sony Classical's pace-setting reissue series, Masterworks Heritage. Encompassing acoustic-era gems from as far back as the 1903 Grand Opera Series as well as landmark mono- and stereo-era performances from the 1920s to the pre-digital 1970s, this series continues with five important releases. Delighted collectors are reintroducing themselves to a treasure trove of legendary performances by their favorite artists of the past, meticulously remastered and presented in special, stylishly designed imported packaging.
In this, the eighth installment of Masterworks Heritage, historic recordings of Wagner sung by Lauritz Melchior and Helen Traubel, as well as stereo recordings of Bartók and Prokofiev under George Szell and his Cleveland Orchestra, highlight the latest releases, which also include this first CD release of the debut recordings of violinists Michael Rabin and Ossy Renardy, a collection of twentieth-century American vocal works, and another installment of Lotte Lenya's authoritative renditions of Kurt Weill's songs. Some of these recordings are being issued on CD for the first time, having been unavailable for decades.
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