Ruggiero Ricci, violin = SARASATE: Carmen Fantasie; Ziegeunerweisen;
SAINT-SAENS: Havanaise; Introduction and Rondo Capriccioso – with the
London Symphony Orchestra cond. by Pierino Gamba – Decca/JVC xrcd 24
JVCXR-0227-2 38:39 ****:
violin sound with the obsolescent 44.1/16-bit CD technology. It just
takes a lot of serious effort in production, using a really excellent
original analog recording (made in 1960), a highly modified digital
player that doesn’t sound anything like most CD players sounded a
decade ago, and a $30 price tag on the disc. The liner notes are again
in English but I was surprised not even a paragraph was devoted to the
art of violinist Ricci, who many aficionados of violin virtuosi greatly
prefer to Heifetz.
His performances of these four showoff violin and orchestra gems are
nothing short of stunning, and the London Symphony provides
high-voltage backing. The violin sounds larger than life but so do all
recordings of violin concertos – and these are just mini-concertos. If
you have high quality CD playback, don’t want to fuss with decoders or
universal disc players at this juncture, and are a pushover for
virtuoso violinists, this xrcd has your name on it!
SAINT-SAENS: Havanaise; Introduction and Rondo Capriccioso – with the
London Symphony Orchestra cond. by Pierino Gamba – Decca/JVC xrcd 24
JVCXR-0227-2 38:39 ****:
Ahah! It IS possible to get a pleasing non-fillings-loosening solo
violin sound with the obsolescent 44.1/16-bit CD technology. It just
takes a lot of serious effort in production, using a really excellent
original analog recording (made in 1960), a highly modified digital
player that doesn’t sound anything like most CD players sounded a
decade ago, and a $30 price tag on the disc. The liner notes are again
in English but I was surprised not even a paragraph was devoted to the
art of violinist Ricci, who many aficionados of violin virtuosi greatly
prefer to Heifetz.
His performances of these four showoff violin and orchestra gems are
nothing short of stunning, and the London Symphony provides
high-voltage backing. The violin sounds larger than life but so do all
recordings of violin concertos – and these are just mini-concertos. If
you have high quality CD playback, don’t want to fuss with decoders or
universal disc players at this juncture, and are a pushover for
virtuoso violinists, this xrcd has your name on it!
