Enforced Alkolfrei few days (antibiotic for an infected gum). Amazing how much more I can accomplish in an evening! Listened to the 28 August Prom performance of Vadim Repin playing the Brahms Violin Concerto (and made copies for Dave, Akiko and De Haas). Repin's concept is lyrical and relaxed; a valid concept, even if I still hanker after Heifetz after Repin has finished. He played the Auer cadenzas, which made a nice change. A good performance (and it recorded well). I’ll come back to it from time to time. His tone, particularly in the adagio, seems to be becoming “plummier”. By popular demand? A pity (viz Samaroff, below).
Then off into 25 tracks and 74 minutes of Toscha Samaroff, about whom I know nothing … except that he’s my kind of violinist. Despite his name, he sounds Hungarian, and his playing makes me think of Szigeti, Dinicu and the Léner Quartet. Exemplary articulation with the right arm. Clean sound with lots of colouring (not just the überall caffè con latte of the modern brigade). No idea when the 25 tracks were first recorded; but from the sound and the clicks, we are back in the 1920s and '30s. Can’t even think of declicking these recordings; it would take ten years. However, the unknown Samaroff joins the small band of violinists of whom I approve. Even Mr Google hasn't heard of Samaroff (or Samarov; who knows how it is even spelled?)
Personal journal dealing mainly with music listened to, plus various food and wine matters. Rants at a few favourite topics.
Harry Collier
2 comments:
Dear Mr. Collier,
Toscha Samaroff was my friend in 70th.
I am a Japanese cellist, freelancing in NYC. I used to play string quartet with him and with the widow of Boris Kroyt ( Budapest Quartet). She owned his viola. I had a great time. However,Toscha did't tell me much about himself, but was a fabulous violinist. He was from Latvia, studied with Leopold Auer who was also Heifetz's teacher. His spiccato technique was just like Heifetz's. He said, he was a concertmaster when Heifetz played a concerto in Carnegie Hall. He loved my daughter when she was a kid. We acquired his Albani violin, which his father gave to him. Our daughter, now a member of Philadelphia Orchestra, owns it. It was like the movie " Red Violin " to her. I wanted to know more about him and found your posting. He also lived in Chicago. In Chicago Symphony's old DVD, one violinist resemble him, but I cannot tell how he looked like in his earlier age. I know he was a real estate broker. Also, one of Leopold Stokowski's wife's last name was Samaroff. I am very interested in his recordings you found. I would appreciate if you could find out more about him? Toshi Kono, cellist
A real estate broker! Famous violinists who ended up in America had strange hobbies -- Arnold Eidus tossed up between being a concert violinist or an insurance seller; and chose insurance! But it's good to hear about old Samaroff, and I'll keep digging. Incidentally, "Olga Samaroff" was not very Russian herself, being born as Lucy Mary Agnes Hickenlooper. The professional name of Samaroff was taken from a remote relative.
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