Midori: Paganini 24 Caprices - CBS Masterworks M 44944 (DDD)

$

110

ITEM DESCRIPTION:

This lovely and quite rare LP – a superb collector’s copy – from CBS Masterworks (M 44944, Dutch pressing*, blue/red sash label, DDD stereo) features the young Midori in an extraordinary account of Niccolò Paganini’s 24 Caprices for Solo Violin Op. 1, recorded in the warm acoustics of Sommer Center Chapel, Concordia College, Bronxville, New York in 1988 (producer: Steven Epstein / engineer: Bud Graham). This is truly exalted playing by any measure and all those who treasure the art of the violin will find much to admire here, truly among the finest accounts ever recorded – a great landmark in the Paganini discography.

 

Note: On the reverse side of the jacket it is stated “Printed in Holland”; it is not indicated, one way or the other, if this is also true of the LP; presumably so, though I cannot guarantee this.

Wrote the eminent critic James Methuen-Campbell in his review for the March 1990 issue of The Gramophone: “I can say without reservation that I admired these performances as much as any I have ever heard of these ferociously difficult studies. For, aside from possessing a wizardly accomplished technique, Midori's sheer flair for the instrument is quite terrific. And yet the readings certainly never degenerate into stunts—the music is allowed to come through with all its colour and diablerie. Midori's deft bowing—so light and mercurial—ensures that the almost unbearable scratchiness that one encountered in Ruggiero Ricci's performances is left far behind. The music is scintillating and easy to listen to.

 

“The darker side of Paganini is not neglected. The unhealthy morbidity surfaces in Midori's version of the Fifteenth Caprice and then, by way of contrast, there is elegance and purity in plentiful supply when one comes to the Bach-inspired Caprice that follows. Octave unisons, which feature in a number of the pieces, are uniformly superb, as is seemingly impossibly accurate intonation in the highest reaches of the instrument (vide the Fifth). The only minute blemishes that I could detect under my aural microscope were in the harmonics of the Ninth and the double-stopping of the Twenty-second, but these are insignificant. Just listen to the stunning delicacy and magical tonal shading of the final Caprice for affirmation of Midori's genius.

 

“Mintz (DG) and Perlman (EMI) are quite naturally more experienced players than this teenager, and they offer a wider cultural understanding of the music. This surfaces in a slightly greater appreciation of the allusions that Paganini makes to other composers and to folk styles. Perlman's sound is the richest and most full-toned. Closer to Midori in this respect, Mintz's recording has great colour and a more sophisticated acoustic. He uses greater accentuation than she does. However, it is Perlman whose way is the most personal, but his CD, dating from 1972, is showing its age a little.”

 

Incidentally, the engaging cover photo of Midori was taken by Christian Steiner, while the superlative liner notes on the reverse side of the jacket were written by Cecilia H. Porter.

 

CONDITION:

The gradations of condition I use are as follows: MINT, Near-Mint, Excellent, Very Good, Good, Fair, Poor.

 

The condition of the jacket is near-MINT. There is slight bumping and minuscule wear at corners, but that is all. Otherwise, the album appears almost as new. There are no bends, seamsplits, owners' markings, or other defects and the album remains perfectly solid, bright, and very striking in appearance – overall, a very fine collector's copy.

 

The condition of the LP itself is near-MINT and the playback is outstanding – overall, this rates as a truly fine collector's copy.

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