Toscha Seidel American Columbia Recordings (1921-27)

Description

Dubbed 'the devil' by his teacher Leopold Auer (alongside Jascha Heifetz whom he called 'the angel'), Toscha Seidel (1899-1962) was regarded by Carl Flesch as 'the third in a triumvirate' of Auer's greatest pupils, along with Heifetz and Mischa Elman. This CD continues Biddulph Recordings' traversal of Seidel's recordings made for the American Columbia label, covering the peri-od between 1921-1927. Among the pieces included are such well-known favourites as the 'Meditation' from Massenet's opera Thais, Paderewski's Minuet in G, Dvorak's Humoresque and Brahms Hungarian Dance No.1. Several original works by Fritz Kreisler, as well as August Wilhelmj's beloved arrangements of Bach's Air on the G-string and Wagner's Albumblatt. In addition to imaginative transcriptions of orchestral selections from Grieg's Peer Gynt, Sibelius's Kuolema and Rimsky-Korsakov's Scheherazade, there are rarities by Fibich, Domenico Scarlatti, and the American-born violinist Cecil Burleigh. This CD also features Seidel playing violin obligato in Schubert's Serenade from Schwanengesang with the American-born lyric tenor Charles Hackett and two concerto movements accompanied by a studio orchestra: a sparkling rendition of the Finale from Mendelssohn's beloved Concerto in E minor and the poignant Andante from Edouard Lalo's Symphonie espagnole.