Zino Francescatti joue Lalo, Vieuxtemps, Saint-Saëns et Sarasate

Description

This CD includes four recordings by the violinist Zino Francescatti. Noted for his impeccable technique and brilliant sound, Zino Francescatti was considered one of the leading violinists of the 20th century, and he was a direct descendant of Niccolò Paganini. Francescatti emigrated to the United States during World War II and recorded for Columbia until his retirement in 1972. This CD contains four recordings made by Francescatti with orchestra in 1957, including Lalo's Spanish Symphony. This colorful masterpiece was one of the most popular violin and orchestra works of the 1950s. Yet, even among recordings by giants such as Heifetz, Milstein, and Menuhin, Francescatti's spectacular performance stands out. This recorded performance is the first stereo LP of Lalo's Spanish Symphony ever made. This CD also features Vieuxtemps' Violin Concerto No. 4 in D minor. The long orchestral passages led Hector Berlioz to describe Vieuxtemps' Concerto as 'a symphony with solo violin.' The other two works on this CD, Saint-Saëns' Havanaise and Sarasate's Zigeunerweisen, lend themselves well to the sunny exuberance of Francescatti's playing.