Search - Brahms, Tchaikovsky, Morini :: Brahms, Tchaikovsky: Violin Concertos

Revisiting legendary, greatly admired artists we last heard long ago induces a kind of suspenseful anticipation: will they seem as wonderful now as they did then? Will our memories stand up to the test of time? In the case of violinist Erica Morini, the answer is a resounding "yes." Born in Vienna in 1904, she started her career as a sensational prodigy and went on to become the first woman violinist who attained world fame. In 1938, she emigrated from Vienna to New York. Though widely admired and beloved among cognoscenti, she hardly gained the recognition she deserved in the New World. Her recorded legacy is sparse, partly derived from tapes of live concerts; this reissue of a studio recording made in 1956 is a valuable addition. It fully captures the warm, silken tone; the brilliant but music-oriented technique; the charm, nobility, and delicacy for which she was famous. Her Brahms is austere, with rock-steady yet flexible rhythm and strongly delineated contrast and character, but it is also unusually lyrical, inward, singing, and warm. She brings out the wistful yearning of the slow movement, the gypsy flavor of the Finale. Her expressiveness is direct, dignified, and restrained; contrary to the custom of her time, she hardly slides. Her Tchaikovsky, too, is lyrical, leisurely, and natural, with spicy mischievous accents; emotionally free and romantic, it's never sentimental or exaggerated. Her playing is technically immaculate, crystal clear at any speed, without fuss or show. These are truly legendary performances. --Edith Eisler