Search - Pablo Casals :: Pablo Casals: The Complete EMI Recordings

The most relevant musical artist of the XX Century!

Hiram Gomez Pardo | Valencia, Venezuela | 06/16/2009

(5 out of 5 stars)

"In honor to the truth, the life of Casals was not only fascinating, enriching and exciting, but besides genuinely productive. Casals brought back the cello, the divine majesty as soloist instrument since the first half of the XIX Century, achieving an enviable pinnacle with the set of cello sonatas of Beethoven, Archiduke Trio, Brahms double Concerto among other musical gems. It could be said that during the second half of the XIX Century, the cello assumed a secondary role. The works composed by Schumann, Lalo, Saint Saens and Dvorak were charm and gentle but isolated the instrument of its innate expressive possibilities, to become another accompanist instrument. Over the first decades of the XX Century, Prokoviev, Shostakovich, Kachaturian and Villalobos at some extent, intended to restore the cello the first order role that had had during the XVII Century.



Casals - like no other musician - worked without rest around the cello as prima voice. He understood better than no one, the enormous relevance of Bach respect the Suites for solo cello. And so decade and a half of his life, was devoted to show the world the forgotten treasures that nestled behind the dusty and yellow pages.



On the other hand, his enriching experience with so many emblematic musicians, thinkers and composers widened his vision about the importance of the sound of this noble instrument. As we may realize, he consecrated his musical activity as chamber musician like no other soloist artist. And this wave grew around the world. Since the times of Fritz Busch, the emergence of the Budapest, Vegh, Hungarian, Parrenin and Griller Quartets, would lead him to materialize one of his most coveted expectations:his maxim achievement,the creation of Prades Festival in 1950 to commemorate the second bicentenary of Bach's death. This Festival still resounds over the actual generations of musicians.



As a matter of fact,Puerto Rico and Marlboro Festivals(We should not forget Mitzuko Ichida grew up as musician at Marlboro)were sublime echoes of Prades. And the countless musicians (Szigetti, Vegh, Grumiaux, Stern, Horzowski, Kapell, Serkin, Istomin,Tortellier, Fuchs and Rose, among so many others) made possible the chamber music acquired status relevance and at the same time made every musician grew up to unsuspected levels as soloists and interpreters.



This invaluable compilation is part of the musical history of the XX Century. As hard listener, you will have to reencounter yourself with admirable versions of the Trio Thibaud - Cortot - Casals, his notable contributions with Otto Schulhoff and Horskowski in the early thirties, his unforgettable cello suites, his unique and until now unequalled version of the Dvorak' s cello Concerto that certainly would be this brief comment would surmount its goal.



For the new generations of young people, it's an excellent opportunity to listen with sublime sound without those unerring distortions of the well reminded LP format.



So in order to preserve the memory of this sublime and exceptional human being, you should not miss this first order edition that justifies plainly the undeniable transcendence of this master of masters.



A glorious master jewel in your invaluable musical collection.



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