Credits:

Rameau

Description:

Rare U.S. Allegro recordings of Shumsky, including the rare K. 570 with violin! Oscar Shumsky was born in 1917 to Russian immigrants, and at the age of eight he performed Mozart's Violin Concerto No. 5 with the Philadelphia Orchestra. Conductor Stokowski praised his talent. That same year he became the youngest student ever of Leopold Auer, and at age 11 he entered the Curtis Institute of Music. After graduation, he joined NBC Studios in New York City, where he made numerous broadcast recordings in duo with pianist Earl Wild. He later joined the NBC Symphony Orchestra and the NBC Quartet (later renamed the Primrose String Quartet) before going out on his own, performing as a soloist and teaching across World War II (serving in the Navy Band). The Mozart sonatas reissued here are Shumsky's only recordings for the Allegro label (two LPs). The performance with Leopold Mittmann, a chamber music virtuoso known for his collaboration with Mischa Elman, has been praised by violin specialists for its "light tempi and perceptive, lucid interpretation, while conveying deep emotion and tender intimacy. Sonata K. 570 is a piano sonata, but it was also popular when composers other than Mozart added a violin part. This is a rare recording of the Sonata K. 570, as it is rarely performed in this form today. (Excerpt from the English commentary of the original recording.(The booklet features a photo of the jacket of the first LP) Naxos Japan