Such attributes as charismatic, singular, exceptional are somewhat overused today. Yet in the case of Ida Haendel they are justified. Born in 1928 into a Polish Jewish family, she was a child prodigy, playing Beethoven's violin concerto at the age of five... and leading master classes in London at the age of 85. After her Prague debut in 1957, she returned to the city throughout the 1960s, either to give concerts (most frequently with the Czech Philharmonic conducted by Karel Ančerl, and exclusively accompanied by the pianist Alfréd Holeček at chamber recitals) or to work in the studio. This 5-CD box features the complete live and studio recordings Ida Haendel made in Prague from 1957-65 and deposited in the Supraphon and Czech Radio archives, with a number of them being released for the first time. Alongside "virtuoso pieces" and sonatas, the CDs include concertos by Beethoven, Stravinsky, Wieniawski, as well as her "flagship" Sibelius. Ida Haendel radiates an elemental, ecstatic musicality, one peculiar to Gypsy virtuosos, here refined into a perfectly cultivated form.
6 II. Tempo Di Minuetto, Ma Molto Moderato E Grazioso
7 III. Allegro Vivace
8 I. Adagio Sostenuto - Presto
9 II. Andante Con Variazioni
10 III. Finale - Presto
- Disc 3 -
1 Romance in G Major, Op. 40
2 Romance in F Major, Op. 50
3 Scherzo - Tarantelle, Op. 16
4 Mazurka - Obertass, Op. 19, No. 1
5 Polonaise de Concert in D Major, Op. 4
6 I. Molto Moderato
7 II. Allegretto
8 I. Toccata - Ida Haendel/Czech Philharmonic Orchestra
9 II. Aria I - Ida Haendel/Czech Philharmonic Orchestra
10 III. Aria II - Ida Haendel/Czech Philharmonic Orchestra
11 IV. Capriccio - Ida Haendel/Czech Philharmonic Orchestra
12 Tzigane - Ida Haendel/Czech Philharmonic Orchestra
- Disc 4 -
1 I. Allegro Ma Non Troppo - Ida Haendel/Czech Philharmonic Orchestra
2 II. Larghetto - Ida Haendel/Czech Philharmonic Orchestra
3 III. Rondo - Allegro - Ida Haendel/Czech Philharmonic Orchestra
4 I. Allegro Moderato - Ida Haendel/Czech Philharmonic Orchestra
5 II. Adagio Di Molto - Ida Haendel/Czech Philharmonic Orchestra
6 III. Allegro Ma Non Troppo - Ida Haendel/Czech Philharmonic Orchestra
- Disc 5 -
1 I. Allegro Non Troppo - Ida Haendel/Czech Philharmonic Orchestra
2 II. Scherzando - Allegro Molto - Ida Haendel/Czech Philharmonic Orchestra
3 III. Intermezzo - Allegretto Non Troppo - Ida Haendel/Czech Philharmonic Orchestra
4 IV. Andante - Ida Haendel/Czech Philharmonic Orchestra
5 V. Rondo - Allegro - Ida Haendel/Czech Philharmonic Orchestra
6 Violin Concerto in a Minor, Op. 82 - Ida Haendel/Prague Symphony Orchestra
7 I. Allegro Moderato - Ida Haendel/Prague Symphony Orchestra
8 II. Romance - Andante Non Troppo - Ida Haendel/Prague Symphony Orchestra
9 III. Finale - Allegro Con Fuoco - Allegro Moderato - Ida Haendel/Prague Symphony Orchestra
Such attributes as charismatic, singular, exceptional are somewhat overused today. Yet in the case of Ida Haendel they are justified. Born in 1928 into a Polish Jewish family, she was a child prodigy, playing Beethoven's violin concerto at the age of five... and leading master classes in London at the age of 85. After her Prague debut in 1957, she returned to the city throughout the 1960s, either to give concerts (most frequently with the Czech Philharmonic conducted by Karel Ančerl, and exclusively accompanied by the pianist Alfréd Holeček at chamber recitals) or to work in the studio. This 5-CD box features the complete live and studio recordings Ida Haendel made in Prague from 1957-65 and deposited in the Supraphon and Czech Radio archives, with a number of them being released for the first time. Alongside "virtuoso pieces" and sonatas, the CDs include concertos by Beethoven, Stravinsky, Wieniawski, as well as her "flagship" Sibelius. Ida Haendel radiates an elemental, ecstatic musicality, one peculiar to Gypsy virtuosos, here refined into a perfectly cultivated form.
