Genre: Classical
Ruggiero Ricci (1918 - 2012) secured his entry into the history of recorded music with the very first recording of the 24 caprices by “the devil's violinist” Nicolo Paganini, which had been deemed unplayable until then. This was followed by decades of world fame, in which he triumphed as perhaps the greatest violin virtuoso of his time on all continents. Proof of this is provided by the ten CDs in this documentary. As a ten-year-old Ricci had made his concert debut in his native San Francisco, a year later he already stood onstage at Carnegie Hall with Mendelssohn's Violin Concerto. His parents, music-loving Italian immigrants, had enabled him to study with the famous teacher Louis Persinger. Later on he continued his education with Georg Kulenkampff in Berlin and enjoyed the support of the great Fritz Kreisler. In addition to the astonishing ease of the virtuoso, this documentation also exemplifies Ricci’s respectful handling of the great works that Beethoven, Tchaikovsky, Dvorák, Mendelssohn and others have written for his instrument. Equally interesting is his interaction with Martha Argerich and Friedrich Gulda.
Tracklist:
CD 1
■ Nicolò Paganini (1782 - 1840)
24 CAPRICES FOR SOLO VIOLIN, OP. 1
1. No. 1 in E major / E-Dur (Andante) 1‘35
2. No. 2 in B minor / h-Moll (Moderato) 2‘55
3. No. 3 in E minor / e-Moll (Sostenuto, Presto, Sostenuto) 2‘55
4. No. 4 in C minor / c-Moll (Maestoso) 6‘00
5. No. 5 in A minor / a-Moll (Agitato) 2‘17
6. No. 6 in G minor / g-Moll (Adagio) 4‘55
7. No. 7 in A minor / a-Moll (Moderato assai) 3‘09
8. No. 8 in E flat major / Es-Dur (Maestoso) 2‘33
9. No. 9 in E major / E-Dur (Allegretto) 2‘52
10. No. in G minor / g-Moll (Vivace) 2‘01
11. No. 11 in C major / C-Dur (Andante, Presto, Tempo I) 4‘09
12. No. 12 in A flat major / As-Dur ( Allegro) 2‘37
13. No. 13 in B flat major / B-Dur (Allegro non troppo) 2‘36
14. No. 14 in E flat major / Es-Dur (Marcia: Moderato) 1‘31
15. No. 15 in E minor / e-Moll (Posato) 2‘39
16. No. 16 in G minor / g-Moll (Presto) 1‘08
17. No. 17 in E flat major / Es-Dur (Sostenuto, Andante) 3‘02
18. No. 18 in C major / C-Dur (Corrente, Allegro) 2‘14
19. No. 19 in E flat major / Es-Dur (Lento, Allegro assai) 2‘44
20. No. 20 in D major / D-Dur (Allegretto) 3‘52
21. No. 21 in A major / A-Dur (Amoroso, Presto) 3‘13
22. No. 22 in F major / F-Dur (Marcato) 2‘51
23. No. 23 in E flat major / Es-Dur (Posato) 4‘11
24. No. 24 in A minor / a-Moll 6‘04
(Tema con variazioni: Quasi presto)
Ruggiero Ricci violin ∙ recorded / aufgenommen 1950
LK 4025 (1-12), LXT 2588 (13-24)
Total Time 74‘05
CD 2
■ Nicolò Paganini (1782 - 1840)
VIOLIN CONCERTO NO. 1 IN D-MAJOR, OP. 6
Konzert für Violine und Orchester, D-Dur, op. 6
1. 1. Allegro maestoso (Cadenza: Paganini, arr. Sauret) 15‘04
2. 2. Adagio 6‘00
3. 3. Rondo: Allegro spiritoso 7‘40
VIOLIN CONCERTO NO. 2 IN B MINOR, OP. 7 “La campanella”
Konzert für Violine und Orchester, h-Moll, op. 7
4. 1. Allegro maestoso (Cadenza: Balsam) 13‘26
5. 2. Adagio 6‘38
6. 3. Rondo 7‘27
Ruggiero Ricci violin ∙ London Symphony Orchestra
conductor / Dirigent Anthony Collins
recorded / aufgenommen 1955 ∙ LXT 5075
■ Maurice Ravel (1875 - 1917)
7. Tzigane 10‘14
Ruggiero Ricci violin ∙ L'Orchestre de la Suisse Romande
conductor / Dirigent Ernest Ansermet
recorded / aufgenommen 1959 ∙ from SXL 2155
■ Pablo de Sarasate (1844 - 1908)
8. Jota arragonesa, op. 27 4‘33
Ruggiero Ricci violin ∙ Ernest Lush piano
recorded / aufgenommen 1958
Total Time 71‘09
CD 3
■ Pablo de Sarasate (1844 - 1908)
1. Zigeunerweisen, op. 20/1 7‘47
Ruggiero Ricci violin ∙ London Symphony Orchestra
conductor / Dirigent Piero Gamba
recorded / aufgenommen 1959 ∙ from SXL 2197
■ Moritz Moszkowski (1854 - 1925)
2. Guitarre, op. 45/2 (arr. Sarasate) 3‘00
■ Frédéric Chopin (1810 – 1849)
3. Nocturne No. 20 in C sharp minor 3‘36
cis-Moll, op.posth.
(arr. Milstein)
■ Edward Elgar (1857 - 1934)
4. La Capricieuse, op. 17 3‘24
(arr. Milstein)
■ Henryk Wieniawski (1835 - 1880)
5. Scherzo-Tarantelle, op. 16 4‘13
■ Josef Suk (1874 – 1935)
6. Burleska, op. 7/4 2‘53
■ Nicoló Paganini (1782 - 1840)
7. Le streghe, op. 8 (Witches‘ Dance / Hexentanz) 7‘14
Variations on a theme
from Süssmayr’s „Il noce de Benevento“ (arr. Kreisler)
8. Fantasia, op. 24, after / nach Rossini’s „Mosè in Egitto“ 5‘29
9. Moto perpetuo, op. 11 3‘58
10. Variaziones del „Nel cor più non mi sento“ 9‘18
(Paisiello: La molinara)
11. Variations on „God Save the King“, op. 9 5‘33
12. La campanella (Violin Concerto No. 2, arr. Kochanski) 4‘34
13. Sonata No. 12, E minor / e-Moll, op. 3/6 3‘54
14. I palpiti: Introduzione e variazioni „Di tanti palpiti“, op. 13 9‘41
(Rossini: Tancredi, arr. Kreisler)
Ruggiero Ricci violin
recorded / aufgenommen 1954 (7-14), 1958 (2-6)
Ernest Lush piano (2-6)
Louis Persinger piano (7-14)
Total Time 74‘54
CD 4
■ Edouard Lalo (1823 - 1892)
SYMPHONIE ESPAGNOLE IN D MINOR / d-Moll, op. 21
1. 1. Allegro non troppo 7‘45
2. 2. Scherzando: Allegro molto 4‘29
3. 3. Intermezzo: Allegretto ma non troppo 6‘10
4. 4. Andante 6‘19
5. 5. Rondo: Allegro 8‘20
Ruggiero Ricci violin ∙ L'Orchestre de la Suisse Romande
conductor / Dirigent Ernest Ansermet
recorded / aufgenommen 1959 ∙ from SXL 2155
■ Camille Saint-Saëns (1835 - 1921)
6. HAVANAISE, op. 83 9‘16
7. INTRODUCTION & RONDO CAPRICCIOSO, op. 28 8‘30
■ Pablo de Sarasate (1844 - 1908)
8. „CARMEN“, Fantasie de concert, op. 25 12‘51
Ruggiero Ricci violin ∙ London Symphony Orchestra
conductor / Dirigent Piero Gamba
recorded / aufgenommen 1959 ∙ from SXL 2197
9. INTRODUCTION & TARANTELLA, op. 43 4‘25
Ruggiero Ricci violin ∙ Martha Argerich piano
recorded / aufgenommen 1961, Live
(Leningrad / St. Petersburg)
Total Time 68‘21
CD 5
■ Béla Bartók (1881 - 1945)
SONATINA FOR VIOLIN AND PIANO IN D MAJOR
Sonatine für Violine und Klavier, D-Dur
On Folk Songs from Transylvanya
nach Volksliedern aus Transylvanien
(arr. from piano sonata of 1915 by André Gertler)
1. 1. Cornemuses. Allegretto 1‘17
2. 2. Danse de l’ours. Moderato 0‘41
3. 3. Finale: Allegro vivace 1‘54
SONATA FOR VIOLIN SOLO
4. 1. Tempo di ciaconna 8‘23
5. 2. Fuga (Risoluto, non troppo vivo) 3‘33
6. 3. Melodia (Adagio) 6‘03
7. 4. Presto 5‘34
Ruggiero Ricci violin
Martha Argerich piano (1-3)
recorded / aufgenommen 1961, Live
(Leningrad / St. Petersburg)
■ Pablo de Sarasate (1844 - 1908)
8. SRENADE ANDALOUSE, op. 28 4‘08
9. CAPRICE BASQUE, op. 24 4‘16
SPANISH DANCES / SPANISCHE TÄNZE, op. 21
10. Malagueña 4‘10
11. Habanera 3‘31
SPANISH DANCES / SPANISCHE TÄNZE, op. 22
12. Romanza andaluza 4‘15
13. Jota Navarra 4‘26
SPANISH DANCES / SPANISCHE TÄNZE, op. 23
14. Playera 3‘50
15. Zapateado 3‘28
SPANISH DANCES / SPANISCHE TÄNZE, op. 26
16. Spanish dance no. 7 5‘16
17. Spanish dance no. 8 4‘19
Ruggiero Ricci violin
Brooks Smith piano
recorded / aufgenommen 1961
Total Time 69‘26
CD 6
■ Richard Strauss (1864 - 1949)
VIOLIN SONATA IN E FLAT MAJOR, OP. 18
Sonate für Violine und Klavier, Es-Dur, op.18
1. 1. Allegro ma non troppo 10‘43
2. 2. Improvisation: Andante cantabile 7‘40
3. 3. Finale: Andante – Allegro 8‘34
Ruggiero Ricci violin
Carlo Bussotti piano
recorded / aufgenommen 1953
from LXT 2818
■ Carl Maria von Weber (1786 - 1826)
SIX SONATES PROGRESSIVES
NO. 1 IN F MAJOR / F-Dur, J99
4. 1. Allegro 2‘18
5. 2. Romanze: Larghetto 1‘59
6. 3. Rondo: Amabile 2‘37
NO. 2 IN G MAJOR / G-Dur, J100
7. 1. Carattere espagnuolo: Moderato 2‘34
8. 2. Adagio 3‘07
9. 3. Air polonaise (Rondo): Allegro 2‘12
NO. 3 IN D MINOR / d-Moll, J101
10. 1. Air russe: Allegro moderato 1‘47
11. 2. Rondo: Presto 2‘17
NO. 4 IN E FLAT MAJOR / Es-Dur, J102
12. 1. Moderato 3‘24
13. 2. Rondo: Vivace 1‘58
NO. 5 IN A MAJOR / A-Dur, J103
14. 1. Andante con moto 3‘19
15. 2. Siciliano: Allegretto 2‘54
NO. 6 IN C MAJOR/C-Dur, J104
16. 1. Allegro con fuoco 2‘50
17. 2. Largo – Polacca 5‘31
Ruggiero Ricci violin
Carlo Bussotti piano
recorded / aufgenommen 1954
LXT 2959
Total Time 65‘45
CD 7
■ Antonin Dvorák (1841 - 1904)
VIOLIN CONCERTO IN A MINOR, OP. 53
Konzert für Violine und Orchester, a-Moll, op. 53
1. 1. Allegro ma non troppo 9‘23
2. 2. Adagio ma non troppo 12‘41
3. 3. Finale: Allegro giocoso ma non troppo 10‘13
■ Pjotr I. Tchaikovsky (1840 - 1893)
VIOLIN CONCERTO IN D MAJOR, OP. 35
Konzert für Violine und Orchester, D-Dur, op. 35
4. 1. Allegro moderato. Moderato assai 18‘05
5. 2. Canzonetta. Andante – attacca subito 6‘06
6. 3. Finale: Allegro vivacissimo 8‘49
Ruggiero Ricci violin
London Symphony Orchestra
conductor / Dirigent Sir Malcolm Sargent
recorded / aufgenommen 1961
LXT 2509 (4-6)
Total Time 65‘24
CD 8
■ Felix Mendelssohn-Bartholdy (1809 - 1847)
VIOLIN CONCERTO IN E MINOR, OP. 64
Konzert für Violine und Orchester, e-Moll, op. 64
1. 1. Allegro molto appassionato 12‘54
2. 2. Andante 7‘36
3. 3. Allegro non troppo. Allegro molto vivace 6‘14
Ruggiero Ricci violin
London Symphony Orchestra
conductor / Dirigent Piero Gamba
recorded / aufgenommen 1957
LW 50078
■ Johannes Brahms (1833 - 1897)
SONATA NO. 2 IN A MAJOR FOR VIOLIN AND PIANO, OP. 100
Sonate Nr. 2, A-Dur, für Violine und Klavier, op. 100
4. 1. Allegro amabile 8‘05
5. 2. Andante tranquillo 6‘37
6. 3. Allegretto grazioso 5‘14
SONATA NO. 3 IN D MINOR FOR VIOLIN AND PIANO, OP. 108
Sonate Nr. 3, D-Moll, für Violine und Klavier, op. 108
7. 1. Allegro 7‘21
8. 2. Adagio 4‘30
9. 3. Un poco presto e con sentimento 2‘49
10. 4. Presto agitato 5‘41
Ruggiero Ricci violin Julius Katchen piano
recorded / aufgenommen 1956
LXT 2750
Total Time 67‘11
CD 9
■ Ludwig van Beethoven (1770 - 1827)
VIOLIN SONATA NO. 7 IN C MINOR, OP. 30/2
Sonate Nr. 7 für Violine und Klavier, c-Moll, op. 30/2
1. 1. Allegro con brio 7‘22
2. 2. Adagio cantabile 10‘27
3. 3. Scherzo (Allegro) 3‘09
4. 4. Finale: Allegro 4‘53
VIOLIN SONATA NO. 10 IN G MAJOR, OP. 96
Sonate Nr. 10 für Violine und Klavier, G-Dur, op. 96
5. 1. Allegro moderato 9‘41
6. 2. Adagio espressivo 6‘26
7. 3. Scherzo (Allegro) 2‘10
8. 4. Poco allegretto 8‘02
Ruggiero Ricci violin ∙ Friedrich Gulda piano
recorded / aufgenommen 1954 ∙ LXT 2942
VIOLIN SONATA NO. 3 IN E FLAT MAJOR, OP. 12/3
Sonate Nr. 3 für Violine und Klavier, Es-Dur, op. 12/3
9. 1. Allegro con spirito 5‘45
10. 2. Adagio con molt‘ espressione 5‘45
11. 3. Rondo (Allegro molto) 4‘09
Ruggiero Ricci violin ∙ Martha Argerich piano
recorded / aufgenommen 1961, Live
(Leningrad / St. Petersburg)
Total Time 67‘55
CD 10
■ Paul Hindemith (1895 - 1963)
SONATA FOR VIOLIN SOLO, OP. 31, NO. 1
1. 1. Sehr lebhafte Achtel 1‘34
2. 2. Sehr langsame Viertel 2‘42
3. 3. Sehr lebhafte Viertel 1‘58
4. 4. Intermezzo, Lied. Ruhig bewegte Achtel 1‘54
5. 5. Prestissimo 1‘48
SONATA FOR VIOLIN SOLO, OP. 31, NO. 2
6. 1. Leichte bewegte Viertel 1‘52
7. 2. Ruhig bewegte Achtel 2‘24
8. 3. Gemächliche Viertel 1‘05
9. 4. Fünf Variationen über das Lied 3'58
„Komm, lieber Mai“ (Mozart):
Leicht bewegt – Ein wenig ruhiger – Viel langsamer.
Ruhig – Sehr lebhaft – Etwas langsam
■ Sergei Prokofiev (1891 - 1953)
SONATA FOR VIOLIN SOLO, OP. 115
10. 1. Moderato 4‘28
11. 2. Andante dolce 3‘14
12. 3. Con brio 3‘39
Ruggiero Ricci violin
recorded / aufgenommen 1960
SXL 2240
■ Aram Khachaturian (1903 - 1978)
VIOLIN CONCERTO
Konzert für Violine und Orchester
13. 1. Allegro con fermezza – Mono mosso 16‘02
– Lento ma non troppo
Cadenza – Tempo I
14. 2. Andante sostenuto – Allegretto – Andante 12‘22
– Tempo I
15. 3. Allegro vivace 10‘32
Ruggiero Ricci violin
Carlo Bussotti piano
recorded / aufgenommen 1954
LXT 2959
Total Time 69‘45