I adore these old recordings. Despite their limitations they seem to preserve much more warmth of tone than the current digital recordings. I wonder if it's still possible to get old recording equipment.
@dududevynidu I agree with you. However that might seem to be the case to us with modern ears that are used to much more vibrato and more "affected" playing. In the late 19th and early 20th century the aesthetics of violin playing were quite different, which I find quite fascinating (I am researching on it as I type). We are privileged to be listening here to one of it's finest exponents!
@Jettmusica93 If you mean Sarasate, he played, almost always on "The Sarasate" a 1724 Strad that had once been owned by Paganini. He also owned several other violins including "The Boissier" Strad, which, however, he hardly ever played. He is playing The Sarasate in these recordings - you can tell from its unique tone. It's in the Musee de la Musique in Paris.
@richygm16 i just was basing my inference on the picture. It has a darker varnish (which a lot of the Guarneri's have) but then again, Strad's earlier violins have darker varnish, and I'm pretty sure that occasionally he made darker varnished instruments throughout. Well, I'm quite embarrassed hahahahahaha.
@cschan369 hehe yep I was thinking just the same just now - listening to the Heifetz one ... I was like - last movement of Lalo??? (I'm a cellist) but hey Lalo was a friend of Sarasate
So I looked it up - apparently an aria ('De la patria del cacao, del chocolate y del cafe' from La Gallina Ciega by Fernando Caballero) contains the original theme which both friends used in their respective works :-) wonder which one first ...
Yes it is ! . Well.. unless some impostor stole Sarasate's violin, put on a wig and fake mustache, and slipped into the studio past the security-guard ;-)
Sarasate's violin? So you mean this is the legendary Stradivarius? (No wonder why it sounds so great!) (I can hardly tell the differences between the sounds of violins, so ashamed :( )
And anyway, thank you 4 uploading this precious recording ^^
The instrument is a 1724 Strad that had once been owned by Paganini. It's now called "The Sarasate" and is in the Musee de la Musique in Paris. If you pull up their website, you can see a photo of it.
I do not think so. It is only the poor quality of recording called in French "pleurage" (something like "crying") due to the unreliable 78 turn wax disc.
I adore these old recordings. Despite their limitations they seem to preserve much more warmth of tone than the current digital recordings. I wonder if it's still possible to get old recording equipment.
EditionsRameau 3 months ago
There's something magical about hearing it in this quality.
Almost like you can hear him playing it through a veil.
246trinitrotoluene 1 year ago 3
He's playing as if it's too easy and boring for him. True master!
dududevynidu 1 year ago 9
@dududevynidu I agree with you. However that might seem to be the case to us with modern ears that are used to much more vibrato and more "affected" playing. In the late 19th and early 20th century the aesthetics of violin playing were quite different, which I find quite fascinating (I am researching on it as I type). We are privileged to be listening here to one of it's finest exponents!
RocketRalf 1 month ago
@michaelrabinthebest It must be the recording's fault!
LeJohnDuc 1 year ago
I do believe he played on a Guarneri. I could be wrong.
Jettmusica93 1 year ago
@Jettmusica93 If you mean Sarasate, he played, almost always on "The Sarasate" a 1724 Strad that had once been owned by Paganini. He also owned several other violins including "The Boissier" Strad, which, however, he hardly ever played. He is playing The Sarasate in these recordings - you can tell from its unique tone. It's in the Musee de la Musique in Paris.
richygm16 1 year ago
@richygm16 i just was basing my inference on the picture. It has a darker varnish (which a lot of the Guarneri's have) but then again, Strad's earlier violins have darker varnish, and I'm pretty sure that occasionally he made darker varnished instruments throughout. Well, I'm quite embarrassed hahahahahaha.
Jettmusica93 1 year ago
@Jettmusica93 Yes, I believe The Sarasate does have a pretty dark varnish. There's a photo of it on the Musee de la Musique website.
richygm16 1 year ago
is this opus 21... malaguena/habanera?
does anyone know where I can find sheet music for this song... it is not posted on IMSLP
246trinitrotoluene 1 year ago
Was this piece actually composed by Sarasate or he just did an arrangement for violin? Lalo used the same melody in his cello concerto!!
cschan369 2 years ago
@cschan369 hehe yep I was thinking just the same just now - listening to the Heifetz one ... I was like - last movement of Lalo??? (I'm a cellist) but hey Lalo was a friend of Sarasate
So I looked it up - apparently an aria ('De la patria del cacao, del chocolate y del cafe' from La Gallina Ciega by Fernando Caballero) contains the original theme which both friends used in their respective works :-) wonder which one first ...
Hope you also found this interesting!
Watchenlisten 1 year ago
Is this really "Sarasate playing" ?
Zhyhm 2 years ago 2
Yes it is ! . Well.. unless some impostor stole Sarasate's violin, put on a wig and fake mustache, and slipped into the studio past the security-guard ;-)
sobie99 2 years ago 9
Sarasate's violin? So you mean this is the legendary Stradivarius? (No wonder why it sounds so great!) (I can hardly tell the differences between the sounds of violins, so ashamed :( )
And anyway, thank you 4 uploading this precious recording ^^
Zhyhm 2 years ago
hmm. Come to think of it. I have no idea what violin he played at that time, but I guess a little googling should solve that problem ;-)
sobie99 2 years ago
The instrument is a 1724 Strad that had once been owned by Paganini. It's now called "The Sarasate" and is in the Musee de la Musique in Paris. If you pull up their website, you can see a photo of it.
richygm16 2 years ago
Hey he sort of resembles Mark Twain
AbsoluteZ3R0 3 years ago 2
The violin is (unfortunately!!!) not well-tuned (a string).. But this performance remains extraordinary
michaelrabinthebest 3 years ago 2
I do not think so. It is only the poor quality of recording called in French "pleurage" (something like "crying") due to the unreliable 78 turn wax disc.
ilpreterosso76 2 years ago
I agree with ilpreterosso76. Due to wax disc transformation, this sense of off-tuned string is produced.
Fastopen 2 years ago
Wonderful... one of my favorite Sarasate pieces, here played by the master himself. Many thanks for the upload.
puccinifan 3 years ago 2