Itzhak Prokofjew

In the latter twentieth and early twenty-first centuries, Itzhak Perlman has been acclaimed as being among the leading violinists before the public, and, without doubt, has been the most visible of them in media venues, from recordings and radio broadcasts to television and film appearances. No other concert violinist and few other serious musicians have achieved the widespread exposure and popularity attained by Perlman.

While mining its archives, RCA has hit paydirt with this one: a full-length LP recital by Itzhak Perlman recorded in 1965 and–except for one item–never before released. Someone at RCA had decided that this wasn't the right program for the label to introduce a new violinist, and then, apparently, it just got forgotten. Well, it's a swell program with a fine variety of music, nearly all of it well played. The exception might be the opening set of three Paganini Caprices, which are too well played; Perlman rattles them off like machine-gun fire, without the expression he would eventually bring to the music. Both Baroque sonatas sound stylish, and the violinist even tosses in a bit of appropriate embellishment, highly unusual for the mid-sixties! The Hindemith Sonata, quite easy on the ears, is a particularly good feature for the excellent pianist David Garvey. Other highlights include the impassioned Bloch and the dazzling Bazzini, an incredible high-wire act to rival the famous Heifetz acoustic. Highly recommended to fans of the violinist and of virtuosity in general. The analog sound holds up very well.

Itzhak Perlman, born in 1945, is the supreme violinist of his time. Warner Classics salutes him in his 70th birthday year with Itzhak Perlman: The Complete Warner Recordings, 59 albums on 77 CDs. Presenting his art in all its warmth, generosity and brilliance, this comprehensive edition unites the recordings Perlman made for both EMI and Teldec over a total period of more than 30 years. Available as a magnificent deluxe box set, or as 59 separate releases, Itzhak Perlman: The Complete Warner Recordings embraces every aspect of Perlman s art.

The 12 recordings on CLASSIC PERLMAN - RHAPSODY were selected specifically to showcase the unparalleled lyricism of the brilliant violinist Itzhak Perlman. The emphasis here is not so much on his flawless technique, but on his warm, radiant tone, innate musicality, and the beauty of his phrasing. Perlman's emotional commitment is evident in expressive readings of classics such as the Adagio from Brahms's Third Sonata, Paganini's Cantabile for Violin and Guitar, and Dvorák's Romance in F Minor.

Itzhak Perlman was born in Tel Aviv on 31st August 1945 to a family of Polish origin. He was drawn to the violin from the age of three, but when he was four he contracted polio, losing the use of his legs. Despite his handicap, he began learning the violin a year later, and his first teacher was a café violinist. Very soon, he joined the Tel Aviv Music Academy where he studied for eight years with Rivka Goldgart, a teacher of Russian origin.

Because he's long been stereotyped by the rousing neo-romantic adventure scores for the Star Wars, Indiana Jones, and Jurassic Park franchises, it's easy to forget that composer John Williams is hardly idiomatically challenged. When Steven Spielberg gratifyingly used the clout of his enormous commercial success to produce and direct this brave Holocaust drama, his longtime musical collaborator used the opportunity to display both the depth and maturity of his musical gifts and training, producing a score with sad, evocative melodies frequently carried by the violin of the great Itzhak Perlman. Rich with ethnic nuance and showcasing the composer's masterful orchestral/choral subtlety, Williams's emotionally compelling score for Schindler's List also won the Academy Award for Best Dramatic Score.

Itzhak Perlman: The Complete Warner Recordings embraces every aspect of Perlman's art. It contains concertos (the ‘essential' concertos, of course, but also more rarely-heard works, including Perlman's own commissions from living composers); other pieces for violin and orchestra; chamber music; recital and crossover repertoire (including jazz, ragtime and klezmer), and even a disc that focuses on Perlman as narrator and (briefly) opera singer. The recordings document his collaborations with the world's greatest orchestras and an array of superlative fellow-soloists and conductors, including Martha Argerich, Vladimir Ashkenazy, Daniel Barenboim, Plácido Domingo, Carlo Maria Giulini, Bernard Haitink, Lynn Harrell, Yo Yo Ma, Zubin Mehta, Seiji Ozawa, André Previn and Pinchas Zukerman.

Itzhak Perlman was born in Israel in 1945 and moved to the USA in 1958, where he trained at the Juilliard School in New York. His success in winning the prestigious Leventritt Competition in 1964 launched his international career through which he has become known as one of the world's leading musicians.
Itzhak Perlman has appeared with every major orchestra and in recitals and festivals throughout the world. In November 1987 he joined the Israel Philharmonic for history-making concerts in Warsaw and Budapest, representing the first performances by this orchestra and soloist in Eastern block countries. He again made history as he joined the Israel Philharmonic for its first visit to the Soviet Union in April 1990 with concerts in Moscow and Leningrad. In recent years Perlman has continued to perform with leading orchestras in addition to touring major cities throughout the world with his accompanists Bruno Canino and Samuel Sanders. In 1996 Perlman's engagements included concerto and recital appearances throughout Europe, Asia and North America, including appearances with many of the world's foremost orchestras and composers.