Viotti Complete

Giovanni Battista Viotti (1755-1824) was an Italian violinist and composer, and one of the major figures in the advancement of modern violin performance. While he is remembered today for his 29 violin concertos, which proved to be his most original and enduring works, he was a celebrity in his day for his phenomenal playing. His intermittent career as a violinist took him from Versailles, where he joined the court of Marie Antoinette, to concerts in London. After failing at a wine business, Viotti turned to managing the Paris Opéra and taught several rising violinists, including Rodolphe Kreutzer

Volume Two of the Complete String Concertos of Ignace Pleyel (1757-1831) includes some charming, if undistinguished. music that sounds like Haydn with bits of Mozart mixed in. At one time among the most celebrated of Europe’s composers, Pleyel’s work has fallen into obscurity; so, we can be grateful that some talented instrumentalists are taking up his mantle again. A competent kapellmeister and more than competent master of diverse forms, Pleyel seems to employs the three-movement format for his Viotti-like concertos; the recording gives us the alternative ending, a 4/4 Rondo, to his violin concerto.

Not surprisingly, Jean-Pierre Rampal’s recordings for Erato during the 1970s – when he was at the top of his career – encompass an immense repertoire, with a special emphasis on discoveries, whether in baroque, classical or romantic flute literature. Still a model today for flutists and flute lovers all over the world, his incomparable sound, spectacular brilliance and fabulous artistry made many albums legendary. Beyond their sheer beauty, the immense joy of music-making they communicate and the excitement they generate make these performances simply unforgettable.

This 50-CD set features Sir Yehudi Menuhin's most celebrated EMI recordings, made during his extraordinary 70-year exclusive recording relationship with the company. Includes works by composers such as Bach, Berg, Beethoven, Bartók, Brahms, Dvoøák, Enescu, Handel, Lalo, Mozart, Paganini, Sibelius, Vivaldi, and more!
Also includes a bonus interview CD, entitled Yehudi Menuhin: Highlights and Recollections of a Legendary Life.