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Philips released a new compilation, a 6 CD set, including recordings from 1955 to 1978.Grumiaux made an enormous number of recordings for Philips and this set restores some which have not been available for many years.
The set includes Handel’s six sonatas Op.1, partnered by French harpsichordist Robert Veyron-Lacroix. Grumiaux was also a famous exponent of Bach, making two recordings of the set of six sonatas with harpsichord, BWV 1014–19. Here we have his first version, from 1963, made with the Italian Egida Giordani Sartori. He recorded the Schubert sonatas four times, these versions, with the British pianist Paul Crossley, being his final thoughts.
The versions included here of the two Bach concertos are the earliest (he recorded them three times), made when his tone was at its freshest. By contrast his only version of Vivaldi’s Four Seasons comes from late in his career. Here he is supported by the Hungarian conductor Arpad Gérecz. Grumiaux also made three recordings of the Mendelssohn E minor and Tchaikovsky Concertos. These are his final versions, with the Polish conductor Jan Krenz — at these sessions he added the early Mendelssohn D minor Concerto and Tchaikovsky’s beautiful Sérenade mélancolique. The Bruch G minor Concerto was another which received three Grumiaux recordings and again we are given his last version, conducted by Heinz Wallberg, along with his only studio recording of the Scottish Fantasy. Collectors will also be grateful to have his collaborations with the Dutch conductor Edo de Waart: another fine Vivaldi concerto; one of the three written by Joseph Haydn’s younger brother Michael; and haunting pieces by the Polish violinist and composer Henryk Wieniawski and the Norwegian-born Johan Svendsen.
The set includes Handel’s six sonatas Op.1, partnered by French harpsichordist Robert Veyron-Lacroix. Grumiaux was also a famous exponent of Bach, making two recordings of the set of six sonatas with harpsichord, BWV 1014–19. Here we have his first version, from 1963, made with the Italian Egida Giordani Sartori. He recorded the Schubert sonatas four times, these versions, with the British pianist Paul Crossley, being his final thoughts.
The versions included here of the two Bach concertos are the earliest (he recorded them three times), made when his tone was at its freshest. By contrast his only version of Vivaldi’s Four Seasons comes from late in his career. Here he is supported by the Hungarian conductor Arpad Gérecz. Grumiaux also made three recordings of the Mendelssohn E minor and Tchaikovsky Concertos. These are his final versions, with the Polish conductor Jan Krenz — at these sessions he added the early Mendelssohn D minor Concerto and Tchaikovsky’s beautiful Sérenade mélancolique. The Bruch G minor Concerto was another which received three Grumiaux recordings and again we are given his last version, conducted by Heinz Wallberg, along with his only studio recording of the Scottish Fantasy. Collectors will also be grateful to have his collaborations with the Dutch conductor Edo de Waart: another fine Vivaldi concerto; one of the three written by Joseph Haydn’s younger brother Michael; and haunting pieces by the Polish violinist and composer Henryk Wieniawski and the Norwegian-born Johan Svendsen.
