Track Listing

1. Sonata for violin & piano No. 33 in E flat major, K. 481: 1. Allegro molto ed appassionato - Presto
2. Sonata for violin & piano No. 33 in E flat major, K. 481: 2. Allegretto espressivo alla Romanza - Allegro molto - Tempo 1
3. Sonata for violin & piano No. 33 in E flat major, K. 481: 3. Allegro animato - Cantabile - Prestissimo
4. Sonata for violin & piano No. 2 in A major ('Thun'), Op. 100: 1. Allegro amabile
5. Sonata for violin & piano No. 2 in A major ('Thun'), Op. 100: 2. Andante tranquillo - Vivace - Andante - Vivace di pi� - Andante viva
6. Sonata for violin & piano No. 2 in A major ('Thun'), Op. 100: 3. Allegretto grazioso. Quasi andante
7. Sonata for violin & piano No. 3 in C minor, Op. 45: 1. Molto allegro
8. Sonata for violin & piano No. 3 in C minor, Op. 45: 2. Adagio
9. Sonata for violin & piano No. 3 in C minor, Op. 45: 3. Allegretto

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #320441 in Music
• Released on: 2007-08-01
• Number of discs: 1
• Format: Import
• Dimensions: .21 pounds

Album Details
This Must Surely Be a Unique Event in Recording History! in 1959 Arthur Grumiaux Went Into the Studios to Overdub - as Both Violinist and Pianist - the Mozart and Brahms Violin Sonatas on this Recording. A Bold Venture of Its Kind in Instrumental Classical Music and on Two Such Different Instruments, the Recording Has Been the Subject of Much Conjecture Over the Years ("Does it Really Exist?"). Now, for the First Time, it is Being Made Widely Available. The Coupling is Grumiaux's First of Two Recordings of Grieg's Delightful Third Violin Sonata which He Recorded with Istvan Hajdu - who Became a Regular Performing Partner for Grumiaux after the Death of Clara Haskil.

Customer Reviews

Disappointing recording
Grumiaux is an both an excellent pianist and one of the finest violinists of the 20th century. He won 1st prize in both instruments while at conservatory. Consequently, he accompanies himself in the Brahms and Mozart VERY WELL. Very nuanced, terrific "ensemble" within himself. He didn't have to do this, Clara Haskil was still alive and well, but I suppose he just wanted to try the experiment. Unfortunately the Philips engineers let him down because the only problem is the sound quality. The piano sounds like an upright that has been pushed against the wall; it has no presence. It is almost as if they played back the prerecorded piano track over speakers while he overdubbed the violin part. The violin on the other hand, is quite forward and present. Surely Philips (one of the great recording companies) could have done better than this sonically drab effort.

The Grieg sonata with pianist Hajdu is superb in every way.