Campoli: Beethoven Op 61 - Decca LXT 2674 (autographed)
$
125
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Description
ITEM DESCRIPTION:
This superb LP – signed by Alfredo Campoli, no less – from Decca (LXT 2674, English pressing, orange/gold label, mono – no stereo edition exists) features the great Italian-born British violinist's sublime rendering of Beethoven's Violin Concerto in D Major Op. 61, recorded at London's Kingsway Hall on 2-4 January 1952 with conductor Josef Krips leading the London Symphony Orchestra (producer: Victor Olof / engineer: Kenneth Wilkinson).
Campoli’s autograph is boldly signed in ink to the right of Beethoven’s image and just above the violinist’s printed name – a copy suitable for framing and quite rare.
Wrote the critic A.R. in his review for the May 1952 issue of The Gramophone: "The recording of Beethoven's Violin Concerto made by Ida Haendel and issued last December (H. M.V. C4s 26-30, CS4131), with Kubelik conducting the Philharmonia Orchestra, broke the spell of bad luck that seems always before to have attended recordings of this testing work. " H. F." highly praised both performance and recording in the December GRAMOPHONE, and no doubt those who invested in that issue will remain content with it. The present issue, however, is the first on LP, and I am glad that Decca have had the imaginative insight to cast Campoli for the solo part. Like Ida Haendel he avoids all showiness and gives a reflective reading that some people may feel reduces the size of the music. For myself I do not feel that ; and I am glad both to have a level of recording really suited to a room and an interpretation that leaves a place for the imagination of the listener to function. The actual quality of the orchestral playing is respectable rather than distinguished, but Josef Krips accompanies sensitively and the ensemble is excellent.
"Campoli's playing gives me the impression of overhearing a musician of exquisite sensibility thinking over Beethoven's thoughts : and this is apparent from his first gentle entrance to his soft final exit.
"The soloist's pace throughout is deliberate and unhurried, but there is an interesting use of rubato which can first be noticed in his playing of the triplets just after he has finished decorating the main theme of the second group and begins to play the prevailing timpani rhythm with the orchestra. The effect is to dot the first note of all groups so treated. In Campoli's playing, the perfect security of his intonation and his beauty of tone in the highest register of his violin are indeed a joy. The fidelity of the recording in the solo part is remarkable and indeed startling. There are two familiar passages soon after the recapitulation, the first starting on an F natural above the stave with a G for bassoon below, the other a dreaming meditation starting in G minor, which I do not expect ever to hear more beautifully done. The cadenza in the first movement is no more obtrusive than it must be, the ones in the slow movement and finale, are rightly very brief. Perhaps the most lovely thing in the slow movement is the passage in which the opening theme steals in, pizzicato, on the strings while the violin traces its lovely outline an octave higher. The single horn notes are too faintly recorded just before the end of the movement, but are good at the final allusion to the theme. One does not expect, or get, a boisterous playing of the rondo theme (the movement is marked allegro giocoso,) and I should prefer it to have been a little more pointed up but Canapoli's restrained interpretation is of a piece with his general conception of the concerto. The celebrated chatter of oboes and clarinets,' taken over by violins, comes out well and so does the bassoon solo in G minor later on.
"I salute, then, a most musical and satisfying interpretation of this great work and a generally admirable recording."
Incidentally, Campoli uses Kreisler’s cadenzas.
CONDITION – PLEASE READ CAREFULLY:
The gradations of condition I use are as follows: MINT, Near-Mint, Excellent, Very Good, Good, Fair, Poor.
The condition of the jacket is VERY GOOD-. There is edgwear, bumping at corners, and slight creasing, as well as discoloration, some scuffing, and a small bit of writing to the rear panel. However, there are no seamsplits, bends, or owners' markings and the album remains solid and striking in appearance – still a decent collector's copy.
The condition of the LP itself is GOOD. Although there is light surface noise throughout, the LP plays without problem and the sound is fine. However, if you require a flawless, near-MINT, or even excellent copy you are advised to look elsewhere. Overall, this is a decent copy, the principal attraction of which remains Campoli’s rare autograph.
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