Various: Primrose Recital vol.2 (Naxos Historical Audio CD)  

William Primrose Recital, Vol 2
Recorded 1934-1952

PAGANINI arr PRIMROSE 4 Caprices Op 1 Nos 5, 13, 17 & 24 • HANDEL Sonata
in E Op 2 No 9: Adagio • HANDEL arr HALVORSEN Harpsichord Suite No. 7 in G
minor: Passacaglia • JS BACH arr de TAR Komm süsser Tod BWV 478 • BRAHMS
2 Songs for contralto, viola obbligato and piano Op 91, Herzlich tut mich verlangen
Op 122 No 10 • SCHUBERT arr de TAR Litanei D 343 • A BENJAMIN Sonata for
Viola and Piano • R HARRIS Soliloquy and Dance

Considered the first really modern violist, legendary Scottish musician William Primrose first came to prominence with the violin in the 1920s, turning to the viola on the recommendation of his greatest mentor, Eugène Ysaÿe. This programme includes four Paganini Caprices, which did more than any other of Primrose’s recordings to spread his fame among his peers, as well as two major works written especially for him: Arthur Benjamin’s Sonata, and Roy Harris’s Soliloquy and Dance. Primrose performs here with numerous noted accompanists, and alongside Jascha Heifetz in Halvorsen’s Passacaglia. This is the second of two
volumes, the first of which is on 8.111382.

The recorded legacy of William Primrose is well known, but newly re-mastered editions from our Historical catalogue always generate interest. The sonic results with this recital by ‘absolute stars’ (MusicWeb International on 8.120607) producer David Lennick and restorer Graham Newton makes this the new standard bearer for these legendary recordings. This release joins volume one on 8.111382 to make an eminently collectable pair.