Max Rostal
Milestones of a Violin Legend
Documents 600473
13th Jul 2018

 

 

 

 

The musical legacy of the most interesting violinist of the 20th century in a complete overview for the first time
His versatility made Max Rostal (1905-1991) arguably the most interesting violinist of his generation: open-minded towards contemporary works, he helped many young composers gain their place in concert programs. As a teacher - first in Berlin, then in London, Bern, and Cologne - he influenced several generations of young violinists, and as an author ("Thoughts on their interpretations") he gave a profound insight into his experiences as an artist. Max Rostal was considered a prodigy, already performing in public at the age of six. He studied in Vienna with Arnold Rosé, and in Berlin with Carl Flesch. In 1927 he became Concertmaster of the Philharmonic Orchestra in Oslo, from 1928 on he assisted Carl Flesch at the Berlin Music Academy, where he took on his own professorship two years later. Rostal emigrated to London at the beginning of the Nazi dictatorship and worked there as an educator from 1944 to 1958 in addition to his concert career. He continued teaching in the post-war years in Bern and Cologne (until 1982). Together with Heinz Schröter and Gaspar Cassadó, he founded a soon to be famous chamber music ensemble, which was completed by Siegfried Palm on cello after Cassadó's death. Max Rostal's musical legacy is represented on this 10-CD collection for the first time in a complete overview. One could say that it revolves around Bartok's 2nd Violin Concerto, as its debut in Britain was organized and performed by Max Rostal.

Max Rostal, Monique Haas, Colin Horsley, Franz Osborn, Lothar Broddack, Maria Bergmann, Gaspar Cassado, Heinz Schröter
BBC Symphony Orchestra, BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra, BBC Northern Symphony Orchestra, Winterthur Sinfonieorchester

DISC 1 55:40

Dmitri Shostakovich - Concert for Violin and Orchestra Nr. 1, A-Minor, Op. 99
Max Rostal, violin
BBC Symphony Orchestra
Sir Malcom Sargent
1956, Live
1.  I. (applause) Nocturne 12:52
2. II. Scherzo 6:15
3. III. Passacaglia 13:29
4. IV. Burlesque (applause) 5:10
5. Igor Stravinsky - Duo Concertant
Max Rostal, violin
Colin Horley, piano
1957 		17:46

DISC 2 71:35

Bela Bartok - Concert for Violin and Orchestra Nr. 2
Max Rostal, violin
BBC Scottish Orchestra
Norman Del Mar
1962, Live
1. I. (applause) Allegro non troppo" 19:08
2. II. Andante tranquillo 11:30
3. III. Allegro molto (applause) 12:23
Alban Berg - In Memory Of An Angel
Max Rostal, violin
BBC Syphony Orchestra
Hermann Scherchen
1953
4. I. Andante-Allegretto 12:02
5. II. Allegro-Adagio 16:24

DISC 3 44:10

Maurice Ravel - Sonata for Violin and Piano
Max Rostal, violin
Monique Haas, piano
1958
1. I. Allegretto 8:59
2. II. Blues. Mmoderato 5:52
3. III. Perpetuum mobile. Allegro 3:46
Marcel Mihalovici - Sonata for Violin and Piano No. 2, Op. 45 / Dedicated to Bohuslav Martinu
Max Rostal, violin
Monique Haas, piano
4. I. Allegro molto appassionato 7:50
5. II. Larghetto cantabile 10:11
6. III. Molto vivace 7:39

DISC 4 58:20

Edward Elgar - Concert for Violin and Piano, e-Minor, op. 82
Max Rostal, violin
Colin Horsley, piano
1954
1.  I. Allegro 8:36
2. II. Romance (Andante) 8:06
3. III. Allegro non troppo 10:01
Bernard Stevens - Concert for Violin and Orchestra
Max Rostal, violin
BBC Northern Orchestra
Sir Charles Grooves
1948
4. I. Andante 12:40
5. II. Adagio 9:16
6. III. Allegro maestoso alla marcia 9:34

DISC 5 57:57

Frederick Delius - Concert for Violin and Piano Nr. 2
Max Rostal, violin
Colin Horsley, piano
1954
1. I. Con moto 4:57
2. II. Lento 6:19
3. III. Molto vivace 3:05
William Walton - Concert for Violin and Piano
Max Rostal, violin
Colin Horsley, piano
1954
4. I. Allegro tranquillo 12:56
5. II. Variazioni (Andante) 14:58
Benjamin Frankel - Sonata for Violin Solo, op. 13
Max Rostal, violin
1958
6. I. Molto moderato 7:18
7. II. Allegro con spirito 3:27
8. III. Allegretto, quasi Andantino 448

DISC 6 52:06

Ludwig van Beethoven
Max Rostal, violin
Symphony Orchester Winterthur
Walter Goehr
1954
1. Romance for Violin and Orchestra, op. 40 8:41
2. Romance for Violin and Orchestra, op. 50 9:18
Concert for Violin and Piano Nr. 4, a-Minor, op. 23
Max Rostal, violin
Franz Osborn, piano
1956
3. I. Presto 4:39
4. II. Andante scherzoso più Allegretto 5:55
5. III. Allegro molto 5:21
Concert for Violin and Piano Nr. 8, G-Major, op. 30 Nr.3
Max Rostal, violin
Franz Osborn, piano
1956
6. I. Allegro assai 6:06
7. II. Tempo di minuetto, ma molto moderato e grazioso 8:36
8. III. Allegro vivace 3:22

DISC 7 59:15

Ludwig van Beethoven - Concert for Violin and Piano Nr. 9, A-Major, op. 47, "Kreutzersonate"
Max Rostal, violin
Franz Osborn, piano
1951
1. I. Adagio sostenuto - Presto 11:54
2. II. Andante con variazioni 15:22
3. III. Finale: Presto 6:29
Ludwig van Beethoven - Concert for Violin and Piano, c-Minor, op. 30 Nr. 2
Max Rostal, violin
Lothar Broddack, piano
1958
4.  I. Allegro con brio 7:15
5. II. Adagio cantabile 10:07
6. III. Scherzo: Allegro 3:06
7. IV. Finale: Allegro - Presto 4:54

DISC 8 47:48

Johannes Brahms - Sonata for Violin and Piano Nr. 1, G-Major, op. 78
Max Rostal, violin
Maria Bergmann, piano
1958
1. I. Vivace ma non troppo 10:41
2. II. Adagio 8:39
3. III. Allegro molto moderato 8:42
4. Johannes Brahms - Scherzo, C-Minor (from F.A.E Sonata)
Max Rostal, violin
Franz Osborn, piano
1949 		5:21
Claude Debussy - Sonata
Max Rostal, violin
Colin Horsley, piano
1957
5. I. Allegro vivo 5:32
6. II. Intermède: fantasque et léger 4:24
7. III. Finale: très animé 4:15

DISC 9 68:09

1. Franz Schubert - Fantasia, C-Major, D 934
Max Rostal, violin
Colin Horsley, piano
1957 		27:21
Robert Schumann - Concert for Violin and Piano, A-Minor, op. 105
Max Rostal, violin
Colin Horsley, piano
1957
2. I. Mit leidenschaftlichem Ausdruck 7:24
3. II. Allegretto 4:19
4. III. Lebhaft 4:17
Ludwig van Beethoven - Trio for Violin, Cello and Piano, C-Minor, op. 1 Nr. 3
Max Rostal, violin
Gaspar Cassado, cello
Heinz Schröter, piano
1960
5. I. Allegro con brio 9:45
6. II. Andante cantabile con variazioni 6:15
7. III. Menuetto (quasi Allegro) 2:49
8. IV. Finale: Prestissimo 5:47

DISC 10 57:16

1. Heinrich Ignaz Franz Biber - Arr.: M. Rostal - Passacaglia In G-Minor
Max Rostal, violin
1958, Live 		8:56
Robin Orr - Sonatina for Violin and Piano
Max Rostal, violin
Franz Osborn, piano
1948
2. I. Andante moderato 2:15
3. II. Adagio appassionato 2:11
4. III. Allegro vivace 4:18
Bela Bartok - Concert for Violin and Orchestra Nr. 2
Max Rostal, violin
London Symphony Orchestra
Sir Malcom Sargent
1951
5. I. Allegro non troppo 17:36
6. II. Andante tranquillo 9:27
7. III. Allegro molto 12:22