Utwory na płycie:

• Sonata in G minor Il trillo del Diavolo - Larghetto affettuoso
• Sonata in G minor Il trillo del Diavolo - Tempo giusto
• Sonata in G minor Il trillo del Diavolo - Sogni dell autore- Andante - Allegro assi - Trillo del Diavolo -
• Allegro non troppo
• Con animazione
• Agitato
• Caprice Op 29 No 3
• Violin Sonata No 2 in D minor Op 121 - Ziemlich langsam - Lebhaft
• Violin Sonata No 2 in D minor Op 121 - Sehr lebhaft
• Violin Sonata No 2 in D minor Op 121 - Leise- einfach
• Violin Sonata No 2 in D minor Op 121 - Bewegt

Tartini:
Sonata in G minor ‘Il trillo del Diavolo’
Roentgen:
Violin Sonata No. 2 in F sharp, Op. 20
Lipiński:
Caprice Op. 29, No. 3
Schumann:
Violin Sonata No. 2 in D minor, Op. 121

A Violin’s Life traces the provenance and history of the “Lipiński” Strad, one of the most notable of the coveted string maker’s instruments which are worth millions today. Crafted in 1715, the violin is named for the Polish virtuoso Karol Lipiński, who played this instrument from c. 1818 until his death in 1861. Lipiński was given the violin by a student of the legendary Giuseppe Tartini, the instrument’s first known owner. Known in his lifetime as a violinist, composer, concertmaster, and pedagogue, Lipiński associated with some of the most famous cultural figures of the time, including Liszt, Paganini, and Schumann, who so admired Lipiński that he dedicated his famous piano work “Carnaval” to him. After Lipiński’s death the instrument eventually came into the Röntgen family, which included the composer Julius Röntgen. In the 20th century the violin changed hands several times, in 1962 arriving in the possession of the Estonian violinist Evi Liivak, who passed away in 1996.

Frank Almond, leader of the Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra, has played on the “Lipiński” Strad since 2008. Envisaging a project that chronicled the extraordinary history of this violin and its associations, he has made a recording that includes Tartini’s most famous work, the “Devil’s Trill” Sonata, a virtuoso solo piece by Lipiński, one of Röntgen’s unjustly neglected violin sonatas, and the stupendous Sonata in D minor of Robert Schumann, certainly performed during their lifetimes with Schumann at the piano and Lipiński playing this very instrument. William Wolfram is Frank’s estimable accompanist.

critical acclaim for Frank Almond

“intoxicating brilliance and immense panache” – The Strad

“What is special about these interpretations is their perfect balancing of ear, head, and heart. Certainly they are musicians of rare taste and intelligence … Almond and Wolfram tower above giants.” – American Record Guide (on AV 2113)

summary

Frank Almond, leader of the Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra, chronicles the provenance and history of the fabled “Lipiński” Strad, performing works by Tartini, Schumann, Julius Röntgen and the instrument’s namesake Polish virtuoso, accompanied by pianist William Wolfram.