Customer Reviews

Christian Ferras plays sonatas of Schumann, Brahms, Franck, Lekeu

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I don't have it, but, an admirer of French violinist Christian Ferras, I was curious to know what was on this 4-CD Brilliant reissue. The label's website gives the track listing, but not the dates and origins of the recordings, nor the specifics of the respective pianists, so I am making some assumptions here, based on the online Ferras discography offered by the associationferras, and the observation that Brilliant's material was obviously licensed from DG:

CD 1. Brahms: Violin Sonatas Nos. 1-3, F-A-E Scherzo (with Pierre Barbizet, 1968, DG origin)
(tracks 1 -3) Violin Sonata No. 1 in G, Op. 78
(tracks 4-6) Violin Sonata No. 2 in A, Op. 100
(tracks 7-10) Violin Sonata No. 3 in D Minor, Op. 108
(track 11) Scherzo from FAE Sonata for Violin and Piano in C Minor, WoO Posth.

The three Brahms Sonatas had been reissued by French DG on one of their invaluable "DG Double", Ferras-Sonates Romantiques, with the same Franck, Lekeu and Schumann's First Sonata featured here (the second sonata was on the companion disc with the Concertos, Great Violin Concertos). I'm puzzled by track 11: Association Ferras' discography doesn't list a Ferras Brahms FAE Scherzo, so I don't know where it comes from. Is it a hitherto unpublished take from DG? I've sent an e-mail to the Ferras Association to inquire (they haven't updated their discography and don't list the Brilliant reissue), so we'll see if anybody responds.

CD2 Encores. These are accompanied by Jean-Claude Ambrosini and come from a DG recital from december 1968, which I think (despite the piecemeal product info) is Romantic Violin Music, and is also available on this website an audio cassette, Romantic Violin Played By Christian Ferras [Audio Cassette] [Import]. The same recital is also listed under ASIN B000026DYK on the French sister company.
1. Kreisler Liebesfreud
2. Kreisler Liebesleid
3. Schumann/Catherine Träumerei (from Kinderszenen)
4. Schubert/Wilhelmj Ave Maria
5. Kreisler Rondino on a Theme of Beethoven
6. Mendelssohn/Kreisler Song Without Words, Op. 62, No. 1 (arr. Kreisler)
7. Dinicu/Heifetz Hora Staccato
8. Dvorak/Kreisler Humoresque, Op. 101, No. 7
9. Kreisler Caprice Viennois
10. Massenet/Marsick Méditation (from Thaïs)
11. Chaminade/Kreisler Sérénade Espagnole
12. Fauré Berceuse, Op. 16
13. Rimsky/Kreisler Hindu Song (from Sadko)
14. Sarasate Romanza Andaluza, Op. 22, No. 1
15. Falla/Kreisler Danza Española (from La Vida Breve)
16. Saint Saens The Swan (from Carnival of the Animals)
17. Stravinsky/Dushkin Russian Song (from Mavra)

CD3 Franck & Lekeu: Violin Sonatas, with Barbizet, 1965, from DG, see comment above for previous DG reissue
(Tracks 1-4) Franck
(Tracks 5-7) Lekeu

CD 4
Schumann: Violin Sonatas Nos. 1 & 2, 3 Romances, with Barbizet, from DG, 1965
(tracks 1-3) Violin Sonata No. 1 in A Minor, Op. 105
(tracks 4-7) Violin Sonata No. 2 in D Minor, Op. 121
(tracks 8-10) 3 Romances for Violin and Piano, Op. 94

Bottom line: this set is not for me, since I have it all already on the previous DG reissues (except for the mysterious FAE Scherzo). But for the Ferras admirer, given that those DG reissues are either unavailable or expensive, you've got a bargain, and Brilliant must be lauded again for making all this material available at cheap prices.

For more on Ferras and his discographic legacy, check my review of Les Introuvables de Christian Ferras [Box Set] and my Ferras Listmania, if you can find it. This same Brilliant box has another entry on this website, where at the time of writing it sells for a few cents less: Un Portrait Sonates Pour Violon.