Johanna Martzy: Berlin, 1953-1966

Another invaluable collection of Martzy recordings, including a glorious account of the Dvorak Violin Concerto recorded for Berlin radio in 1953, two days before the same artists recorded it... — BBC Music Magazine, March 2015, 4 out of 5 stars More…

Release Date: 9th Feb 2015
Catalogue No: AUDITE23424
Label: Audite
Length: 1 hour 44 minutes

Dvořák: Violin Concerto in A minor, Op. 53

Work length32:34

$8.00

$10.30

Johanna Martzy (violin)
RIAS Symphony Orchestra
Ferenc Fricsay
Recorded: 8 June 1953
Recording Venue: Jesus-Christus-Kirche, Berlin-Dahlem, Germany

I. Allegro ma non troppo

Track length11:31

$3.00

$3.85

II. Adagio ma non troppo

Track length9:56

$2.00

$2.60

III. Finale: Allegro giocoso, ma non troppo

Track length11:07

$3.00

$3.85

Brahms: Violin Sonata No. 1 in G major, Op. 78

Work length25:43

$7.00

$9.05

Johanna Martzy (violin), Jean Antonietti (piano)
Recording Venue: Studio 7, RIAS Funkhaus, Berlin, Germany

I. Vivace ma non troppo

Track length10:08

$3.00

$3.85

II. Adagio

Track length7:32

$2.00

$2.60

III. Allegro molto moderato

Track length8:03

$2.00

$2.60

Bach, J S: Sonata for solo violin No. 1 in G minor, BWV1001

Work length16:52

$4.00

$5.20

Johanna Martzy (violin)
Recorded: 4 May 1962
Recording Venue: Studio 7, RIAS Funkhaus, Berlin, Germany

I. Adagio

Track length4:26

$1.00

$1.30

II. Fugue: Allegro

Track length5:34

$1.00

$1.30

III. Siciliana

Track length3:52

$1.00

$1.30

IV. Presto

Track length3:00

$1.00

$1.30

Handel: Sonata in A Major for violin and continuo, HWV361, Op. 1 No. 3

Work length8:12

$4.00

$5.20

Johanna Martzy (violin), Jean Antonietti (piano)
Recorded: 4 May 1962
Recording Venue: Studio 7, RIAS Funkhaus, Berlin, Germany

I. Andante

Track length2:11

$1.00

$1.30

II. Allegro

Track length1:54

$1.00

$1.30

III. Adagio

Track length1:06

$1.00

$1.30

IV. Allegro

Track length3:01

$1.00

$1.30

Vivaldi: Violin Sonata in D Major, RV 10 (arr. O. Respighi for violin and piano)

Work length9:03

$4.00

$5.20

Johanna Martzy (violin), Jean Antonietti (piano)
Recorded: 9 February 1964
Recording Venue: Siemensvilla, Berlin Lankwitz, Germany

I. Moderato (a fantasia)

Track length2:15

$1.00

$1.30

II. Allegro moderato

Track length2:45

$1.00

$1.30

III. Largo

Track length1:27

$1.00

$1.30

IV. Vivace

Track length2:36

$1.00

$1.30

Kreisler: Rondino on a Theme by Beethoven

Work length2:44

$1.00

$1.30

Johanna Martzy (violin), Jean Antonietti (piano)
Recorded: 4 April 1966
Recording Venue: Siemensvilla, Berlin Lankwitz, Germany

Kreisler: 24 Pieces de clavecin, Op. 1: Suite No. 1 (arr. B. Arthur and N. O'Neill for violin and piano)

Work length3:20

$1.00

$1.30

Johanna Martzy (violin), Jean Antonietti (piano)
Recorded: 4 April 1966
Recording Venue: Siemensvilla, Berlin Lankwitz, Germany

24 Pieces de clavecin, Op. 1: Suite No. 1: X. Allegro (arr. B. Arthur and N. O'Neill for violin and piano)

Track length3:20

$1.00

$1.30

Ravel: Berceuse sur le nom de Fauré

Work length2:54

$1.00

$1.30

Johanna Martzy (violin), Jean Antonietti (piano)
Recorded: 4 April 1966
Recording Venue: Siemensvilla, Berlin Lankwitz, Germany

Berceuse sur le nom de Gabriel Faure

Track length2:54

$1.00

$1.30

Falla: Danse Espagnole No. 1 (from La Vida Breve)

Work length3:35

$1.00

$1.30

Johanna Martzy (violin), Jean Antonietti (piano)
Recorded: 4 April 1966
Recording Venue: Siemensvilla, Berlin Lankwitz, Germany

La vida breve, Act II: Danse espagnole No. 1 (arr. F. Kreisler for violin and piano)

Track length3:35

$1.00

$1.30

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The Hungarian violinist Johanna Martzy was considered one of the great hopes of her generation during the 1950s. From her base in Switzerland, she conquered all the major European concert stages from 1950 onwards. Through a chain of unfortunate events, her career had already passed its apex during the early 1960s. At the end of the decade, her career that had begun so brilliantly finally came to a complete standstill. The doubts of this serious and introverted musician outweighed her longing and temptation to live a life in the limelight. Because Johanna Martzy’s recording career only lasted four years, her name has become a legend amongst experts; her recordings are rare collector’s items. Her highly conscious, careful selection of repertoire was completely consistent with her way of making music. The clear, brilliant tone, without any frills, of her preferred Carlo Bergonzi violin lends her playing a definite profile that is easy to recognise. She limited herself to a very manageable number of works ranging from Bach to moderate modern composers, but mastered these utterly. In 1953 she was engaged by the RIAS (today: Deutschlandradio Kultur) to participate in a production of the Violin Concerto in A minor, Op. 53 of Antonín Dvorák on the occasion of a concert with Ferenc Fricsay and the RIAS Symphony Orchestra. Since the orchestra at that time stood under the shock of impending disbandment, a recording of this same work with Deutsche Grammophon was made in order to gain financial support. Although both recordings were made in the same recording room within just a few days of each other, they are markedly different, especially in their respective sounds. The radio recording, which was long thought to have been identical to the recording made for commercial release, is being issued here for the first time.

During the 1960s, when Johanna Martzy had begun to withdraw from the major concert stages for private reasons, she regularly came to Berlin to give recitals with her piano partner Jean Antonietti. On these occasions, she also visited the recording studios of the RIAS a number of times. All of the recordings made there that still exist today can be heard in this edition. Johanna Martzy’s mastery and beauty of tone on these recordings are utterly convincing, and show that she was still at the height of her powers at that time.

Her death in 1979, hardly noticed by the general public, thus signified a tragic loss for the musical world.

Reviews

March 2015

Another invaluable collection of Martzy recordings, including a glorious account of the Dvorak Violin Concerto recorded for Berlin radio in 1953, two days before the same artists recorded it commercially.

23rd June 2015

Beauty of tone is a distinctive hallmark of the Handel Sonata. It is a performance of refinement and nobility, with both players demonstrating a great affection for the music...Audite have done a wonderful job re-mastering these original analogue tapes from the RIAS archives, and sound quality throughout is top-notch.

June 2015

a magnificent performance of great power and intensity, especially where it is most necessary, in the Adagio. I normally find non-Czech interpretations of this concerto easy to resist but Martzy and Fricsay pay such attention to the rhythms that the result is irresistible. Even if you have the DG version, you need this one.

Johanna Martzy

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