Sold Date: October 15, 2018
Start Date: October 13, 2018
Final Price: $545.00 $398.00 (USD)
Seller Feedback: 3964
Buyer Feedback: 31

ITEM DESCRIPTION:

This beautiful and extremely rare 5 LP box set – a lovely collector’s copy – from Philips (412 141-1, Dutch pressing, silver/red label, stereo, full-size 8-page booklet included) entitled “Mozart · The Great Sonatas for Violin and Piano” features violinist Arthur Grumiaux and pianist Walter Klien in sublime renderings of 15 of Mozart’s mature Sonatas for Violin and Piano – a landmark cycle in the Mozart discography and as fine an example of the art of the violin as one could wish to name. This is truly exalted playing by any measure, and what’s more, Philips has provided their finest analog sound, warm and well-balanced throughout.

Included then are the following works:

Violin Sonata in B-flat Major K. 454 – rec. April 1981

Six Variations in G minor for Violin and Piano on the French song “Au bord d’une fontaine” (Hélas, j’ai perdu mon amant) K. 360 – rec. September 1981

Violin Sonata in E minor K. 304 – rec. May 1981

Violin Sonata in F Major K. 376 – rec. April 1981

Violin Sonata in E-flat Major K. 302 – rec. May 1981

Violin Sonata in A Major K. 305 – rec. September 1981

Violin Sonata in A Major K. 526 – rec. May 1981

Violin Sonata in G Major K. 379 – rec. September 1982

Violin Sonata in E-flat Major K. 380 – rec. September 1982

Violin Sonata in G Major K. 301 – rec. April 1981

Violin Sonata in F Major K. 377 – rec. September 1981

Violin Sonata in C Major K. 303 – rec. May 1982

Violin Sonata in E-flat Major K. 481 – rec. September 1983

Violin Sonata in D Major K. 306 – rec September 1983

Violin Sonata in C Major K. 296 – rec. May 1982

Violin Sonata in B-flat Major K. 378 – rec. May 1982

All session were held in the warm, intimate acoustics of La Chaux-de-Fonds, Switzerland.

Grumiaux's unfailingly beautiful tone and purity of intonation is allied to a supreme sense of architecture and an aristocratic yet graceful bearing. Even if you have another favorite set, there are so many felicitous touches and moments of insight throughout Grumiaux's cycle that it stands as one of the most majestic and highly individual accounts ever recorded – a landmark in these works' discographies. Moreover, he is afforded warm and vivid sound.

When there performances were issued on CD as part of Philips’ Complete Mozart Edition, the critic C.H. wrote in the September 1991 issue of The Gramophone: “The other four Philips discs are more interesting and Arthur Grumiaux and Walter Klien offer playing with spring in its step and a lyrical yet unsentimental warmth in the slow movements, though that of K296 might with advantage have lingered a little more. Maybe there could be more charm here, but better this than prettified Mozart and, make no mistake, these are stylish artists who are also eloquent in the unusually wistful Andante con moto of K380—as are Goldberg and Lupu, for that matter. They're also deft in the vivid first movement of K377 and offer a delicate charm in its minuet-finale, while the fine but tricky late Sonata, K526 is done with panache. These early 1980s recordings of Grumiaux and Klien (in a Swiss location) have a pleasing warmth, although they sometimes favour the violin.”

Incidentally, the striking cover design was executed by Top Cover, the photography done by Fernando van Teylingen. Included is a full-size 8-page booklet with extensive notes on the music by Hans Christoph Worbs – provided in German, English, and French.

CONDITION – PLEASE READ VERY CAREFULLY:

The gradations of condition I use are as follows: MINT, Near-Mint, Excellent, Very Good, Good, Fair, Poor.

The condition of the box is near-MINT. There is some light scuffing and shelf wear, as well as a few tiny nicks. However, there are no corner breaks, seam splits, bends or owners' markings and the box remains solid, bright, glossy, and highly attractive – overall, a very nice collector's copy.

The condition of the full-size 8-page booklet is EXCELLENT. The booklet betrays a slight bit of handling (e.g., a very minor bend to the lower-right cover page and some wear along the spine). However, it is free of markings, the binding is tight, and the pages remain crisp and bright – overall, an excellent collector’s copy.

PLEASE NOTE:
All LPs are provided with a new Nagaoka (or Nagaoka-style) inner sleeve. The images I've provided are of the actual item you are potentially bidding on - these are not stock images or images I've taken from other sites. Bid with confidence!

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REFUNDS:
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