Beethoven, Sibelius: Houslov koncerty – CD

Ida Haendel is rightly described as the queen of the violin, a distinction she earned at a time when the field was almost exclusively reserved for men. At the age of seven, the Polish violinist met David Oistrakh and Ginette Neveu in the final of the Wieniawski Competition. Her interpretations of concertos by Elgar, Bruch and Beethoven remain reference recordings. Jean Sibelius himself held her performances of his work in high esteem; his Violin Concerto is still the most recorded violin concerto of the 20th century. This rare, previously unreleased recording documents a concert held at the Rudolfinum in Prague on 18 October 1957. Ida Haendel performs both works with the Czech Philharmonic and Karel Anerl, displaying her characteristic mastery, precision and immediacy. The concerts atmosphere is made particularly unique by the fact that Jean Sibelius died less than a month before it took place. The recordings sound quality and the soloists flawless performance, captured without the possibility of a single edit, are remarkable. Beethoven and Sibelius with Ida Haendel offer an encounter with a living legend in previously unreleased recordings.