New Arrival Prague Recordings – 5CD

Described as charismatic, unique and exceptional, Ida Haendel fully deserves all three distinctions. Born in 1928 into a Polish Jewish family, she was a child prodigy who played Beethovens concerto at the age of five and, at 85, taught master classes in London. After her Prague debut in 1957, she returned to the city repeatedly throughout the 1960s, performing mainly with the Czech Philharmonic and Karel Anerl, while pianist Alfrd Holeek was her exclusive recital partner, and recording in the studio. This album contains all of Ida Haendels surviving live and studio recordings made in Prague up to 1965 and held in the archives of Supraphon and Czech Radio, many released here for the first time. Alongside virtuoso pieces and sonatas, it includes concertos by Beethoven, Stravinsky, Wieniawski and her signature composer, Sibelius, with music by Bla Bartk, Johannes Brahms, Alexandr Glazunov, Fritz Kreisler, William Kroll, douard Lalo, Felix Mendelssohn-Bartholdy, Niccol Paganini, Maurice Ravel, Pablo de Sarasate, Igor Stravinsky, Karol Szymanowski and Giuseppe Tartini. Ida Haendel performs with Alfrd Holeek, Karel Anerl, Vclav Smetek, the Czech Philharmonic and the Prague Symphony Orchestra (FOK).