Arthur Grumiaux - Philips Recordings 1955-1978 (2006)

The amazing thing isn't that violinist Arthur Grumiaux was such a splendid technician, although his technique was as flawless as Heifetz's. Nor is the amazing thing that Grumiaux was such a distinctive stylist, although one could always tell his performances by the cool intensity of his tone and the passionate restraint of his interpretations. No, as this the six-disc set of Philips recordings from 1955 through 1978 demonstrates, the really amazing thing about violinist Arthur Grumiaux is how he tempers his style and technique to suit to the music he plays. In Handel, he is noble but expressive with a lean, focused tone and a feeling of elevated sensitivity. In Bach, he is harder and rougher, with a piercing tone and a sense of heightened spirituality. In Schubert and Mendelssohn, he is consummately lyrical; in Bruch, warmly emotional; and in Tchaikovsky, subtly colorful. But always and everywhere, Grumiaux is both instantly identifiable and absolutely as one with the music. Captured in uniformly first-rate sound ranging from monaural to stereo and with a host of accompanists ranging from harpsichordist Robert Veyron-Lacroix to pianist Paul Crossley to conductor Heinz Wallberg and the New Philharmonia, these recordings form an ideal introduction to the great Belgian violinist for those who don't know him and a perfect collection for those who do.