George Enescu, Violinist

I re-listened to the few recordings that exist of the playing of George Enescu in his prime; the recordings date from 1929. He was born in 1881 (and died in 1955) so he was 48 years old when these recordings were made. There are later recordings from around 1950, but they were made in Enescu's old age when he was crippled with arthritis and badly in need of money. He thus belongs to the era of Sarasate, Ysaÿe, and Kreisler rather than to the great 20^th century violinists. Listening to Enescu is listening to violin playing of a by-gone age.

On an Opus Kura CD he plays Chausson's Poème (with piano), Corelli's La Folia, a Largo from a Pugnani sonata, Handel's Op 1 No.13 sonata, plus a 1950 recording of his third violin & piano sonata (private recording). A few Kreisler bits and pieces were also available on the defunct Biddulph label; Opus Kura just gives us Kreisler's Tempo di Menuetto. The Chausson is played as it should be; the Corelli is an object lesson in bowing technique; the Pugnani shows just how a Largo movement should be played. Throughout one marvels at Enescu's miraculous bowing technique, and at his crisp, fast trills. They don't play trills that good nowadays. One can only regret that Enescu was not too interested in recording, and that he was born a little too early to take full advantage of the recording medium. He could have recorded many pieces from 1926 to 1939; but he didn't. And the recording companies preferred his pupils such as Menuhin and Neveu. Our loss, but at least an hour or so of Enescu in his prime survives.