*** Clé du Mois ResMusica ***

After the success of the compact disc featuring Clara Haskil last year (CD 50-2408); Claves is pleased to present two new gems from the recording archives of Radio Suisse Romande: two encounters between French violinist Christian Ferras; the Orchestre de la Suisse Romande and Ernest Ansermet in Geneva; premiere recordings of works from the legendary violinist’s repertoire. Prizewinner of the Marguerite Long & Jacques Thibaud Competition in 1949 and Herbert von Karajan’s violinist of choice for many years; this great artist was at the summit of his art when these recordings were made.

Whether in Alban Berg’s Concerto “To the Memory of an Angel” in 1957 or in Igor Stravinsky’s Violin Concerto in 1966; these discs offer wonderful musical portraits of “a being possessed by music; immensely gifted; and marked by a generous and intense character” – Yehudi Menuhin thus described Ferras the year of his death in 1982. The liner notes to this production were written by violinist and musicologist Thierry de Choudens; author of a very beautiful biography of Ferras that was published by Editions Papillon last year.

This recording was produced in collaboration with the Association of Friends of Christian Ferras.