RUGGIERO RICCI - VIOLIN CONCERTO
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Historic Radio Basel & Radio Bern Recordings
There are violinists who interpret the music—and there are those who seem to ignite it from within. Ruggiero Ricci belonged unmistakably to the second tradition.
This exceptional archival edition brings together historic Swiss radio performances by one of the twentieth century’s most formidable violin virtuosos. Preserved through the original Radio Basel and Radio Bern recording archives, these performances offer far more than technical brilliance: they capture the intensity, individuality and fearless musical character that made Ricci such a compelling artist.
At the heart of the programme is Henryk Wieniawski’s Violin Concerto No. 2 in D minor, Op. 22, recorded in stereo at the Volkshaus Basel on 7 October 1981. Ricci performs with the Radio-Sinfonieorchester Basel under conductor Jean-Marie Auberson.
The programme continues with two treasures from an earlier Radio Bern session, recorded in mono on 1 April 1960:
🎼 Béla Bartók — Romanian Folk Dances
🎼 Eugène Ysaÿe — Sonata No. 3, “Ballade”
Pianist Carlo Loebnitz is credited on the original recording documentation.
Ricci’s Wieniawski is passionate yet disciplined, combining dazzling articulation with a dark, singing tone. The Romance unfolds with lyrical dignity, while the outer movements reveal his legendary precision, rhythmic drive and dramatic command.
Bartók’s dances bring an immediate change of atmosphere: earthy, colourful and alive with sharply defined rhythms. Ysaÿe’s unaccompanied “Ballade” then places Ricci alone before the listener, exposing the strength of his technique and the unmistakable personality of his playing.
What makes this edition especially fascinating is its documented provenance. The accompanying material reproduces original broadcast and master-tape sheets from the Swiss radio archives, including recording dates, performers, engineers, tape speed and programme details.
The 1960 Radio Bern session is credited to recording engineer Rico Schürmann, while the 1981 Basel recording is credited to Hans-Rudolf Fleischmann.
For the vinyl production, the record was cut using a Studer C37, Neumann VMS-70 and FloKaSon cutting system, with mastering and cutting by Simon Kummer. Production is licensed by SRF, and the album was recorded, mastered, cut and pressed in Switzerland.
This is not merely another reissue. It is a carefully documented encounter with Ruggiero Ricci preserved at two distinct moments in his extraordinary career - a young virtuoso in 1960 and a mature master in 1981.
For collectors of historic violin recordings, Swiss broadcast archives and genuinely distinctive analogue productions, this edition represents music, history and provenance brought together in one remarkable release.
Triston Masters — Schopper Edition
Catalogue No. TMR-SE 0026
Limited, individually numbered audiophile edition.
🎧 Which side of Ruggiero Ricci fascinates you most: the lyrical fire of Wieniawski, the rhythmic colour of Bartók, or the uncompromising solo intensity of Ysaÿe?
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The Sound of Tape
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