Michael Rabin: The Early Years
Michael Rabin's brief, meteoric career took off in the early '50s, around the time he made his debut recordings for Columbia Masterworks. Long sought-after and hoarded by collectors, this small but potent legacy is gorgeously restored from the original master tapes. A selection of encore-type miniatures by Sarasate, Wieniawski, Dvorák, Kreisler, Engel, and others reveal the teenage prodigy already in possession of the flawless technique, bang-on intonation, and coiled intensity we know from his fiery Capitol/EMI output. He digs into 11 of the Paganini caprices (Op. 1) with unflappable assurance. The lyrical selections betray a sweetness of expression quite different from the demonic aura permeating the 21-year-old violinist's 1958 traversal of the entire Op. 1 set. Filling out the disc are four delicious encores recorded in 1938 by Ossy Renardy, another short-lived violinist deserving wider attention on CD. A significant reissue, impeccably produced.--Jed Distler