Kaufman and Milhaud Perform Milhaud

The recordings of violinist Louis Kaufman continue to draw the interest of this blog's readers, so here is another from the files.

Darius Milhaud

As with previous Kaufman records, this presents the music of a contemporary composer, in this instance Darius Milhaud.

The French Milhaud had moved to California and Mills College and became familiar there with Kaufman, who was a very busy Hollywood studio musician. In 1949, the Los Angeles record label Capitol brought them together for this collection of Milhaud compositions.

Louis Kaufman

The longest item here is Milhaud's Violin Concerto No. 2, in its first recording, but the finest work is his Concertino de Printemps, in a dazzling rendition that makes the most of Kaufman's extraordinary intensity. The concerto is well done as well, with an affecting slow movement. Kaufman misses the specific dance character of the final Danses de Jacarémirim, but his virtuosity is worth hearing on its own account.

The sound in this enjoyable program is excellent. In my collecting experience, most Capitol classics of this vintage are reprints of Telefunken originals, including many Mengelberg LPs, but I believe this offering originated with the West Coast label.