Debussy and Roussel with Julius Baker, Lillian and Harry Fuchs, and Laura Newell

Having recently showcased the sibling duo of Joseph and Lillian Fuchs, I thought that brother Harry might be feeling left out, so I transferred this US Decca LP that features his cello playing.

Of course, the spotlight here is not on the cello; rather it is on the splendid flute playing of Julius Baker. He is heard throughout this program, which includes Debussy's Sonata for Flute, Viola and Harp (1915); his Syrinx for Unaccompanied Flute; and Roussel's Trio for Flute, Viola and Cello, Op. 40. Laura Newell is the harpist.

This a exceptionally good record with four of New York's leading mid-century virtuosi performing gorgeous French music from earlier in the century. Decca, as was its pattern in classical works, provides a close recording, although it has added some reverberation to leaven any harshness. Michael Gray's discography has Syrinx coming from February 1953 and the Sonata from July 1954. He does not provide a date for the Roussel Trio, but presumably it was from the same time frame.

Joseph and Lillian Fuchs in Mozart

As a follow-up to my recent post involving Joseph and Lillian Fuchs, here is a 1961 LP of the siblings in Mozart's sublime Sinfonia Concertante in E-flat Major, with a substantial bonus of Joseph in less-often-heard works.

Joseph and Lillian Fuchs

The album is presented under the aegis of "Musica Æterna," which I believe was a concert series at the Metropolitan Museum and Carnegie Hall led by conductor Frederic Waldman. On this LP, Waldman directs the Æterna Chamber Orchestra, which on its other recorded outings is usually called the Musica Æterna Orchestra.

Waldman has appeared on this blog before as conductor of a very early record devoted to Edgard Varèse, although I didn't even mention him in my comments, which seems thoughtless on my part. As I recall, Waldman's recorded output for US Decca was more conventional, by and large, but apparently the Musica Æterna concert programs were more adventurous.

Frederic Waldman

This present LP is a good one, although perhaps missing the exhilaration that marks the best performances. This may be accentuated because of the close recording. Regardless, the Fuchs duo displays a unanimity of phrasing that is its own source of wonder.

In addition to the Sinfonia Concertante, Joseph assays the Adagio in E Major and the Rondo in C Major. Both are impeccable performances.

A Beethoven Serenade with Joseph and Lillian Fuchs and Leonard Rose

This post is the result of a request on another forum, but I hope some readers here will enjoy it. Here we have a US Decca 10-inch LP containing Beethoven's early and genial Serenade in D Major, with some of the best chamber music players of the mid-century era.

Joseph Fuchs

Joseph and Lillian Fuchs, violin and viola, were siblings who both achieved renown as instrumentalists, and who recorded extensively as soloists and in chamber music.

Lillian Fuchs

At the time this recording was made (June 1950), Leonard Rose was the principal cello of the New York Philharmonic. He would soon embark on a career as soloist, making many records in the process.

They make a fine trio, with a forthright presentation of the Serenade, in excellent sound. This may be the only time Rose recorded with one or the other Fuchs sibling; there is no other instance in Michael Gray's A Classical Discography database.

Leonard Rose

Rose and Joseph Fuchs were connected by both having served as principals in the Cleveland Orchestra under Artur Rodziński.

The cover art is by Erik Nitsche, a superb graphic designer who did many covers for Decca. You can find more information on him here.