Leonid Kogan: Les Introuvables (4 CD, FLAC)

Performer: Leonid Kogan
Audio CD
SPARS Code: ADD
Number of Discs: 4 CD
Format: FLAC (image+cue)
Label: EMI Classics
Size: 872 MB
Recovery: +3%
Scan: yes

Disc: 1
Johann Sebastian Bach
01. I Vivace
02. II Largo Ma Non Tanto
03. III Allegro
04. I Allegro
05. II Adagio
06. III Allegro

Antonio Vivaldi
07. I. Allegro
08. II Largo
09. III Allegro

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
10. I Allegro Aperto
11. II. Adagio
12. III Tempo Di Minuetto – Allegro

Disc: 2
Niccolo Paganini
01. I. Allegro Maestoso
02. II Adagio
03. III Rondo

Johannes Brahms
04. I Vivace Ma Non Troppo
05. II Adagio
06. III Allegro Molto Moderato
07. I Allegro Amabile
08. II Andante Tranquillo
09. III Allegretto Grazioso (Quasi Andante)

Disc: 3
Johannes Brahms
01. I Allegro
02. II Adagio
03. III Allegro Giocoso

Edouard Lalo
04. I Allegro Non Troppo
05. II Scherando
06. III Intermezzo
07. IV Andante
08. V Rondo

Disc: 4
Lugwig van Beethoven
01. I Allegro Ma Non Troppo
02. II Larghetto
03. III Rondo (Allegro)

Piotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky
04. I Allegro Moderato
05. II Canzonetta
06. III Finale (Allegro Vivacissimo)

Leonid Kogan – violon
Elizabeth Guilels – violon
Andrei Mitnik – piano
Philarmonia Orchestra – Orchestre de la Societe des Concerts du Conservatoire
Otto Ackermann – Charels Bruck – Andre Vandernoot

An underrated genius – 5 stars performance/4 stars sound

It seems that in the music world, there’s always the “big names”, whether conductors, vocalists or instrumentalists. Some deserve the reputation that have, others do not. Then there are those artists who, for whatever reason don’t seem to get the recognition they deserve. I think to some extant Kogan fits in this category. His name probably isn’t as recognizable as Heifetz, Milstein or Perlman, yet he is a fantastic player.

There is a wide selection of composers and periods presented in these recordings and all exhibit beautiful playing. I was particularly impressed with the Bach violin concerti as well as the ubiquitous Beethoven and Tchaikovsky concerti.

The sound is in mono, but is quite good.

Kogan was a very gifted violinist that should be more appreciated than he is.