Ion Voicu

[randyhersom]

One of my favorite classical LPs for a long time was 20th Century Violin Sonatas by Ion Voicu and Monique Haas (on London Treasury). If featured sonatas by Prokofiev, Debussy and Milhaud. I don't listen to LPs these days and decided I would search the internet for an alternative. It turns out that two of the works are available from a Romanian (possibly state owned?) company called Electrecord. Aparently Voicu's son became a conductor and they share a 2 CD set, adding in a violin sonatas Georges Enescu and Maurice Ravel but not including the Prokofiev.

In the meantime I had picked up the Naxos French Violin Sonatas with Dong Suk Kang. I found it a little too clear and explicit, lacking that dreamy quality which to me is almost the essence of Debussy. So I decided to try to puchase the Voicu 2 CD set and it was an adventure in Google Translate, but I think I have it headed this way. It was about $11 for the 2 CD set and $23 for shipping to the USA. I'll post again when I get it.

Edited January 28, 2009 by randyhersom

[randyhersom]

It arrived and I've been enjoying it. The violin is less up-front than in the Naxos, but the quiet, rhapsodic playing very much suits the pieces he has chosen. The Enescu sonata #2 is new to me, as is Voicu's rendition of the Ravel. The Debussy and Milhaud were as fine as I remembered them. The two symphonic warhorses recorded live by his son are fine by my ears, haven't skipped over them yet. I might hunt again and see if they have the Prokofiev sonata from the original London Treasury on another CD.

[randyhersom]

Googling: electrecord voicu Prokofiev

revealed an eBay seller that has the Prokofiev in a similar father-son set, as well as the Debussy et al I already have at a slightly cheaper price.