III.Discography of Philip Newman

 

THE ONLY SURVIVING RECORDINGS OF PHILIP NEWMAN

Recitative and Scherzo - Caprice op 6 - Caprice	KREISLER
(Dedicated To Eugene Ysaÿe)	"
Solo Sonata op27 No 4 - Allemande)	YSAŸE
(Dedicated to Fritz Kreisler)	"
Grande Caprice arr Casar Thompson	LOCATELLI
Recollections of the Alhambra trans. P Newman	TARRAGA
(From Guiar Etude arr for violin P Newman)	"
Song of the Birds	trans. CASALS
(cello solo arr for the violin P Newman	"
Impressions of Spain	NEWMAN
Speech after Tchaikovsky Competion 1958	NEWMAN
(The Voice of Philip Newman)	"

Accompaniment by Charles Hens (Organ)

 

Symposium Record No 1017 ISSUES 1985

This LP issued by Symposium of London in 1987 is the only recording of
Philip Newman.   The recording originates from a concert in Brussels in 1965.It is
known that he did at one time or another make other recordings including
one of the Beethoven Violin Concerto, but all efforts to trace them have been
in vain.

From the grooves of his LP will come proof that had Newman pursued an
international career he would  have been one of the top violinists of
his generation. Before Newman, England had never really produced a
violinist of international standing, but Newman's career does not
appear to have gone in that direction for reasons which are not
readily apparent..

Philip Newman was a violinist's violinist.  Newman uses his bow to
produce shades of sound with the same genius that Rembrandt used his
brush to produce magical shades of light.  He uses technique in such
a subtle way that the listener is barely aware of its existence.

We are more fortunate with this recording than in many other cases where
a violinist leaves some few recordings of genre pieces - and we are then
left to imagine how  that violinist would have sounded playing A Brahms
or a Paganini violin concerto, - or any other work that comes to mind.
This is not so with Newman, this the only recording extant demonstrates
clearly just what he was able to achieve with his playing. The Song
of the Birds, shows what a sensitive player he was. His own "Reminiscences
of Spain" demonstrates to what heights he could reach technically. It is
invariably dangerous to compare one violinist with another but Newman's
playing evokes names that range from Eugene Ysaÿe to Joseph Hassid.
Yet, it is in his playing of the Recitative and Caprice by Kreisler that his
supreme artistry shires through.

That his name was not previously to be found in record catalogues may suggest
to some that he was not amongst the great names of his day, but this is not the
case. Newman did not agree to record on the grounds that the violin sound
could not be fully captured. This was at a time when other violinists realised
that without the recording process they were limiting the size of  their audiences.
Kreisler felt the same way about broadcasting, but thankfully, he did not take
this view of the gramophone.  Newman was a great violinist, with an extraordinary
gift for his instrument.  Throughout his life he was admired by violinists who had
decided to pursue more  public careers.  When he died many of his friends and
colleagues, who included some of the greatest in the musical world, paid tribute to
his artistic ability; Newman had appeared on concert platforms with the greatest
violinists and  conductors of his generation.

On listening to recordings of Ysaÿe it is possible to detect his
influence in Newman's style and manner of performance.  Newman's style and
manner of playing single him out as possibly the last of the great romantic
players in the image of Ysaÿe. Thus this recording is important both
historically and musically,

Philip Newman uses on this recording a very fine example of the Italian violin
maker Joseph Guarnerius Del Gesu dated 1741 - Ex Vieuxtemps after the great
Belgian violinist Henri Vieuxtemps who once owned it.  The recording while not
made under studio conditions with the advantage of today's modern digital
techniques gives a credible reproduction of both player and instrument. The short
speach used for this recording was one of several takes from a Radio Moscow
external broadcast.  The winner of the 1958 Tchaikovsky competition on this occasion
was the 24 year old Valerij Klimov of Russia.

COMMENTS ON THE  PHILIP NEWMAN LP 

KREISLER - Recitative and Scherzo - Caprice op 6

Newman indulges himself in pure violin sound which the listener is privileged to witness.
This is indeed the epitome of the Romantic style of bye-gone days, a style which has
disappeared with the passing of violinists like this artist.  This style of performance
bears no resemblance to the power driving styles of some today's younger players: yet it
remains as a feast for the real violin lover.  This playing is perhaps a little more
emotive than today's but never the less a pleasure to listen to.

YSAYE - Solo Sonata op 27 N0 4 - Allemande, Lento Maestoso

This work is dedicated to the composer's friend the violinist Fritz Kreisler. The sonata
is one of a set of six solo sonatas each dedicated to a friend or colleague, the others
are dedicated to  Geoges Enescu, Jacques Thibaud, Joseph Szigeti, Manuel Quiroga
and Mathieu Crickboom.  In unacconpianed music for the violin the player stands alone.
There is no doubt as is evidenced by the choice of music on this recorded recital that
the solo repertoire was Newman's forte. He reminisces on the style of Ysaÿe. At the
same time, he conjures up an authentic image of how he must have heard the composer
interpret this work, which in turn gives the listener! what may be described as an
individual performance showing considerable influence of Ysaÿe's own style and manner
of performance.

LOCATELLI - Grande Caprice arr Cesar Thompson

This is an arrangement of the cadenza from one of the violin concertos known as
"L'Art Del Violino".  Newman demonstrates how his nimble fingers can easily overcome
the difficulty of intervals and rapid passage work. His left hand doing exactly what he
wants it to. It is frustrating that we do not have recordings from and earlier period in
his career to compare  - we can only speculate on what a formidable technician he must
have been in years gone by.

TARREGA - Recollections of the Alhambra. trans Philip Newman

Many guitarists would be satisfied if the tremolo effect, sustained by the violinist
throughout this performance with such marvellous results, could be achieved on their
chosen instrument.  We need look no further - for in this short work originally written
for the guitar we find ample evidence of Newman's wonderful bow control.

SONG OF THE BIRDS - trans Casals, trans Philip Newman

Seldome has the violin been played with such soul sewrching honesty.  Hearing it
this performance one can not but remember Newman's origins. He seems to carry with
him the sounds heard in younger days in the synagogue, of this father's singing and
perhaps on this occasion evoking for him images of his past.  This could well be in
memory of a departed friend.

NEWMAN - IMMPRESSIONS OF SPAIN

Here the composer - violinist comes into his own. It is known that Newman wrote several
compositions for the violin, but this alone has survived.  What a dazzling display
it is of Newman's technique in the true bravura tradition.  The listener has the
impression that he is hearing more than one violin.  Indeed at times it seems the violin
takes over the role of the whole orchestra.  This is surely a violinist's fantasy with
Spanish dancers in attendance a wonderful illusion created and played by the soloist.
Pizzicato is used with a remarkable atmospheric effect.  Notice particularly the run a
few bars before the end, a run that apparently starts from out of thin are and then
accelerates with the speed of lightning.

TCHAIKOVSKY VIOLIN COMPETITION MOSCOW 1958

The short speech on this recording was one of several takes from a Radio Moscow
external broadcast.  The winner of the 1958 Tchaikovsky competition on this
occasion was the 24 year old Russian Valerij Klimov.

DISCLAIMER
I do not have any financial interest whatsoever in Simposium Records of London.I did
however, write the accompanying booklet that was issued with the original recording,part
of which is on this page with considerable revisions and additions

Cheniston K Roland O.L. (Violin Historian) (C) 1997


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This page last updated 12 October 2000