See You April 2nd, No Foolin'!

Revisiting Some Beautiful, Creepy, Moving Music

I posted this about a year ago, at another host, but now it has sprinkles! (Apologies to Flo.)

I encountered this recording of Ricci playing Paganini's devilishly difficult Opus 1 nearly 40 years ago.  I was immediately struck by the amazing sounds wrenched from the violin.

Since then I've come across a different recording by Ricci of the Complete Caprices, but it pales before this one.  In comparison the later recording is competent but tame, OK but not manic.

1. Andante 1:46
 2. Moderato 2:09
3. Sostenuto 2:27
4. Maestoso 5:02
5. Agitato 2:12
6. Lento 4:31
7. Posato 2:53
8. Maestoso 2:27
9. Allegretto 2:22
10. Vivace 2:04
11. Andante 3:43
12. Allegro 2:25
13. Allegro 2:17
14. Moderato 1:48
15. Posato 2:16
16. Presto 1:22
17. Sostenuto 3:02
18. Corrente 2:15
19. Lento 2:24
20. Allegretto 3:54
21. Amoroso 2:56
22. Marcato 2:10
23. Posato 2:48
24. Tema con variazione 3:56
25. Caprice d'adieu: Allegro moderato 2:56

To the performance I added the 25th Caprice, called "Farewell."

This is the same recording as originally posted, but now I have re-typed the entire LP liner notes, including brief commentaries on each Caprice, and the above TIME magazine article I came across and saved, simply because it was about the Maestro.

Not Tommy Dorsey's Opus 1!