Universal France, which now owns the rights to the old Accord catalog, has wisely reissued some real gems of French repertoire, among them this smashing performance of Magnard’s Violin Sonata (far superior to the later Collard/Dumay on EMI). The other works, for piano solo, run the gamut from charming (Suite dans le style ancien) to routine (Trios pieces), but the main item is this sonata, a huge 42-minute masterpiece in Franckian cyclical form that puts both players through interpretive hell only to reward them by ending quietly. This accounts for much of the work’s rarity in performance, but it’s irrelevant on a recording, and the team of Zimansky (big, gutsy tone) and Keller (excellent sensitivity and respect for his partner, with no loss of pianistic bravura) attack the piece with all the gusto it requires to sustain its formidable length. The brief scherzo, in particular, has to be one of the most remarkably memorable movements ever written for this combination. One minor caveat: the reverberant recording suits the “bigness” of the work but also tends to obscure some detail in the piano, and places the two performers in seemingly separate acoustics. It takes some getting used to, but you’ll find the necessary effort well worth the trouble to hear some magnificent music. [Editor’s Note: This release is available through French mail order suppliers, and as an “import” at the 4th St. Tower Records in New York.]
