Sibelius, Jean. (1865–1957) [Telmányi. Emil. (1892–1988)]
Signed Letter to Emil Telmanyi about the Violin Concerto
An important TLS from the composer to the Hungarian violinist Emil Telmányi, signed "Jean Sibelius." One page, dated Järvenpää December 18, 1945. In part: "[...] Jag är en varm beundrare av Eder stora konst och det glädjer mig djupt, att Ni spelar min violinkonsert, som i Eder tolkning får ett fulländat framförande [...]" ["I am a keen admirer of your great art and am deeply pleased that you play my violin concerto, as in your interpretation it will get a perfect performance."] Provenance: Descendants of Emil Telmányi.The composer's only concerto, the Violin Concerto is a brooding, intensely virtuosic work and one of the most beloved of the violin repertoire. Telemanyi's 1952 recording may be heard here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kgdN1Wloc1U
In 1911 Telmányi gave the Berlin premiere of the Violin Concerto of Sir Edward Elgar. The performance was attended by the pianist Ignaz Friedman, who befriended him and arranged some of his early concerts in Copenhagen, where he later settled. He became an exponent of the composer Carl Nielsen, having recorded some of his violin sonatas and his violin concerto and subsequently was married Nielsen's daughter, Anne Marie, from 1918 to 1933. One of his most famous recordings is a 1954 recording of Bach's Sonatas and partitas for solo violin played using a violin with what was referred to as the "Vega" Bach Bow (recorded in November 1953 and March 1954, DANA CORD, DACO 147), which could be adjusted so the player could play three or even all four strings of the violin at once.
(12442)TLS Classical Music