HENRYK SZERYNG

The Aristocrat of the violin, with a phenomenal intellect

OUR DISCOVERIES

Bande No. 1

Bande No. 1

HENRYK SZERYNG

THE UNRELEASED BERLIN STUDIO RECORDINGS

April 1962 and April 1963, a year apart, Berlin acousticians, among the most experienced in the world, adjusted the removable panels of the walls of studio No. 3 of the Berlin Radio House. A technical marvel based on revolutionary, though totally traditional methods, this hall was designed in 1929 by Hans Poelzig with a reverberation that can be modulated at will. Henryk Szeryng has the reputation of a scrupulous, uncompromising and authentic master who ranks alongside a Milstein or a Grumiaux. In April 1963, he was 44 years old. At the peak of his art, he meticulously took out of his box his Guarnerius del Gesu, known as "the Duke", with which he would make violin history that day.

HENRYK SZERYNG

THE UNRELEASED BERLIN STUDIO RECORDINGS

HENRYK SZERYNG

THE UNRELEASED BERLIN STUDIO RECORDINGS

The story of this discovery

“This production is exceptional in more ways than one. It is the first time that we have found recordings not of a concert, but made in a studio. And it is more than likely that the studios intended to release them. The RBB engineers have achieved a true miracle in terms of acoustics: never before, at any time, has the sound of a violin been restored to us with so much detail and authenticity. 
I remember that in Berlin, a team of journalists came to film us. While listening to Bach's Chaconne, one of them, a complete neophyte in music, with tears in his eyes, turned towards us and told us in an emotional voice, "It's simply overwhelming."

Frédéric D'ORIA-NICOLAS
Musical treasure seeker

THE FORMATS OF THIS DISCOVERY


Classica

"These recordings published here for the first time testify to the finesse of his style and his perfection of bowing. Franck's sonata, of which there was no version by Szeryng before this one, is, alone, worth purchasing this album"

Henryk Szeryng was born on September 22, 1918. In his youth, his mother taught him to play the piano, but he later decided to exchange this instrument for the violin.

A parenthesis without quotation marks

He was confronted with the beginning of the Second World War while in Paris. However, he did not stop his concert activity. After joining the Polish army in France in 1940, he gave concerts for the Allied forces in military camps and field hospitals. As a liaison officer and translator since he was fluent in seven languages, he served Władysław Sikorski on his mission to Mexico, when the general asked officials there to accept a few thousand Polish refugees. In 1946, Szeryng obtained Mexican citizenship and began a career in teaching, becoming the principal violin teacher in the music department of the National Autonomous University of Mexico.

Henryk Szeryng on cello

A worldwide success

He returned to the stage in 1954 to give concerts in New York, which proved to be a huge success. From then on he began to play with the most famous orchestras and conductors in Europe, the Americas, Africa and Asia, performing many times in Poland. His repertoire includes more than 40 concerts and dozens of sonatas from different periods. He became famous for his interpretations of great artists like Mozart, Beethoven and Bach. The artist has been a very active propagator of contemporary music, presenting a new piece for violin and orchestra every year.

Henryk Szeryng died on 3 March 1988 in Kassel.


"The work of Johann Sebastian Bach is a Bible. Bach is the ultimate goal, where everything begins and everything ends. His music brings you closer to your soul."

OUR HAPPY MUSIC LOVERS