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(Paul Hindemith - A composers take on Beethoven)

Some of my favorite records are ones where the composer is performer, not necessarily of his own work, but of others. Many times it's a fascinating experience and a different take on what you're used to hearing. One of those people is Paul Hindemith, certainly a noteworthy composer in his own rite. But he was also a musician of considerable skill as well. In the early part of the 20th century he was a founding member of The Amar String Quartet, whose recordings fetch insane prices on the collectors market. In the early 1930's, he split off to form his own trio, enlisting the violinist Szymon Goldberg and cellist Emanuel Fuermann and making some memorable recordings of which this is one.

Recorded for Columbia in 1934. The Beethoven Serenade op. 8

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(Denise Soriano (upper left) Jules Boucherit (upper right) Devy Ehrlih (lower left) Serge Blanc (lower right) - taken in 1942)

A lot has been written about this particular recording, mostly that it hasn't been available in practically any form since it was first issued as a 78 set by Pathe in 1934.

Magda Tagliaferro has recorded a lot during her career. She also had the chance to know and tour with the likes of Gabriel Faure, the composer of this sonata. But not a whole lot is known about the violinist, Denise Soriano, other than the fact that the relatively few commercial recordings she made were brilliant. Sadly, Soriano died in 2006 at the age of 90 after a career centered mostly in Europe and South America. She was married to the violinist Jules Boucherit and frequently collaborated with Tagliaferro in the 1930's and 1940's.

Suffice to say, this is a special recording made by two extraordinary musicians who have not become household names. Too bad for us.

I'm sure the title can be borrowed today - has a nice ring to it. In 1933 FDR instituted a sort of national Charity Day - the private sector taking up the slack from the government. The idea was to get people involved in helping out others who were struggling (a familiar theme today). Each October, throughout the 1930's, FDR called on Americans to give extra, help out those in need (reminds me of the Day of National Service this past January). Charities are pretty much in place now, but are struggling with the current economy - especially in light of the Madoff scandal, Wall Street and the seemingly endless stream of corporate bankruptcies. . . . I'm talking about 2009, not 1934. Although . . . .

(new faces - different apples)

From the Second Fireside Chat of September 30, 1934, FDR laid out the progress the administration was taking in light of the disaster several months earlier. All the elements were laid out - Bad investments, Wall Street on a rampage, jobs evaporating, savings gone. The big difference was implementing curbs and regulations which didn't exist prior to the New Deal. Today the look is what was ignored, abandoned and deregulated. Then as now, the outlook was slow and the recovery painful. But there was recovery.

History does get painful from time to time . . . .