September, 1954

The GRAMOPHONE

CHRISTIAN FERRAS

BRAHMS Concerto in D major for Violin and Orchestra, Opus 77 CHRISTIAN FERRAS

with THE VIENNA PHILHARMONIC ORCHESTRA

conducted by CARL SCHURICHT LXT 2949

CHRISTIAN FERRAS was born on 17th June 1933, and at the age of 13 won the first prizes for Violin and Chamber Music at the Paris National Conservatoire. Two years later he won the first prize at the Concours International de Scheveningen, and when he was 16 again was a first prize winner, this time at the Concours International Marguerite Long-Jacques Thibaud. He has played with the most famous orchestras and under the greqtest conductors in Europe, but is far more than just a prodigy. He is, in fact, one of the greatest musical discoveries of this age. That he executes the most prodigiously difficult passages with unflurried ease must have been particularly evident to all who heard his performance of Racine Fricker's new Rhapsody at Cheltenham. But perhaps a greater tribute to his musical qualities is the fact that the whole Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra-those most hardened of critics-stood up and cheered at the end of the first movement when he was making this L.P. of the Brahms concerto earlier this year.

THE DECCA RECORD COMPANY LIMITED,

1-3 BRIXTON ROAD, LONDON, S.W.9