Tossy Spivakovsky acquired a 1721 Stradivarius violin, known as the 'Macmillan,' in 1943.
Interpretation
For Bach's solo works, Tossy Spivakovsky used two bows in recital: a normal bow for faster movements and a curved bow for slow movements and fugues, after discovering the Bach-Vega curved bow in 1957.
Performer Biography
At age 19, Tossy Spivakovsky was engaged by Wilhelm Furtwängler, a renowned conductor, as concertmaster of the Berlin Philharmonic.
Composition History
The Menotti Violin Concerto was commissioned in 1952 by Efrem Zimbalist, a renowned violinist, who premiered the work in Philadelphia.
Performer Biography
Tossy Spivakovsky, the violinist on this album, was born in Odessa in 1906 and lived through two world wars.
Notable Performances
Tossy Spivakovsky gave the American premiere of Bartók's Second Concerto in 1943 with the Cleveland Orchestra, with the composer present at a later performance in Carnegie Hall.
Historical Context
The rise of the Nazis in Germany led Tossy Spivakovsky and his piano trio to remain in Australia, where they were touring, and teach at the University of Melbourne Conservatorium.
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