# Arthur Grumiaux



## realdealblues

I looked and couldn't find a thread dedicated to Violinist Arthur Grumiaux so I figured I would start one.

I admit I don't know a lot of Violinists. Maybe a dozen by name. But of all the ones I've heard and frequently buy recordings of, I have to say that Arthur Grumiaux gets the best actual "tone" I've heard.

Just absolutely silky smooth. His tone is never abrasive or screechy to my ears, it always just sounds perfectly well rounded.

Heifetz was amazing and probably more adventurous, Perlman is also flawless and they may get more fame for their pyrotechnics (although Grumiaux was no slouch either) but Grumiaux's actual violin tone just always seems more enjoyable to me.

Maybe it's just me, but he's become probably my favorite violinist to listen too.


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## moody

Your description is very apt,he made some brilliant recordings with the wonderful Clara Haskil.


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## DrKilroy

Agreed, Grumiaux just has the best tone.  Whenever I am going to listen to a violin work, I look for a Grumiaux version. 

Best regards, Dr


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## realdealblues

Glad to know I'm not alone 

I have his Mozart Violin Concertos Set. I also have his Favorite Concerto's Set from the Philips Duo Series which has Brahms, Beethoven, Tchaikovsky & Mendelssohn on it.

I've been comparing some of those recordings with others I have lately and it just really struck me how gorgeous his tone was.


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## Ukko

Probably my hayseed background, but I often find Grumiaux _too_ smooth-toned, or maybe with the wick turned down too far. Oistrakh had a glorious tone too, but there was a little flame always flickering in there.


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## realdealblues

Hilltroll72 said:


> Probably my hayseed background, but I often find Grumiaux _too_ smooth-toned, or maybe with the wick turned down too far. Oistrakh had a glorious tone too, but there was a little flame always flickering in there.


It's kind of funny, because I grew up around Bluegrass & Country Music and I think that's why I've always gravitated towards a much smoother tone because I realized violins didn't have to sound squeaky and scrappy...lol.

I do need to listen to some more recordings of Oistrakh though. I have a few but have only really spent time with one or two.


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## Vaneyes

Grumiaux was the violinist I gravitated to, when I started collecting in the '70's. Szeryng was another. Both were under contract to Philips, a label reknown for warmth in sound recording. Comparing their sounds to Heifetz on RCA, and Stern on Sony...well, it was easy to get hooked.


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## Itullian

His Bach is wonderful...........


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## Ukko

I've been trying to remember the name of that Czech violinist - his grandfather had the same name - whose sound was even smoother than Grumiaux's. I have, or used to have - I can't locate it - his Bach sonatas/partitas. too smooth and stress-free by far.


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## realdealblues

Hilltroll72 said:


> I've been trying to remember the name of that Czech violinist - his grandfather had the same name - whose sound was even smoother than Grumiaux's. I have, or used to have - I can't locate it - his Bach sonatas/partitas. too smooth and stress-free by far.


Are you thinking of Josef Suk?


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## moody

Hilltroll72 said:


> I've been trying to remember the name of that Czech violinist - his grandfather had the same name - whose sound was even smoother than Grumiaux's. I have, or used to have - I can't locate it - his Bach sonatas/partitas. too smooth and stress-free by far.


The name you seek is Josef Suk.

realdealblues actually sneaked his post in when I went to check my facts--a quaint habit of mine !
Well,you've been told twice now so don't forget !


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## Ukko

That's the guy. Very highly skilled, with a target sound I don't appreciate. Fortunately for Mr. Suk and the rest of humanity, I am the arbiter of taste only for myself.


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## moody

Hilltroll72 said:


> That's the guy. Very highly skilled, with a target sound I don't appreciate. Fortunately for Mr. Suk and the rest of humanity, I am the arbiter of taste only for myself.


Well that's certainly a blessing to us all.
I thought he was a first class chappie,got him doing the Beethoven concerto with Sir Adrian,I bought it because I saw him do it in concert and was impressed.


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## kv466

Grumiaux is, to me (for the most part), my Glenn on the violin. I know if he plays it, it will be enjoyable.


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## moody

Itullian said:


> His Bach is wonderful...........


His front was not too bad either.


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## moody

kv466 said:


> Grumiaux is, to me (for the most part), my Glenn on the violin. I know if he plays it, it will be enjoyable.


Oh no ,don't start please.


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## Vaneyes

kv466 said:


> Grumiaux is, to me (for the most part), my Glenn on the violin. I know if he plays it, it will be enjoyable.


And with light humming, if you listen very closely.


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## StlukesguildOhio

I have long been more of a keyboard/piano guy than an aficionado of the violin... until recently. I spent the last year or so making a concerted exploration of violin music. I picked up lots of recordings of Baroque violin works... and a good many recordings of older violinists: Oistrakh, Nathan Milstein, Arthur Grumiaux, Yehudi Menuhin, Isaac Stern, Ruggerio Ricci, Henryk Szeryng, Zino Francescatti, Christian Ferras... etc... I also picked up a good deal by favorite contemporary violinists: Anne Sophie Mutter, Elizabeth Wallfisch, Andrew Manze, Gidon Kremer, etc...

I agree that Arthur Grumiaux is marvelous. There are a slew of marvelous recordings of his performances available on the Australian Eloquence label.


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## Sid James

I've got a couple of his recordings reissued on Australian Eloquence label. One that I quite like is his interpretation of Bruch's Violin Concerto #1 and Scottish Fantasy. Both are done in a not-too-syrupy way, Grumiaux kind of goes for an approach which focuses on the music, not on piling on extra schmaltz which is easy to do with these scores. The other one I've got is the Brahms concerto, recorded with Eduard van Beinum conducting.

I would say that I understand those who say he's too bland or needs the wick turned up as Hilltroll says. Maybe he's like the Alban Berg Quartett, who are considered kind of overly no thrills by some listeners, but at the same time they tend to focus on the music and err on the better side of taking much liberties with interpretation. I think that its good to know something that is more straight ahead first and then get to know interps that take more liberties and push the music in less conventional directions later. 

However I tend to like an interpreter using a good deal of restraint, but of course its not always as cut and dried as who is doing exactly what or which. I suppose some do it too much but I think Grumiaux is in the restrained crowd, he does the music as it is, what you see is what you get basically.


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## Headphone Hermit

I'd say Grumiaux is wonderful for the Beethoven and also for the solo Bach .... especially if I was confident with pronouncing his name correctly :lol:

as for being my favourite violinist, well, I can't say that because it all depends which piece of work is referred to. For instance, for Sibelius I love Cho-Liang Lin (and also Heifetz), for solo Bach I also love old recordings of Menuhin, for Tchaikovsky (and Bach) I love the insight that Milstein gave .... and so on. Isn't that part of the joy of classical music - what sends the shiver down my back will leave others unmoved?


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## aajj

I find Grumiaux to be reliable for Mozart concertos, including the Sinfonia Concertante.


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## Guest

I think it's a rich and warm tone, well rounded....based on the complete sonatas and partitas of JSB. But no, I wouldn't want to pronounce his name!


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## KevinW

realdealblues said:


> I looked and couldn't find a thread dedicated to Violinist Arthur Grumiaux so I figured I would start one.
> 
> I admit I don't know a lot of Violinists. Maybe a dozen by name. But of all the ones I've heard and frequently buy recordings of, I have to say that Arthur Grumiaux gets the best actual "tone" I've heard.
> 
> Just absolutely silky smooth. His tone is never abrasive or screechy to my ears, it always just sounds perfectly well rounded.
> 
> Heifetz was amazing and probably more adventurous, Perlman is also flawless and they may get more fame for their pyrotechnics (although Grumiaux was no slouch either) but Grumiaux's actual violin tone just always seems more enjoyable to me.
> 
> Maybe it's just me, but he's become probably my favorite violinist to listen too.


Are you sure Perlman is flawless? I am not saying that Perlman is a bad violinist, but as you listen to his more recent performances and recordings, you will find that he is actually far from being perfect at techniques. I do like his music expressions though.


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## KevinW

Guest said:


> I think it's a rich and warm tone, well rounded....based on the complete sonatas and partitas of JSB. But no, I wouldn't want to pronounce his name!


Ahtoo Ghoomiouh!


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## mikeh375

I've found a lot of respect for Grumiaux amongst pro players. I have his Bach Partitas on CD.


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## Enthalpy

realdealblues said:


> [...] Arthur Grumiaux gets the best actual "tone" I've heard. Just absolutely silky smooth. His tone is never abrasive or screechy to my ears, it always just sounds perfectly well rounded. [...]


That's what professional violinist tell too.

Arthur Grumiaux inherited his bow technique from Eugène Ysaÿe, his grand-professor, who has a few records on the Internet. This technique spread first in Belgium and France, then Germany, USA and elsewhere, but isn't still common in Russia, Romania, Hungary and others. The hand position differs slightly, but above all, unnecessary wrist movements near the frog are suppressed.

You might like also Ilya Kaler (despite not being a heir of Ysaÿe to my knowledge) and James Ehnes for the clean tone. Or Julia Fischer, but she doesn't let the quest for a perfect clean tone restrict her interpretation.

Check *Karin Hendel*! (spells H-e-n) A grand-student of Arthur Grumiaux, she surpassed everybody and has the cleanest bow technique since violinists exist. She's little known, and her records keep disappearing from the Internet, but her CD is available.


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