Though I have the Saga issue cover above, this offering today of Saint Saens' 2nd and 5th piano concertos originates from a mid 50's Vox lp. The featured performer is Italian born Orazio Frugoni and the Vienna Symphony is led by the esteemed Hans Swarowsky.
Orazio Frugoni's name has rather sadly faded from memory. Fifty years ago, he was a well recorded artist and teacher whose name rose to prominence for his advocacy of the piano music of Mendelssohn. In particular, Frugoni introduced the youthful, but excellent, "two piano" piano concertos of Mendelssohn to the general public. However, during the 1960's Frugoni decided to primarily concertize "live" and teach, moving away from the recording process. He eventually returned to Italy as director of the fine arts academy in Florence and continued teaching and adjudicating through to the end of his life.
The music of Saint Saens is always a joy to listen to because it is tuneful and unencumbered by angst or emotional excess. It is for the most part music of entertainment and taken on its own terms is superb listening. Certainly Saint Saens understood the full breadth and scope of the keyboard since he, himself, was considered a master of the keyboard. Frugoni's performance here is musically sound and his technique captures the magic of the writing. Swarowsky, as to be expected, provides strong partnership with the redoubtable Vienna orchestra happily playing along. The mono sound is good, if not special, typical Vox from Vienna. Enjoy.
