Ysaÿe: Six Sonatas for Solo Violin, op. 27 Tai Murray

• 1 I. Grave 05:18
• 2 II. Fugato 05:42
• 3 III. Allegretto poco scherzoso 04:49
• 4 IV. Finale con brio 03:04
• 5 I. Obsession 02:29
• 6 II. Malinconia 02:58
• 7 III. Danse des ombres 04:53
• 8 IV. Les furies 03:25
• 9 Ballade 07:34
• 10 I. Allemanda 05:39
• 11 II. Sarabande 03:12
• 12 III. Finale 03:13
• 13 I. L'Aurore 03:54
• 14 II. Danse rustique 05:27
• 15 Allegro giusto non troppo vivo - Allegretto poco scherzando 07:09
• Total Runtime 01:08:46

Info for Ysaÿe: Six Sonatas for Solo Violin, op. 27

Chicago-born violinist Tai Murray was named a BBC New Generation Artist in 2009. She makes her harmonia mundi début in this dazzling reading of the six solo Sonatas which Eugène Ysaÿe penned in 1924. Since their publication these sonatas have offered a benchmark to subsequent generations of violinists.

Acclaimed as “a fabulous player, statuesque and strong, with a flawless control of line” (The Daily Telegraph), violinist Tai Murray is a rising star of her generation and is increasingly in demand for both recitals and orchestral engagements. She has performed on the stages of many of the world’s great concert halls including New York’s Carnegie Hall, and has collaborated with a wide range of conductors and instrumentalists, such as Marin Alsop, Alan Gilbert, Richard Goode, Dmitry Sitkovetsky and Mitsuko Uchida. She recently made her recital début at London’s Wigmore Hall as well as appearing at the BBC Proms and with the BBC Symphony, the BBC Scottish Symphony, the National Youth Orchestra of Venezuela amongst others. Winner of an Avery Fisher Career Grant in 2004 and a former BBC New Generation Artist (2008-2010), Ms. Murray is a native of Chicago. She performs on a Giovanni Tononi instrument, c. 1690. Upcoming chamber appearances include the West Cork Festival in Bantry, Ireland, and the Mozartiade in Augsburg, Germany.

“Murray's reading is vivid and imaginative: elegant in the baroque double-stopping of the first sonata, feverish in the second, sheer and smooth in the fourth, flirtatious in the sixth.” (The Independent on Sunday)

“the yearning Murray creates by way of her seamless lines is heart-wrenching...the perfection of [her] intonation, especially in the many virtuoso passages of fast-moving, random intervals of no predicable pattern, has tipped so far over into another league of accuracy that it adds an extra dimension of enjoyment to an already superlative disc.” (Gramophone Magazine)

“Murray is the latest in a long line of soloists who have managed to conquer most of [the Sonatas'] technical difficulties and focus on the music. I say most: the opening of his First Sonata could be thrown off with greater abandon, and in general Murray could take more risks...Murray is more effective in the intimate moments.” (BBC Music Magazine)

Tai Murray, violin

Tai Murray
Violinist Tai Murray is a rising star of her generation and is increasingly in demand for both recitals and orchestral engagements. She has performed many of the world’s great concert halls including New York’s Carnegie Hall, and has collaborated with conductors and instrumentalists, such as Marin Alsop, Alan Gilbert, Richard Goode, Jaime Laredo, Hannu Lintu, and Mitsuko Uchida. She made her recital début at London’s Wigmore Hall as well as appearing at the BBC Proms and with the Cincinnati and Dallas symphony orchestras, London’s BBC Symphony, the BBC Scottish Symphony, and the Danish National Symphony Orchestra. Winner of an Avery Fisher Career Grant in 2004 and a former BBC New Generation Artist (2008-2010), Ms. Murray is a native of Chicago. She studied with Yuval Yaron, Franco Gulli, and Joel Smirnoff, and is a graduate of Indiana University and the Juilliard School.

“Technically flawless...vivacious and scintillating...It is without doubt that Murray’s style of playing is more mature than that of many seasoned players; and, with a debut record this outstanding, it can safely be assumed that she will exceed many expectations – she’s certainly exceeded mine.” (Francesca Treadaway, Muso Magazine)

Booklet for Ysaÿe: Six Sonatas for Solo Violin, op. 27