PAGANINI - 24 Caprices (Sealed) (2LP)

Ricci’s 1959 recording of Paganini Caprices survives as the basic and essential version. To listen yet again to his impregnable virtuosity, mercurial fire and lyrical intensity is to be reminded of what a revelation it was to hear Ricci play these Caprices on the old BBC Third Programme back in the 1950s, enabling one to understand for the first time many things which hitherto had only been glimpsed dimly from reading the music by oneself. Decca’s recording of Ricci was outstanding for 1960 and still is remarkable for its clarity, dynamic range, sheer immediacy: the music smoulders and icily glitters by turns.