Hungarian cellist János Starker (5 July 1924 – 28 April 2013) was one of the greatest cellists of all time. A child prodigy, he was accepted into the Franz Liszt Academy of Music at the age of eleven and made his professional debut at just fourteen.
In 1948, Starker moved to the United States to become principal cellist of the Dallas Symphony Orchestra under Antal Dorati. He later moved to New York to serve as principal cellist at the Metropolitan Opera Orchestra under Fritz Reiner. From 1958 onwards, Starker was a distinguished professor at the Indiana University Jacobs School of Music.
Starker‘s long and distinguished career made him one of the most renowned and recorded cellists of the 20th century. Just a few seconds of listening is enough to recognize his unique tonal identity. His playing, marked by supreme technical accomplishment and exquisite tone, was as elegant as it was intense.
Gerald Moore CBE (30 July 1899 – 13 March 1987) was an English classical pianist best known for his career as an accompanist to many famous musicians. Among those he closely collaborated with were Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau, Elisabeth Schumann, Hans Hotter, Elisabeth Schwarzkopf, Victoria de los Ángeles, and Pablo Casals.
Moore significantly elevated the status of the accompanist from a subservient role to that of an equal artistic partner. Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau wrote in his introduction to the German edition of The Unashamed Accompanist, “there is no more of that pale shadow at the keyboard, he is always an equal with his partner.” Moore fiercely protected the artistic status of his craft, often voicing his disapproval when accompanists he admired were not given proper recognition.
János Starker‘s recordings with pianist Gerald Moore first published in 1960 capture a remarkable collaboration between these two classical music luminaries. Starker known for his unparalleled mastery of the cello and Moore celebrated for his sensitive and skillful accompaniment deliver exquisite interpretations of chamber music. Their synergy is evident in these nuanced performances showcasing technical brilliance, emotional depth and impeccable musicality.
Cut directly from the original analog master tapes, through our unique all valve 1965 Ortofon / Lyrec vinyl cutting system in True Mono*. No equalisation, compression or any other processing was added during the cutting process.
All sleeve artwork made by hand and authentically letter-pressed on a 1963 Heidelberg SB.
This edition of 300 copies is priced at £395.00 UK pounds. Order here.
*Where everything in the chain from the tape head, the tape pre-amplifier, the cutting amplifier and the dedicated mono cutter head is a single channel pathway: This early technology avoids phase issues (smearing of the sound) that is frequently encountered when cutting with todays dual” or “pseudo” mono cutting systems
Original master tapes.
Original master tape (Side 1)
ERC proof and original sleeve.
