Michael Zacharewitsch

Michael Zacharewitsch (1879, Ostrow – 1953, London) was a Russian violinist. The 1935 Who’s Who of Music gives the following information:

Born Ostrow, Russia, educated Petrograd, Moscow and under Sevcik and Ysaye. Married Joan Saxby, one son. Zeugnis der Reife Diploma. Publications: Dante (for two violins, cello, piano); The New Art of Violin Playing; various violin solos. Made musical debut at age of 12. Appeared with Scottish Orchestra, Hallé Orchestra. Soloist under Tchaikowsky, Joachim, Sir Edward Elgar, Sir Frederick Cowen, Sir Henry Wood, Sir Landon Ronald, Sir Thomas Beecham, Rachmaninoff, Rubinstein, Sir Dan Godfrey. Has made 3 World Tours. Recreations: Fishing, shooting, reading. Address: Garrick Ave, NW11. Tel: Speedwell 4422

The son mentioned in the entry was in fact the harpsichordist Joseph Saxby, born 3rd January 1910, who toured America as his father’s accompanist when he was just 15. He would later work extensively with the Dolmetsch family.

Wieniawski – Legende
Svendsen – Romance
Michael Zacharewitsch, violin with piano

Mediafire link for recordings by Michael Zacharewitsch

(This is a zip file – left click the link, download the file, then unzip when downloaded)

Edison Bell Velvet Face 517
Matrices X1122D-4, X1123B-4
Recorded c1920

Plays at 80.0rpm

Schubert – Ave Maria
Zacharewitsch – Imagination

Michael Zacharewitsch, violin with piano

Mediafire link for recordings by Michael Zacharewitsch

(This is a zip file – left click the link, download the file, then unzip when downloaded)

Edison Bell Velvet Face 509
Matrices X1125E-?, X1126N-?
Recorded c1920

Plays at 80.0rpm

Sarasate – Zigeunerweisen
Michael Zacharewitsch, violin with piano

Mediafire link for recordings by Michael Zacharewitsch

(This is a zip file – left click the link, download the file, then unzip when downloaded)

Edison Bell Velvet Face 525
Matrices X1171E-1, X1172F-2
Recorded c1920

Plays at 81.9rpm

This Sarasate recording abridges some of the early parts of the work. The Moderato introduction is complete, but only 9 bars of the following Lento are included (cutting the remaining 24 bars of this section), and the first side finishes with the “Un peu plus lento” section, omitting an 8 bar repeat. Curiously, the second side then repeats this whole section (with the same repeat ignored) before progressing to the Allegro molto vivace, which is given in its entirety.

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