Good News for Fellow Toscha Seidel Fans

DVD reviews: The DVD of the movie "Melody for Three", though poor in audio quality, allows us to see him play briefly, as well as hear his incredible playing throughout.

From Oliver Steiner
Posted January 13, 2005 at 01:35 AM

I periodically type the names of my very favorite artists into various search engines, as I've learned some valuable things in the past by doing this. The other day I typed "Toscha Seidel" into the search engine at amazon.com and up came a DVD for a movie: "Melody for Three". Knowing that Seidel was the violin soloist in many movies, I assumed this to be the case with "Melody for Three", and purchased the DVD. Upon receiving and playing the DVD today, I was most pleasantly surprised to find that Seidel is not only heard on the soundtrack, but actually seen playing in the movie! For years I have been a most enthusiastic fan of his artistry, and today I was able to see him play for the first time. There are two drawbacks to this DVD, however, about which the prospective purchaser should be forewarned: 1.The audio on the DVD is atrociously distorted...I imagine that this likely happened in the transfer to DVD. I have the original 78rpm recording of him playing the soundtrack music; it has a far lower distortion level. The same is true of the LP transfer and the CD transfer; both have better recorded sound than the DVD. 2. You only see Seidel play for about four measures, though you hear him throughout the movie. Despite these shortcomings, I'm nonetheless glad and grateful to have the movie DVD. The piece he mainly plays throughout the movie is "Brahmsiana" by K. Bakaleinikoff...this is one of my very favorite Seidel recordings. For me, Toscha Seidel is unequaled in his ability to ellicit feelings of sweetness and affection from the listener through his unique expressive violin persona.

From nate r
Posted on January 13, 2005 at 01:43 AM

That's great news Oliver I shall order that tonight! I am also a huge fan of Seidel's playing. Thanks!
Nate

From carlos majlis
Posted on January 13, 2005 at 05:57 PM

¿Do you know his Chausson's Poeme with Stokowsky and Phil.Orch (1945)?

From nate r
Posted on January 13, 2005 at 06:41 PM

Carlos I would love to get a hold of that recording. Where can I find it?
Nate

From Alan Wittert
Posted on January 13, 2005 at 08:26 PM

I have that recording too! It's "filler" on an obscure CD with Zimbalist playing the Brahms; the Seidel Poeme is the most ravishing playing! Chances are that if you do a search, looking for Zimbalist and Brahms Concerto might yield better results than Seidel and Chausson.

From carlos majlis
Posted on January 13, 2005 at 08:37 PM

I have it on a private recopilation made by an englishman (who sais to have about 6500 records) and copied for me in exchange for something I send him. It has short pieces from Cui,D'Ambrosio,Kreisler,RK, Mozart,Brahms,Bakaleinikoff,Provost,Kongold and Chausson. That man had one of the most extraordinary sounds in the history of the violin!!!

From Michael Waiblinger
Posted on January 15, 2005 at 01:45 AM

Hello Mr. Steiner: I have spoken to Arnold Steinhardt, who was a pupil of Seidel. He also must have been your colleague at Meadowmount. He had some interesting but also sad stories about the late Seidel. I consider Seidel's sound production (volume, intensity, usage of rubato and glissandi) as unique.

There are a couple of recordings available:
The Leopold Auer Legacy, Vol. 2; RCA Recordings (Biddulph); Brahms, Grieg Violin Sonatas (Pearl). Please let me know, if I shall send you some copies.

From Violin T
Posted on January 15, 2005 at 01:51 AM

I do not mean to pry, but how exactly did Seidel finish his career and life, as the latter part of his life (whether the details of his life in general, or his professional activity) seem to be very ambigous.

From nate r
Posted on January 15, 2005 at 01:57 AM

I believe Seidel finished his career playing in commericials, movie sound tracks, and also apparently from what I've heard he played in a band in Vegas.

From Nguyen Hoang Viet
Posted on July 3, 2005 at 07:48 AM

The Leopold Auer Legacy, Vol. 2; RCA Recordings (Biddulph) is no longer avaible. Can someone send me copy this CD?

My email contact: apomethe@yahoo.com

From Dmitri Torchinsky
Posted on June 4, 2006 at 11:45 AM

some of you may remember my posts about Seidel in the past. I havent lost interest and recently came across an old record from 1930's in a sound archive in vienna. it's just two waltzes by Kreisler. I should be able to make a copy of them and will be glad to share with fellow fans.

From carlos majlis
Posted on June 4, 2006 at 02:18 PM

There's a "new" Seidel on BIDDULPH LAB 138. Has some know pieces, but Korngold's "Much Ado About Nothing" with the composer, and FRANCK sonata with Harry Kaufmann. A must have CD

From Rick Baccare
Posted on June 4, 2006 at 02:30 PM

Hey Sounds good Dmitri. I will be purchasing a few recordings by Seidel from his columbia period. I have found a seller from ebay who would transfer his 78 recordings to CD or cassette for me. I'm hoping one day someone would release his columbia recordings onto CD. I have mentioned this request a number of times to Biddulph, but no one has ever responded back!.

From Raphael Klayman
Posted on June 4, 2006 at 03:09 PM

Does anyone know, or is there a list somewhere of all the movies in which Seidel soloed extensively? I believe "Golden Earrings" was one, and "Intermezzo" was another - although I understand that another violinist (Kaufman?) shared the solo duties there.

From Oliver Steiner
Posted on June 4, 2006 at 03:16 PM

If I could take only 3 or 4 CDs to a desert island, surely Biddulph LAB 138 would be amongst them. I think it's a "must have" CD for serious violin enthusiasts.

From Dmitri Torchinsky
Posted on June 4, 2006 at 03:46 PM

glad to hear so many of you love his art too. I only found one Columbia LP and that was Kreisler Liebesfreud and Schoen Rosemarin. Which others do you know?

From Dmitri Torchinsky
Posted on June 4, 2006 at 03:47 PM

Dear Oliver!
I though of putting here a list of the recordings that we all know and hopefully coming up with some sort of a comprehensive list in the end. So here it goes. (all that I know)
1.Biddulph LAB013 with Brahms Sonata in G op 78, Sonata in A op 100, and Grieg Sonata in C Minor op 45
2.Biddulph LAB138 TOSCHA SEIDEL – the RCA Victor Recordings and FRANCK Sonata in A Erich Wolfgang KORNGOLD Much Ado About Nothing Suite Dimitri TIOMKIN arrangements of Strauss Waltzes plus music by Mozart; Wagner and Brahms etc. Erich Wolfgang Korngold (piano)
3.Columbia 78' Kreisler Liebesfreud, Rosemarin
4. a recording of chausson poeme from a 1945 broadcast with the LA Phil., conducted by Stokowski (I had it from a Stokowski fan a few years ago but unfortunatelly lost it, so if anyone has it please send)

I know that the Brahms and Grieg exists on several reissues but it is the same original recording and transfer (i think)
any more?

From Rick Baccare
Posted on June 4, 2006 at 09:01 PM

Here are some other recordings Seidel recorded for Columbia, they are out there somewhere!.

Schubert: Seranade and The Ave Maria, Wieniawski Romance from Concerto No. 2, Sarasate Gypsy Air, Achron Hebrew Melody, Kreisler Caprice Viennois, Orientale, and Polish Dance. I am sure there is more.

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