Arthur Grumiaux plays Édouard Lalo’s Symphonie espagnole in D minor, Op. 21

Historic live performance from Amsterdam: Belgian violinist Arthur Grumiaux plays Édouard Lalo’s Symphonie espagnole in D minor, Op. 21, with the Kunstmaand Orkest under Anton Kersjes, recorded live on 2 February 1964. This upload presents a carefully remastered version of the original mono broadcast, enhancing clarity and presence while preserving the natural warmth, balance and dynamic range of the performance. Composed in 1874 for Pablo de Sarasate and premiered in Paris the following year, Lalo’s Symphonie espagnole is effectively a dazzling violin concerto in five movements. Blending French Romantic lyricism with Spanish-flavoured rhythms and colours, it moves from the dark, urgent opening Allegro non troppo through the playful Scherzando, sultry habanera-style Intermezzo, lyrical Andante and a brilliant Rondo: Allegro finale – a continuous showcase of singing lines, off-beat accents and virtuoso fireworks for the soloist. Grumiaux was renowned for his purity of tone, classical poise and unfailingly elegant phrasing, and this rare live document shows those qualities in a more spontaneous, high-voltage setting than his studio recordings. Kersjes and the Kunstmaand Orkest provide a vivid, flexible accompaniment that underlines both the work’s symphonic sweep and its dance-like, improvisatory character, making this 1964 concert a precious snapshot of Grumiaux in front of a Dutch audience at the height of his powers. Performers Arthur Grumiaux – violin Kunstmaand Orkest Anton Kersjes – conductor Work Édouard Lalo (1823–1892) Symphonie espagnole in D minor, Op. 21 (1874) I. Allegro non troppo II. Scherzando: Allegro molto III. Intermezzo: Allegretto non troppo IV. Andante V. Rondo: Allegro