János Starker Performances of Zoltan Kodaly’s Sonata for Unaccompanied Cello, Op. 8

The primary purpose of his thread was to untangle contradictory versions of Period SPL 510... But it has become a resource some will find useful in exploring the discography of a great composition and its master interpreter.

• I. Allegro maestoso ma appassionato
• II. Adagio con gran espressione
• III. Allegro molto vivace.

János Starker first played Zoltan Kodaly’s Sonata for Unaccompanied Cello, Op. 8 for Kodály at the age of 15 in 1939. He recorded it many times:

1) 1948 Paris 78 RPM - received the Grand Prix du Disque - unverified

2) 1950 New York LP (Period SPL 510)*

3) 1956 New York LP (Columbia 33CX 1595, likely reissued as Angel Records ‎35627)

4) 1980 Tokyo LP (Star X03, with Cassadó Suite For Cello)


Numerous other recordings may be derived from these, with uncertain origins:

5) *- a different “Period SPL 510“ release pairs Op. 8 with Op. 7 Duo with Arnold Eidus, violin

6) this same pairing (as for 5) on Saga 8536 of 1974

7) this same pairing (as for 5) on Circulo Musical Nº-475, Venezuela

8) this same pairing (as for 5) on Nippon Columbia Co., Ltd. HR-1001-EV, Series: Historical Recording 1000

9) Angel Records ‎35627 (reissue of Columbia 33CX 1595?) with Dohnányi Cello Concerto

10) 1987 Japan (Delos 1015) - states this Sonata recorded 1970 – (with Variations on a Theme by Paganini, and Kodaly Op. 7 Duo, Josef Gingold, violin)

a. NOTE: Star X03 of 1981 pairs the Duo (Gingold) with Heiden Sonata

11) undated Japan - compilation on Philips Classics PHCP-1248-9 with all six Bach Suites for Unaccompanied Cello

12) In addition to these recordings a Tokyo live recital [dated in some sources as 1988-07-29] appears in numerous audience-recorded U-tube videos. from a variety of sonic perspectives


YouTube Sources for these recordings:

(1) 1948: A couple of sources claim to be of the first 1948 recording, but evidence for identity of source is lacking:

“1948” recording of second movement – 8:33
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xuJiXnnPr-Q
- decent ‘cello sound, but lots of crackle and hiss.

“The earliestLp:0 Starker/Kodaly/Cello Sonata” – complete – 28:17
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=siJQBuwdQ9M
- begins with very tinny opening, but vivid and not noisy.

(2) 1950 Period SPL 510 – of Opus 8 only

All fully-documented examples of SPL 510 are of Opus 8 only, with the second movement split cross two tracks, A1 and B2. This includes all YouTube examples where the source LP is evident.

Direct transfer with live video of track A1 beginning and A2 from an identical copy of Period SPL 510, identified by the source as Decca XMS LP Mono, Garrard RC75A on the Sandfilled plinth produced by GTKaudio – GTKaudio1 Shimomura – intense sound – 5:05
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z2yJ7Xk9y9w

03 Janos Starker Kodaly PERIOD SPL 510
Another direct transfer of SPL 510, first movement beginning – 5:14


Starker Kodaly OPUS8 Denon DL102 British made MC transformer
Second Movement (beginning) – Direct transfer with live video of track B2 from an identical copy of Period SPL 510 – GTKaudio1 Shimomura – warm sound but also a hum – 4:21
Starker Kodaly OPUS8 Denon DL102 British made MC transformer

Starker Kodaly OPUS 8 Second Movement (continued) Garrard Model-T
Direct transfer with live video of track B1 from an identical copy of Period SPL 510, Garrard Model T on the Sandfilled plinth produced by GTKaudio – Decca XMS – GTKaudio1 Shimomura – intense sound – 5:08
Starker Kodaly OPUS 8 Second Movement (continued) Garrard Model-T

Starker Kodaly SPL510 Opus8 Third Movement Decca XMS
Direct transfer with live video of track B2 from an identical copy of Period SPL 510 – GTKaudio1 Shimomura – intense sound – 9:07
Starker Kodaly SPL510 Opus8 Third Movement Decca XMS

Complete recording of Opus 8 attributed to Period SPL 510 of 1950, with outstanding sound quality - 27:56
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H1bM7wKeark

(3) 1956 “Columbia” Recording

Source not stated, from Op 8, section uncertain – starts well into a long track 2, and may include several fragments – shows Columbia Blue Labels – 10:31 in total
Starker Kodaly unaccompanied Garrard RC75A
- uneven warm-tinny, with heavy crackle and loud hum at beginning

Identified as Columbia 1959, but has black on red Angel labels and jacket of recording no. (9), 1st movement- 8:29
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kGbqIgaOuuA
- sound is forward but heavy on treble

(12) Tokyo Recital with Video (as index for other recordings comparing track timings)

1st movement - Allegro maestoso ma appassionato: 7:58
Janos Starker - Kodály Cello Solo Sonata I. Mvt

2nd movement - Adagio con gran espressione – test: 10:08
Janos Starker - Kodály Cello Solo Sonata II. Mvt

3rd movement - Allegro molto vivace – test 10:00
Janos Starker - Kodály Cello Solo Sonata III. Mvt

- plus dozens of similar or duplicate YouTube submissions


UNDATED YOUTUBE RECORDINGS:

Complete performance – 31:46
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=phygv_Et9sQ

Complete performance, probably Tokyo – 28:05
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=70TnbFuP-hg

Complete performances of both Sonata for Unaccompanied Cello, Op. 8 and Duo for Violin and Cello, Op.7 – 51:41:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HB1hYxbwrnM

First Movement – undated transfer using LOWTHER+WESTERN ELECTRIC NO.1086 A+MARANTZ CD16D(K) – 8:42
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3SkY77Cqvzw
- warm and forward sound with a bit of hiss and exterior noise

First Movement – full-bodied forward sound – 8:49
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eJfYOmdh6Cc

First Movement – live – probably Tokyo – 7:58
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IsevYs6r44U

Second Movement (beginning) – Starker Kodaly Unaccompanied Decca XMS cartridge mono
Direct transfer with live video of track A2 from an unidentified label (NIXA?) with the same LP track distribution as on SPL 510 – GTKaudio1 Shimomura – intense sound – 4:15
Starker Kodaly Unaccompanied Decca XMS cartridge mono

Second Movement – distant sound but clean, likely Tokyo – 10:14
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8smqfw3qBaE

Second Movement – full forward sound, longest duration – 11:16
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BKMwWoC5a2g

Third Movement – distant sound but relatively clean – 9:53
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8GsUxppS4lA

Third Movement – full-bodied sound – 10:38
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FbG6HOnQlRQ

Kodaly Starker Herz Duo for Violin and Cello, OP.7 mono- first track – on Period red label “SPL 720” [?] – Direct transfer with live video of track A1 from a Period red label that clearly begins with a 7 (720? 780?) – GTKaudio1 Shimomura – 7:43
Kodaly Starker Herz Duo for Violin and Cello, OP.7 mono


Reviews of Period Records SPL 510

Source: participants at Steve Hoffman Forums:
Period Records label?

“Period was mostly known as a classical label and was well regarded by audiophiles in the day. They appear to have ceased activity around 1957 . . . .” [Some or all of] their recordings used . . . Stereo Sound Studios, NYC = Jerry Newman, engineer. Ampex 350-2 – Steve Hoffman

“At least one of the classical issues is still highly regarded by audiophiles: SPL510 Kodaly, "Sonata for Unaccompanied Cello, Opus 8" performed by Janos Starker. The same catalog number has this piece on one side and a violin/cello duet on the flip, but THE copy is the one with the unaccompanied cello performance spread to both sides. Even if you do not care for classical music, the sound and fury of this recording is awesome.” – Tony A

Two Versions of SPL 510? –Observations

1) The blue jacket design showing SPL 510 credits claims to include both Op. 7 and Op. 8.

2) The LP labels provided for this example directly contradict this claim, citing only Op. 8 split across sides A and B. A different label design is used, but the content is consistent with multiple red-labels SPL 510 LP images in evidence, including my SPLP 510.

3) All recorded transcriptions of this performance on YouTube are consistent showing the single-work with the split 2nd movement configuration, on red labels.

4) One YouTube recording of both works (from a different, later release) has a runtime of 51:41.

5) With Op 8 running past 27-minutes in duration, placing both works on one LP at the beginning of the LP era would have negatively impacted audio quality.

6) The recorded YouTube transcriptions of the Duo also appearing on Period red-labels have a different catalog number that appears to be SPL 720, 750, or 780.

Study of the Period catalog number fails to reveal intelligible patterns. Many label designs are noted. The labels presenting the letters of “Period” on multi-coloured scrabble tiles seem to be more common for jazz releases, but also appear for some classical releases. The solid red label is in evidence enough to associate it with the early 1950’s, but not exclusively, and it may have appeared later and earlier in other series as well. Two-colour labels appear most often as red within a cream/silver outer ring on red vinyl, but also on black vinyl and using other secondary colours.

Within the SPL series, some releases appear as SPLP on the jacket and/or the labels, and often mismatched from one to the other. The most reasonable explanation is that Period was content to permit discrepancies, and use a mix-and match a mix and match approach to make use available jacket and label stock from one release to the next.

Conclusions:

Audiophile collectors clearly regard the Op.8-only recording as “treasured.” It is the only version of SPL 510 that is thoroughly documented in multiple examples.

It is evident that Period did issue a release combining Op. 7 and Op 8 under a different catalog number. By intent, or by mistake, Period may have done so initially under the original SLP 510 catalog number. If the claim for a second form of SPL 510 is valid, it proves that serious errors took place mismatching jackets and labels, and/or labels and LPs.

With the proper identification of the only example uncertain – with label images that contradict the claims of the jacket – thorough documentation of the actual tracks on the actual LP’s is required before this submission can be considered “accurate.”

IMO it is misleading and inappropriate to merge both versions of SPL 510 into one “Master Release.”