Description

LEO STROCKOFF (LEV DAVIDOVICH STROCK) (RIGA, LATVIA, 1888 – ? 1957)

 

 

 

 

Leo Strockoff was a Russian violinist from a family of musicians and a pupil of the legendary Belgian master Eugène Ysaÿe. Trained in the great Franco‑Belgian tradition, Strockoff developed a refined technique and a lyrical style that earned him recognition across Europe and the United States.

He performed widely, including London, where he appeared at a Special Sunday Concert at the Royal Albert Hall on 17 June 1917 alongside soprano Aileen D’Orme and pianist Carl Budden‑Morris. He also gave his American debut at Carnegie Hall on 26 March 1928, performing a program including Bach, Handel, Lalo (Symphonic Espagnole), Debussy (Fille aux Cheveux de Lin), and virtuosic works by Veracini, Tartini, Corelli, and Wieniawski. Critics praised his facile playing and lyrical tone, especially in sustained, expressive passages, though some noted occasional intonation or phrasing flaws.

Strockoff remained deeply connected to his teacher, Eugène Ysaÿe, whom he revered as “Master.” According to accounts from his final years, he often spoke of Ysaÿe and of certain music the Master had written that only he possessed, showing how much he valued that personal artistic link.

Tragically, Strockoff died impoverished in a darkly furnished room on the East Eighties, embittered by the fact that he never achieved the great fame he had hoped for. Though he had been a talented and accomplished violinist, his later life was marked by hardship and disappointment, leaving a legacy of skill, devotion, and unfulfilled potential.

 

 

TRACKLIST

 

 

LALO Symphonie espagnole, Op. 21

Columbia 67059D M-14,  67059D M-14, 67060D M-14, 67060D M-14, 67061D M-14, 67061D M-14

Hamilton Harty (conductor)

Leo Strockoff, violin

Recorded 14 July 1924

Clerkenwell Road Studios, 102-108,

Clerkenwell Road, London EC1

 

La Chasse Caprice (Cartier-Kreisler) Columbia A155 3414

Valse Bluette (Drigo) Columbia A154 3414