Description

JOSEF HASSID (POLISH: JÓZEF CHASYD) (SUWAŁKI, POLAND, 28 DECEMBER, 1923 – SURREY, ENGLAND, 7 NOVEMBER, 1950)

 

 

 

 

Josef Hassid was a Polish violinist renowned for his extraordinary musical talent, expressive playing, and remarkable interpretations of the Romantic violin repertoire. Despite his short life, he became one of the most admired violinists of his generation, leaving behind recordings that continue to fascinate classical music enthusiasts.

Born Józef Chasyd on 28 December 1923 in Suwałki, Poland, into a Jewish family, he demonstrated exceptional musical ability at an early age. His father, Owsiej Chasyd, was a violinist who recognized his son’s talent and encouraged his musical development. Joseph studied at the Warsaw Conservatory and later became a pupil of the celebrated Hungarian violinist Carl Flesch, under whose guidance his technique and artistic individuality developed considerably.

In 1935, Hassid participated in the first Henryk Wieniawski International Violin Competition in Warsaw, where he received an honorary diploma despite experiencing a memory lapse during his performance. In 1937, he attended Carl Flesch’s summer course in Spa, Belgium, alongside such gifted young violinists as Ginette Neveu and Ida Haendel. Flesch was deeply impressed by Hassid’s musical intelligence and invited him to London in 1938 to continue his studies.

Hassid made his London debut in 1938, performing Tchaikovsky’s Violin Concerto with the London Philharmonic Orchestra. His playing attracted the admiration of prominent musicians, including Fritz Kreisler, Joseph Szigeti and David Oistrakh. He also performed in recital with pianist Gerald Moore and made a small number of recordings for His Master’s Voice (HMV). These recordings, featuring works by composers such as Wieniawski, Sarasate, Achron and Kreisler, reveal his exceptional lyrical sensitivity, technical brilliance and emotional depth.

Sadly, Hassid’s promising career was cut short by severe mental illness, which developed in his early adulthood. His final public concert took place in London in 1941. He spent his remaining years in psychiatric institutions and died in Epsom, England, on 7 November 1950, aged only 26.

Although his recorded legacy is remarkably small, Josef Hassid remains one of the most poignant figures in twentieth-century violin history. His recordings preserve the artistry of a musician whose extraordinary gifts were only briefly revealed to the world, securing his place among the legendary violin prodigies of the twentieth century.

 

 

TRACKLIST

 

 HMV, London 1940

Piano: Gerald Moore (tracks 8–15); Ivor Newton (track 16)

1. Elgar: La Capricieuse, Op. 17

Catalogue No.: 0EA 8803; B 9074

2. Tchaikovsky: Mélodie (Souvenir d’un lieu cher), Op. 42 No. 3

Catalogue No.: 0EA 8550; B 9074

3. Massenet: Méditation (from Thaïs, Act II)

Catalogue No.: 2EA 9053; C 3208

4. Dvořák, arr. Kreisler: Humoresque, Op. 101 No. 7

Catalogue No.: 2EA 9052; C 3219

5. Sarasate: Playera, Op. 23 No. 1 (Danzas españolas No. 5)

Catalogue No.: 2EA 8801; C 3185

6. Sarasate: Zapateado, Op. 23 No. 2 (Danzas españolas No. 6)

Catalogue No.: 2EA 8802; C 3815

7. Joseph Achron: Hebrew Melody, Op. 33

Catalogue No.: 2EA 9051; C 3219

8. Kreisler: Caprice viennois, Op. 2

Catalogue No.: 2EA 8900; C 3208

9. Elgar: La Capricieuse, Op. 17

Catalogue No.: 2EA 7419; EH 29 1230 1