Frank Almond’s life is intertwined with that of his violin, the Lipinski Strad, an exceptional instrument named for the famed 19th-century Polish violinist Karol Lipinski and first owned by legendary 18th-century Italian composer-violinist Giuseppe Tartini, represented on A Violin’s Life, Volume 3 by his Sonata Prima in D, Op. 2, a trio sonata in all but name.

The masterful Piano Trio in E flat by 19th-century Swedish virtuosa Amanda Meier connects with the instrument that had passed on to her future father-in-law Engelbert Röntgen. Another great Nordic composer, Edvard Grieg, opens the album with his great Sonata No. 3 in C minor.

The legend of the Lipinski Strad went viral in 2014 when, following a concert, walking towards his car, Frank Almond was tasered by an assailant and the prized instrument was stolen. An FBI pursuit resulted in the recovery of the instrument within weeks and then an international media ensued on the BBC, NPR, and a feature in Vanity Fair was forthcoming; which resulted in an award-winning documentary film Plucked (and which premiered at the 2019 Tribeca Film Festival).

But I digress, for Frank Almond’s critically acclaimed and chart-topping recordings of A Violin’s Life are now a trilogy. The Lipinski Strad lives on.

EDVARD GRIEG (1843–1907)
Sonata No. 3 in C minor Op. 45
1. I. Allegro molto ed appassionato (9.09)
2. II. Allegretto espressivo alla Romanza (6.29)
3. III. Allegro animato (7.54)

AMANDA MAIER (1853–1894)
Piano Trio in E flat
4. I. Allegro (8.51)
5. II. Scherzo (4.47)
6. III. Andante (5.08)
7. IV. Finale: Allegro con fuoco (7.30)

GIUSEPPE TARTINI (1692–1770)
Sonata Prima in D Op. 2/1 B.D13
8. I. Andante cantabile (4.30)
9. II. Allegro (4.14)
10. III. Affettuoso (2.47)
11. IV. Allegro assai (4.14)

Recorded on November 2nd, 2019 (Grieg) and June 2nd, 2021 (Maier & Tartini), at the prestigious Guarneri Hall, Chicago, Almond opens with GRIEG’s Sonata No. 3 in C minor Op. 45, and the flourishing Allegro molto ed appassionato, the aching yearn within Allegretto espressivo alla Romanza, culminating on the fancy free, at times dangerously ecstatic Allegro animato.

Along next is MAIER’s Piano Trio in E flat which opens on the pure elegance of Allegro and the vibrantly playful Scherzo, before we are lovingly brought forth the dance floor swirl within Andante, the last part being the stridently-hued Finale: Allegro con fuoco.

Finally, we are musically witness to Almond’s take on TARTINI’s Sonata Prima in D Op. 2/1 B.D13, which opens on the regimented Andante cantabile and which is then followed by the flirtacious Allegro, the recording, and as a whole, ending on the effectively stirring Affettuoso and the lively Allegro assai.

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