Most collections of pre-electrical violin recordings contain a rather dreary procession of encore pieces. The American Brunswick company was rather more enterprising than most it would seem, since their Hubermans include a Beethoven Kreutzer Sonata (admittedly somewhat reduced to fit on to three as opposed to the usual four records), plus boiled- down movements from concertos by Mendelssohn, Tchaikovsky and Wieniawski, and excerpts from Lalo's Symphonie espagnole. What also distinguishes this collection from other similar offerings is the quality of Huberman's musicianship and very distinctive style of playing. Technically he was consistently extremely brilliant, and scarcely plays a poorly pitched note throughout the whole programme. He employs quite a wide, slow vibrato to great effect, a tone that is unfailingly sweet and uses portamento very judiciously as an expressive device. In terms of style he is more old-fashioned than his dates (1882-1947) suggest, for he has much in common with the great figures of the last half of the nineteenth century.
In the Kreutzer Sonata he is supported to great effect by Siegfried Schultze, who in this work and three Sarasate pieces is a more positive artist than Paul Frenkel, the pianist who plays elsewhere in the set. Huberman's Beethoven is strong, free in spirit and highly expressive, and I rather feel that the performance here has more energy and wit than the slightly later (but complete) Columbia recording he made with Ignace Friedman (1/31). The two Mendelssohn movements—a very purely played Andante and a gossamer-light finale—come off well, even in their reduced circumstances. The two Lalo excerpts, the Symphonie espagnole's Andante and Rondo Allegro, are played respectively in a dignified and a very grand manner. Equally impressive are the Canzonetta from the Tchaikovsky Concerto and the same composer's Melodie in E flat, both performed with grace and charm. The Sarasate pieces, plus Paganini's La campanella and Bazzini's Dance of the Goblins all demonstrate Huberman's undoubted ability as a virtuoso. A superb showcase for a fine artist.'