Born in Budapest in 1893, Jelly d’Arányi was the youngest of three remarkable sisters who all became prominent musicians. Jelly studied with Jenő Hubay at the Royal Academy in Budapest, and completed her studies in 1907. She was to have continued her studies with her great-uncle Joseph Joachim, who wanted to take her under his wing. Unfortunately, he died just before d’Arányi’s studies were to begin and as a result, she had no formal tuition after the age of 14. Despite this, her natural talent was extraordinary and she developed into one of the most prominent women violinists at the beginning of the 20th century.

After coming to Britain in February 1909, she met Casals and Tovey and made her London début with the latter. She eventually settled in the UK established a piano trio with the cellist Guilhermina Suggia and Clara Schumann’s pupil Fanny Davies in 1914. Following her Wigmore Hall debut in 1919, the critic of The Times wrote ‘d’Arányi sets us an example of what tone can and should be.’

Throughout her career, d’Arányi championed new music, such as Stravinsky’s The Soldier’s Tale, Ravel’s Sonata for Violin and Cello, pieces by Szymanowski (who became a friend) and the two Sonatas Bartók wrote for her. Ravel dedicated his brilliant Tzigane to d’Arányi and she premièred the work in London and Paris. D’Arányi also gave the first performances of Vaughan Williams’s Concerto Accademico in 1925, Dame Ethel Smyth’s Concerto for Violin and Horn with Aubrey Brain in 1927, and Holst’s Double Concerto with Adila Fachiri in 1930.

This CD includes all the pieces d’Arányi made for the Columbia label in the late-1920s and early-1930, as well as her only solo concerto recording: Mozart’s G major Concerto, originally made for Vocalion.