“Hear Rabin, and know that gods have not forgotten the violin” Claudia Cassidy.

But, unfortunately Rabin died in 1972 at the golden age of 36. So, has God forgotten Rabin already?

Not really, at least God has not forgotten to let Sony Classical released the album “Michael Rabin – The Early Years” successfully in 1999. Sony Classical did this by remastering the original mono recordings of 1951-53 into digital using SBM (supper bit mapping) technology.

To emphasise the excellence of the original recording, Sony Classical placed a round-shape label “Masterworks Heritage – Mono era” at the top right corner of the album cover. Of course, if the original recording was damn horrible, I don’t think Sony Classic could have made a miracle out of it just by digitally remastering it using its SBM technology. My sixth sense told me that this album should no doubt be superior in terms of recording as well as music collections; otherwise there was no commercial value for Sony Classical to do so. For that reason, I bought this album and I have no regret.

The magnificent 1735 del Gesu violin used by Rabin.

Who is Rabin?

Michael Rabin was one of the greatest violin virtuosos of the last century. Many people know these famous violinists: Itzhak Perlman, Pinchas Zukeman and Kyung-Wha Chung. But by the way, do you know that the same famous violin pedagogue Ivan Galamian taught all these great violinists and Rabin?

At Galamian’s seventy-fifth birthday, an article in The New York Times honoured him. When asked in the interview, who he regarded as his most exceptional pupil, he replied without hesitation: “Michael Rabin. There was an extraordinary talent – no weaknesses, never.”

Did Galamian over-exaggerate? Listening is believing.

Once I played the album’s tracks #11 (Paganini – Caprices from Op.1), #12 (Dvorak – Slavonic Dance No.2 in E Minor), #14 (Bizet & Sarasate – Concert fantasies on Carmen) and #20 (Sarasate – Zigeunerweisen, Op. 20 No. 1), I was immediately amazed with this violin genius and his impeccable technique. Amazing too, the original recording was made at the age of 14 only.

Rabin died young at age of 36 in an accident at home. But, God has not forgotten Rabin yet. In 1999 God led Sony Classical to make a memorial of Michael Rabin, by releasing this beautiful album of Rabin’s early years on earth. It was God too, who led me to know Rabin and to appreciate his breathtaking performances of music.