Search - Michael Raucheisen, Gioconda De Vito :: Gioconda de Vito plays Beethoven, Brahms & Vitali

Gioconda de Vito (1907-1994) was one of the fewfemale violinists able to establish themselves as soloists on the concertplatform during the first half of the twentieth century. Born in the SouthItalian region of Puglia, the artist studied in Pesaro and Rome, accepting herfirst professorship at the tender age of seventeen. De Vito built aninternational career which took her as far afield as Argentina and Australia. In Germany she was especially highly regarded during the 1930s and 40s. Bach,Beethoven and Brahms represented the main pillars of her repertoire which,however, largely eschewed more modern music. De Vito cultivated a sumptuouslyromantic tone and never sought superficial violinistic brilliance. In 1961, aged only fifty-four, she retired from the concert stage. De Vito neverrecorded the Beethoven Violin Concerto in the studio: this sole live recordingfrom 1954 with the RIAS Symphony Orchestra under the baton of Georg LudwigJochum presented here is therefore of particular documentary value.