The Scotsman William Primrose was a violist of the century. His incredible musicality can easily imagined to be “a result of being touched by a fairy godmother’s wand” - as the British magazine Gramophone, the undisputed authority on classical music, put it.

William Primrose was indeed a gifted musician whose tone was inimitable and who achieved a lot for the appreciation of his often underrated instrument. He was one of the most important pioneers of viola playing, instrumental in giving the viola its status as a solo instrument. This compilation of 12 original albums and bonus tracks from the years 1935 to 1961 introduces an artist who is considered to be one of the most important soloists of the 20th century and, moreover, has written music history as a passionate chamber musician with legendary trio formations. Included are recordings with the Heifetz-Primrose-Piatigorsky ensemble (Beethoven, Schubert), examples of the highly successful collaboration with the Griller Quartet (Mozart Quintets), Brahms Sonatas with Rudolf Firkušný and recordings with the great Marian Anderson. Not to be missed are Walton’s Viola Concerto under the baton of the composer, Berlioz’s Harold en Italie, as well as pearls of the solo repertoire and chamber music by Schubert, Bach, Benjamin, Kreisler, Handel, Dvořák, Paganini, Rachmaninov, Massenet and many more.