“King David” was the unofficial name given to him by music lovers. He ruled the Olympus of high art for many years, generously sharing his talent with listeners and apprentices, being unsurpassed in skill, music perception, profoundness and persuasiveness of interpretation. David Oistrakh was famous all over the world, and major violinists admired his performance. Consciously or subconsciously, his Soviet colleagues and musicians of the next generation aspired to the highest standards set by the great performer, were significantly influenced by his individual style. According to Dmitri Shostakovich, Oistrakh constituted «a whole era of the Soviet performing art. Oistrakh and the violin, Oistrakh and music – these notions have become inseparable...»

The CD includes classic 19th-century Russian concertos by Pyotr Tchaikovsky and Alexander Glazunov. Both used to be composed for the famous violinist and teacher Leopold Auer, but were rejected by him. Now, for over a century they have been part of the global violin repertory treasury.

The violinist is accompanied by the USSR State Symphony Orchestra directed by a prominent conductor, David Oistrakh’s friend and permanent ensemble partner Kirill Kondrashin.

The records were made in 1945–1957, during the golden age of the great musician’s concert performance.