This box brings together for the first time the complete recordings that Christian Ferras did for HMV and Telefunken. This collection has no equivalent in the market. It embraces Baroque, Classical, Romantic and early-twentieth-century music and includes notably several debut digital releases: Beethoven: Romances (Telefunken, 1955), Violin Sonata No.1 (HMV, 1961), Berg: Chamber Concerto (HMV, 1962), Beethoven: Sonata No.5 and Brahms: Sonata No.3 (Telefunken, 1953), the only available recording of Hungarian Concerto by Gyula Bando, the Complete Beethoven Sonatas with Barbizet, the Concert by Chausson and the two Berg Concertos which are all landmark recordings until now. Amongst his musical partners featured in the set are Yehudi Menuhin, Paul Tortelier, Georges Prêtre, Constantin Silvestri and others.

Christian Ferras was a formidably gifted performer; he charmed audiences and critics alike with his intensity, power and exceptional technique. He was a worthy representative of the French violin-playing tradition in line with his illustrious elders: Ginette Neveu, Jacques Thibaud and Zino Francescatti.

- 17 June 1933: Born in Le Touquet. He began learning the violin at the age of seven with his father being an amateur violinist
- 1941: Entered the Nice Conservatoire
- 1942: Orchestral debut in Nice and studying at the city’s Conservatoire for a year with Charles Bistesi, a pupil of César Thomson, successor to Ysaÿe, and leading representative of the Franco-Belgian tradition.
- 1944: Entered the Paris Conservatoire to study violin with René Benedetti and chamber music with Joseph Calvet.
- 1946: Won first prize in both disciplines and, now aged thirteen, made his debut as a soloist in an orchestral concert in Paris
- 1947: First recordings for Decca (Debussy, Bloch, Elizalde, Kreisler) and undertook further studies, with Boris Kamensky
- 1948: Won first prize in the Scheveningen International Competition, ex aequo with Michel Schwalbé, future leader of the Berlin Philharmonic
- 1948: George Enescu became his mentor. ‘Although I received my technical training from other teachers, I consider myself to have been his pupil first and foremost.’
- 1949: Won second prize in the Marguerite Long-Jacques Thibaud Competition (no first prize awarded). Solo career launched.
- 1949: Met pianist Pierre Barbizet (1922-90) who had significant influence, introducing him to literature, theatre and art. Became together one of the leading duos of the age.
- 1953: First recordings for Telefunken (Beethoven and Brahms sonatas with Barbizet)
- 1955: Became member of the Long-Thibaud Competition jury, alongside David Oïstrakh, Henryk Szeryng and Zino Francescatti.
- 1957: First recordings for His Master’s Voice (sonatas by Fauré and Franck with Barbizet)
- 1958: Recorded the Complete Beethoven Sonatas with Barbizet, a landmark recording untill now.
- 1959: US debut in the Brahms Concerto conducted by Charles Munch. Huge boost to international career.
- 1964: End of collaboration with EMI (Concerto ‘To the memory of an angel’ and Chamber Concerto by Berg); signing for Deutsche Grammophon.
- Mid-1970s: Beset by depression and other health problems, gradually retired from the concert platform.
- 1975: Accepted a teaching post at Paris Conservatoire, but went through a period of isolation, going into several alcohol rehabilitation programmes.
- Early 1980s: Returned to the stage but unable to recapture his former brilliance.
- 25 August 1982: Last concert in Vichy
- 14 September 1982: Took his own life (Paris)