Beethoven & Brahms: Violin Sonatas

Advantages: Two outstanding peices of chamber music for an unusual combination of instruments
Disadvantages: On the surface quite contrasting works, listener must be openminded

...procedures, deriving new and original ideas influenced by the chamber music of old masters such as Mozart, Beethoven, Brahms and Schumann. Ligeti was influenced by the music of fellow Hungarian composer Béla Bartók, who once stated that "Every art has the right to strike its roots in the art of a previous age; it not only has the right to but it must stem from it". This makes the pairing of one of Ligeti's finest works with the Brahms Op.40 Trio a very appropriate one. Both outstanding chamber works in their own rights and certainly the two best pieces composed for this unusual combination invented by Brahms, a good recording is essential, but hard to find. There are not that many recordings in existence of these works due to the technical complexity for performers and even acclaimed recordings such as the CD by Perlman, Ashkenazy... Read review

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Advantages: a new take on a familiar warhorse
Disadvantages: is it worth full price?

...It's unlikely that any music lover who has a good recording of Beethoven's violin concerto on CD (say: Perlman, Grumiaux or Szigeti) would ever say to him or herself: 'boy, I wonder what that sounds like on the clarinet'. In fact, the only people who might would be clarinetists, for they tend to feel (mistakenly, as it happens)that there just isn't enough original repertoire written for their instrument. So here, spanking new, is a Deutsche Grammophon CD offering us an original work in Mozart's Clarinet Concerto and an arrangement of the Beethoven prepared by Russian pianist/conductor Mikhail Pletnev. The soloist is Michael Collins, who plays the familiar Mozart on his basset horn with all the joy and panache we expect. The Beethoven is a different cup of tea. It's difficult to listen to the famous melodies without hearing the fiddle (or... Read review

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Advantages: Mutter's eloquence and sensitivity in older recording are enhanced here.
Disadvantages: None at all!

..., occasionally playing the theme against her brief sinuous counterpoint. A short cadenza lets Mutter show off some complex fiddling, with furiously played phrases that leap as they ascend across the octaves. The piece concludes with the traditional booms from the orchestra, evoking a sense of finality and closure. ~~~~~~~~~~~ I warmly recommend this particular disc over the previous Brahms recording by Mutter--but just by a nose--while noting that 'tis a rather difficult choice to make. Both are wonderful and worthwhile, as each reflects a different point in the musical life of the violinist. It can’t fail to capture your ear and mind, heart and soul, what with Brahms, the "Romantic Beethoven," as composer, the always compelling Mutter on violin, and maestro Masur and the NYPO lending wonderful orchestral support. Five solid stars... Read review

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