Composer: Ludwig van Beethoven
Performer: Itzhak Perlman, Vladimir Ashkenazy
Number of Discs: 4
Format: FLAC (tracks)
Label: Decca
Catalogue: 4214532
Release: 2002
Size: 972 MB
Recovery: +3%
Scan: cover
CD 01
Violin Sonata No. 1 in D major, Op. 12 No. 1
01. 1. Allegro con brio
02. 2. Tema con variazioni (Andante con moto)
03. 3. Rondo (Allegro)
Violin Sonata No. 2 in A major, Op. 12 No. 2
04. 1. Allegro vivace
05. 2. Andante più tosto allegretto
06. 3. Allegro piacevole
Violin Sonata No. 3 in E flat major, Op. 12 No. 3
07. 1. Allegro con spirito
08. 2. Adagio con molt’ espressione
09. 3. Rondo (Allegro molto)
CD 02
Violin Sonata No. 4 in A minor, Op. 23
01. 1. Presto
02. 2. Andante scherzoso, più allegretto
03. 3. Allegro molto
Violin Sonata No. 6 in A major, Op. 30 No. 1
04. 1. Allegro
05. 2. Adagio
06. 3. Allegretto con variazioni
Violin Sonata No. 8 in G major, Op. 30 No. 3
07. 1. Allegro assai
08. 2. Tempo di minuetto, ma molto moderato e grazioso
09. 3. Allegro vivace
CD 03
Violin Sonata No. 9 in A major, Op. 47 ‘Kreutzer’
01. 1. Adagio sostenuto – Presto
02. 2. Andante con variazioni
03. 3. Finale (Presto)
Violin Sonata No. 5 in F major, Op. 24 ‘Spring’
04. 1. Allegro
05. 2. Adagio molto espressivo
06. 3. Scherzo (Allegro molto)
07. 4. Rondo (Allegro ma non troppo)
CD 04
Violin Sonata No. 7 in C minor, Op. 30 No. 2
01. 1. Allegro con brio
02. 2. Adagio cantabile
03. 3. Scherzo (Allegro)
04. 4. Finale (Allegro)
Violin Sonata No. 10 in G major, Op. 96
05. 1. Allegro moderato
06. 2. Adagio espressivo
07. 3. Scherzo (Allegro)
08. 4. Poco allegretto
Although Beethoven designated these works as ‘for piano and violin’, following Mozart’s example, it’s unlikely that he thought of the piano as leading the proceedings, or the violin either, for that matter: both instruments are equal partners, and in that sense this is true chamber music. Perlman and Ashkenazy are artists of the first rank and there’s much pleasure to be derived from their set. Such an imaginative musician as Ashkenazy brings great subtlety to these works composed by a supreme pianistcomposer.
And the better the pianist is in this music, the better does the violinist play. Discernment is matched by spontaneity and the whole series is remarkably fine, while their celebrated performance of the Kreutzer Sonata has quite superb eloquence and vitality.
The recording boasts unusually truthful violin sound capturing all the colour of Perlman’s playing.