Customer Reviews

Beethoven: The Violin Sonatas

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The 10 Beethoven Sonatas are absolute staples of the violinists' repertory - and they are all served here in excellent performances by Isaac Stern and Eugene Istomin. Although my preferance would have been to have these works presented in chronological order - that is of little concern when confronted, so to say, with such absolute mastery of violinist's art. Istomin's contribution is no less the equal of Stern's. I wish the repeat in the first movement of the Kreutzer sonata was taken - for this massive piece, with its unusually long first movement introduction, needs the structural balance of the repeated exposition. Yehudi Menuhin's set (which spans four CDs), in every respect comparable to Stern's, is a little more complete in that respect. But, no matter, Stern's playing is solid, lyrical, flexible and "in-your-face" by turns, all of it wholly appropriate to Beethoven's music whose attributes are one in the same. A feast for the ears (and an intelligent one at that)!

this will be a dinko review of an excellent recording but i am sorry.

This is a great recording that i purchased after the untimely demise of the soloist, and it has never let me down. I am not the keenest ear for the violin, nor the biggest fan of violin sonatas, but I love Beethoven and Stern and if you do to, you will not be disapointed.