Customer Reviews

Beethoven Violin Sonatas Nos. 1-3

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Itzak Perlman & Vladimir Ashkenazy are virtuosic partners in their extraordinary 1970s version of the Beethoven violin sonatas, while Anne-Sophie Mutter's edgy brilliance is counterbalanced by Lambert Orkis's steady hand in their 1998 reading of these works. However, Gidon Kremer & Martha Argerich manage always to hold their own against these other two masterful sets in informal blindfold tests I've tried with friends, often coming out a whisker ahead. Painstakingly recorded over a 10-year period starting in 1985, Kremer & Argerich collaborate in full command of this exquisite material. These are two of the finest artists of our day playing together at the top of their game, a breathtaking set of performances of these ten monumental violin sonatas. In a reversal of the Mutter and Orkis roles, Kremer's violin is more the anchor to Argerich's exuberant pianism. Best bet: save your acorns and get all three versions.

Nowadays, it is Bach and even lesser composers of the Baroque that capture so much public attention. However, for most of the nineteenth century and the twentieth through the 1970s, it was Beethoven who was the king and played everywhere all the time. I am glad to notice that he is being played more nowadays and I hope the trend continues. However, I cannot understand why this disk by two great musical geniuses (well three) is out of print. Kremer and Argerich play this music with such life and brilliance that it lifts one's soul and brightens each day you allow the music to enter.

These three sonatas were written when Beethoven was in his late twenties and known for as a brilliant pianist. Even though we call them violin sonatas today, the title page refers to them as piano sonatas with violin. Really, these are duo sonatas. What you cannot expect is a violin soloist with piano accompaniment. The two instruments both explore the musical material and play off each other brilliantly. They are dedicated to Salieri (yes, that Salieri. He was a teacher to Beethoven and later to Schubert). Each has only three movements by dispensing with the expected menuet or scherzo.

Another nice aspect of this music is that it has enough substance to allow geniuses such as Kremer and Argerich to reach into its depths and yet they are friendly enough to performers that talented and dedicated amateurs can also play them with success. I wish we all played music for ourselves more than we do.

In any case, snap up the used copies of this disk you can find and put this treasure in your collection!

I have several interpretations of these sonatas, and Argerich and Kremer are among the top in my collection. They are both superb soloists, and also great as chamber musicians. I highly recommend this recording. They "sing" as one voice. Superb!

These performances present a crisp, well articulated Beethoven. Fortunately for us, these two artists can electrify the music while never descending into bad taste.