RECORDING Of THE MONTH
Ludwig van EETHOVEN (1770-1827)
Violin Sonata No. 3 in E flat major, Op. 12/3 (1798) [17:56]
Violin Sonata No. 9 in A major Kreutzer, Op. 47 (1802/3) [36:25]
Viktoria Mullova (baroque violin); Kristian Bezuidenhout (fortepiano)
rec. 14-16 December 2009, Wyastone Leys, Monmouth, Wales. DDD
ONYX 4050 [54:34]
Viktoria Mullova has teamed up with fortepiano specialist Kristian Bezuidenhout
in these two sonatas. Continuing her passion for period instruments Mullova
has elected to play her 1750 Guadagnini violin fitted with thick gut strings
together with what is described as a ‘lighter transitional bow’. Her partner
has chosen a Viennese fortepiano constructed by Anton Walter and Son dating
from 1822. Not since watching the ‘classic’ 1969 TV documentary of Schubert's
Trout Quintet performed by Barenboim, Zukerman, Perlman, Du Pré and
Mehta have I enjoyed a performance containing as much sheer joy.
For around a decade now Mullova has immersed herself in authentic performance
practice working with several outstanding specialists at the cutting-edge
of the period instrument scene. I still greatly admire her early period instrument
release the splendid 2001 London recording of Mozart’s Violin Concertos
1, 3 and 4 on Philips 470 292-2. There she can be heard
directing the period instrument Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment from
her ‘Jules Falk’ Stradivarius (1723) fitted with gut strings and using a period
bow.
Finest of all has been Mullova’s life-enhancing recording of Bach’s 6 Sonatas
and Partitas for solo violin, BWV 1001-1006, using a 1750 Guadagnini with
gut strings and period bow, on Onyx
Classics 4040. I made this disc my MusicWeb International 2009 ‘Record
of the Year’. I have every confidence that this recording will become one
of the great 'classics'.
Over a fifteen year period Beethoven wrote ten violin sonatas. Clearly the
‘Kreutzer’ is the most celebrated, however, the other nine are impressive
examples. The disc opens with the splendid Violin Sonata No. 3. It
bears a dedication to Beethoven’s former teacher Antonio Salieri. This
score, the last of the set of three opus 12 sonatas that Beethoven composed
in 1797/8, is given an perceptive interpretation that brims with freshness
and vivacity.
Beloved by audiences and violinists alike the larger-scale Kreutzer
was originally dedicated to the Polish-African violinist George Bridgetower
(1780–1860) who premiered the work with Beethoven at the piano. Following
a quarrel Beethoven re-dedicated the sonata to the virtuoso Rodolphe Kreutzer,
a professor at the Paris Conservatory, who it seems never played it in public.
Soon gaining an esteemed reputation the renowned author Leo Tolstoy even named
a novella after the Kreutzer Sonata. In turn Tolstoy’s narrative
inspired Janácek to compose a string quartet entitled the ‘Kreutzer Sonata’.
For me the core of the Kreutzer is the tension-filled opening movement
which develops an almost febrile intensity with Mullova delivering virtuosity
of Paganinian proportions. Providing a marked contrast to the outer movements
the impressive Andante con variazioni sports a gracious theme and a
polished set of variations. In these assured hands the Finale: Presto
- an exuberant tarantella - just gallops with tremendous energy.
This incisive partnership play with brio and spontaneity giving the impression
of a live performance. The artists endeavours are complemented by close and
detailed sound.
For those who want all ten of the Beethoven violin sonatas the sets (all played
on modern strung instruments) that take centre-stage are from Schneiderhan/Kempff
on DG, Perlman/Ashkenazy on Decca, Kremer/Argerich on DG, Dumay/Pires on DG.
Mutter/Orkis on DG and Oistrakh/Oborin on Philips. In addition there is a
lesser-known complete set from 2006 that I greatly admire from Corey Cerovsek
and Paavali Jumppanen on the Claves label; it’s well worth investigating.
More recently there was a splendid 2009 release from Isabelle Faust and Alexander
Melnikov on Harmonia Mundi - a set that is gaining many plaudits.
This is by no means the only occasion that these sonatas have been recorded
on period instruments but this stunning Onyx release is the first that can
compete with the very best of the established accounts.
Michael Cookson