Isabelle Faust (violin) & Alexander Melnikov (piano) "Spring" Sonata - Ludwig van Beethoven "A MARVELLOUS SET"! www.gramophone.co.uk/review/beethoven-complete-violin-sonatas-2
She ALWAYS breaks my heart. I think that beside the intonation, the beauty of the sound, the "fraseggio" she's got an incredible depth. She puts music FIRST and never plays to show off.
Usually, the violin is warmer in the violin/piano duo. Here, it is opposite, but it works great for me. As well, they really spend time putting it together, as oppose to countless generic interpretations...including the heavyweights of violin and piano of today!
The reording reflects the type of sound Isabelle Faust aims for : lithe, clear, and in the scale of the human voice. Alexander Melnikov is both aligned to the intention of Faust as well as expressive, albeit slightly affected.
Großartig wie immer, BEETHOVEN! Subtil musiziert und wiederum kraftvoll im Ausdruck, je nachdem, was die Partitur des Werks erfordert. Die wunderbaren melodischen Einfälle Beethovens haben ihn nicht dazu veranlasst, seine Sonate "Frühlings"-Sonate (Spring) zu nennen. Die Bezeichnung ist n i c h t von diesem großen Komponisten! Ich lehne "Spring" ab. Das Werk hat nichts mit einer Jahreszeit zu tun!
I believe she is playing the sleepy Strad. However I agree with some here that the piano is playing fortissimo and drowns out the violin at times. This is probably just a technical problem and does not reflect the virtuosity of the players.
I often have problems with hearing Faust's violin, I'm beginning to think it is her personal sound, very precise and clean, but a little 'thin'. - Or maybe it's my ears .... I don't doubt her skills!
Didn't really pay a lot of attention to balance, but I believe the times when the piano is in the foreground is when the piano has the important musical material and the violin is accompanying. It's quite appropriate for the violin to pull back in those passages.
While I appreciate her different approach, I happen to agree with Sephen Estall on this. Additionally, the violin gets literally drowned out and obliterated by the piano much too often. I will come back to it in a few weeks, but I don't expect my reaction will be any different then. Sorry.
Laurie Macrae, obviously the piano was recorded much too closely and the violin from far way. However, the violinist specifically plays with a very quiet tone herself.
