Search - Beethoven, Menuhin, Kempf :: Beethoven: The Complete Violin Sonatas, Vol. 2 [Germany]

Heavenly!

Stephen R. Westman | 02/16/2010

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I see that Scott has provided an equally a baffling review of the second group of sonatas as he did for the first. I find the appellation "awful" even more bewildering here in that these works are some of the most gorgeous pieces in the chamber music repertoire played more beautifully than I have heard from anyone in my life. Take for example the slow movement of Op. 96 (the 10th sonata). Just for curiosity this evening, I decided to play the Perlman/Ashkenazy, the Zuckerman/Nieklung, and the Menuhin/Kempff versions of that movement. The first sounded like one would expect: clean, well phrased, in short perfect but ultimately inexpressive and dull. In the case of the second, while Zuckerman does a good jub (as does Nieklung, for that matter), they are expressive without reaching the depths that Beethoven has written here. Menuhin and Kempff, on the other hand, brought tears to my eyes and had me hanging on every note. Throughout this set, Menuhin and Kempff play as one unit - Kempff with his incredible musicianship, touch, and sense of improvisation and Menuhin with his incredible tonal beauty and musical sensitivity. Far from being "awful", I would consider it to be the finest interpretations of these sonatas that I have ever heard. And at such a price, you shouldn't miss this opportunity to hear how Beethoven SHOULD be played!!"