Tuesday 12 May 2009

Came back to Nicolai Medtner's interesting third sonata for violin & piano; why on earth do not more people play and record this work? Admittedly, it's over 40 minutes long, but its four movements sustain interest right through to the end. To my surprise, the version I listened to yesterday -- with David Oistrakh and Alexander Goldenweiser -- was impressive. Oistrakh is not normally a violinist I warm to, since too often he plays -- always immaculately -- on cruise control and auto-pilot. But in the 1959 recording, he seems involved and inspired (and Goldenweiser is no slouch as a duo partner). Like all recordings from that time, the "star" violinist is somewhat spotlit, but not nearly as badly as the distorted balance on which Heifetz always insisted and thus ruined almost all his duo recordings for enjoyable listening. A pleasant surprise to be able to enjoy an Oistrakh performance, thanks to the recording from Carlos.

No comments: