I have admired the violin playing of Vadim Repin for over twenty years now. But I hesitated a while before buying his new CD (with Nikolai Lugansky). Main obstacle was the Franck sonata, a magnificent work but one of which I already had 48 recordings (including one by Repin and Lugansky from Tokyo, 2004). But I ceded, swayed by the presence of the Janacek sonata and the second Grieg sonata (not the over-played third, thank goodness).

My purchase turned out to be a wise decision. This is a CD with three gold stars and deserves to stay in the catalogues for the next 50 years. To list the virtues:

** The DG engineers have achieved a true recorded balance between piano and violin (no easy thing to do). We do not have a GIANT piano, and a tiny violin. Nor do we have (as prevalent in much of the past) a GIANT violin and a tiny piano. And pianissimos are quiet, fortissimos are loud.

** The players play as a true duo. Often, one is torn between listening in admiration to what Repin is doing with his violin, or Lugansky with his piano. Nota bene, Mr Heifetz, wherever you are.

** Both pianist and violinist are on truly excellent form. This is (almost) a "throw away every other version" record of these three pieces.

A pity the Janacek and the Grieg were not placed with something besides the over-exposed Franck sonata (Lekeu, or Elgar, or Magnard, to list neglected violin and piano sonatas of a similar ilk and period). However: still three gold stars. This goes into my "do not file away" rack.