Album

This may be the best set of Beethoven's violin sonatas since the Kreisler/Rupp recordings of the '30s. And it is certainly the equal of the best of the more recent sets by Oistrakh/Oborin and Szeryng/Haebler in both virtuosity and interpretive insights. Violinist Gidon Kremer is perhaps the most technically accomplished contemporary violinist and certainly the most exciting. Pianist Martha Argerich is perhaps the greatest living virtuoso pianist and certainly the most thrilling. And their performance of the "Kreutzer" Sonata is an astounding display of virtuosity, a performance that may stand as the most breathtaking ever recorded. But better yet is Kremer and Argerich's ability to make every sonata sound as great as the "Kreutzer," to make the early sonatas sound fresh and strong, to make the middle sonatas sound muscular and dramatic, and to make the last sonata sound sublimely consoling and transcendentally lyrical. When coupled with the Kempff/Menuhin recordings of the Rondo and Variations and the Garrett/Canino recording of the "Deutscher," this may be the first choice for listeners looking to acquire Beethoven's works for violin and piano.

© James Leonard, All Music Guide

CD 1 of 4
Ludwig van Beethoven Composer Violin Sonata No.1 in D, Op.12, No.1 Work Recorded 1984 19:25 Gidon Kremer Violin, Martha Argerich Piano
1	1.Allegro con brio	8:06			$1.49
2	2.Tema con variazioni: Andante con moto	6:53			$0.99
3	3.Rondo: Allegro	4:26			$0.99
Ludwig van Beethoven Composer Violin Sonata No.2 in A, Op.12, No.2 Work Recorded 1984 15:47 Gidon Kremer Violin, Martha Argerich Piano
4	1.Allegro vivace	5:42			$0.99
5	2.Andante più tosto. Allegretto	5:09			$0.99
6	3.Allegro piacévole	4:56			$0.99
Ludwig van Beethoven Composer Violin Sonata No.3 in Eb, Op.12, No.3 Work Recorded 1984 17:42 Gidon Kremer Violin, Martha Argerich Piano
7	1.Allegro con spirito	7:43			$1.49
8	2.Adagio con molto espressione	6:00			$0.99
9	3.Rondo: Allegro molto	3:59			$0.99
CD 2 of 4
Ludwig van Beethoven Composer Violin Sonata No.4 in A-, Op.23 Work Recorded 1987 19:32 Gidon Kremer Violin, Martha Argerich Piano
1	1.Presto	6:56			$0.99
2	2.Andante scherzoso, più allegretto	7:20			$1.49
3	3.Allegro molto	5:16			$0.99
Ludwig van Beethoven Composer Violin Sonata No.5 in F, Op.24 ('Spring') Work Recorded 1987 23:43 Gidon Kremer Violin, Martha Argerich Piano
4	1.Allegro	9:41			$1.49
5	2.Adagio molto espressivo	6:04			$0.99
6	3.Scherzo: Allegro molto	1:21			$0.49
7	4.Rondo: Allegro ma non troppo	6:37			$0.99
Ludwig van Beethoven Composer Variations for Violin and Piano in F on 'Se vuol ballare' (from 'Le nozze di Figaro'), WoO40 Work Recorded 1970 Yehudi Menuhin Violin, Gidon Kremer Violin, Wilhelm Kempff Piano
8	Variations for Violin and Piano in F on 'Se vuol ballare' (from 'Le nozze di Figaro'), WoO40	12:35			$1.99
Ludwig van Beethoven Composer Rondo in G for Violin and Piano, WoO41 Work Recorded 1970 Yehudi Menuhin Violin, Gidon Kremer Violin, Wilhelm Kempff Piano
9	Rondo in G for Violin and Piano, WoO41	6:21			$0.99
Ludwig van Beethoven Composer 6 German Dances for Volin and Piano, WoO42 Work Recorded 1996 David Garrett Violin, Gidon Kremer Violin, Bruno Canino Piano
10	6 German Dances for Volin and Piano, WoO42	4:56			$0.99
CD 3 of 4
Ludwig van Beethoven Composer Violin Sonata No.6 in A, Op.30, No.1 Work Recorded 1993 22:06 Gidon Kremer Violin, Martha Argerich Piano
1	1.Allegro	7:49			$1.49
2	2.Adagio molto espressivo	6:43			$0.99
3	3.Allegretto con variazioni	7:34			$1.49
Ludwig van Beethoven Composer Violin Sonata No.7 in C-, Op.30, No.2 ('Eroica') Work Recorded 1993 23:46 Gidon Kremer Violin, Martha Argerich Piano
4	1.Allegro con brio	7:36			$1.49
5	2.Adagio cantabile	7:41			$1.49
6	3.Scherzo: Allegro	3:36			$0.99
7	4.Finale: Allegro. Presto	4:53			$0.99
Ludwig van Beethoven Composer Violin Sonata No.8 in G, Op.30, No.3 Work Recorded 1993 18:17 Gidon Kremer Violin, Martha Argerich Piano
8	1.Allegro assai	6:21			$0.99
9	2.Tempo di menuetto, ma molto moderato e grazioso	8:32			$1.49
10	3.Allegro vivace	3:24			$0.99
CD 4 of 4
Ludwig van Beethoven Composer Violin Sonata No.9 in A, Op.47 ('Kreutzer') Work Recorded 1994 37:34 Gidon Kremer Violin, Martha Argerich Piano
1	1.Adagio sostenuto. Presto	14:11			$2.49
2	2.Andante con variazioni	14:53			$2.49
3	3.Finale: Presto	8:30			$1.49
Ludwig van Beethoven Composer Violin Sonata No.10 in G, Op.96 ('The Cockcrow') Work Recorded 1994 27:21 Gidon Kremer Violin, Martha Argerich Piano
4	1.Allegro moderato	10:34			$1.99
5	2.Adagio espressivo (attaca)	6:28			$0.99
6	3.Scherzo: Allegro	1:56			$0.49
7	4.Poco allegretto	8:23			$1.49