Maxim Vengerov - Beethoven: Violinsonaten Nr. 5, "Frühling" & Nr. 9, "Kreutzer" (1992)

I've listened to many performances of Beethoven's "famous" violin sonatas and trust me, there is so much beauty and power in these readings it truly did blow the mind. These recordings (like the other three discs) is in simple terms...dipped in magic. The delicious sound that violinist, Takako Nishizaki brings to these sonatas is just poignant. One of the finest (and underrated) violinists of our time, she makes an extraordinary case for her undeniable thoughts about these two named sonatas. Her playing (intelligent, stimulating and spirited) is matched, and inspired by Jeno Jando's dramatic and expressive pianism.
Rather than be relegated into the background, he is her equal. There is never any sense of routine with these recordings and the sound quality is crystal clear and ravishing in its exquisiteness. Logically balanced, the acoustic is spacious without clouding the spotlight. The performances are truly delightful in their fresh spontaneity. For the record, the Penguin guide (a classical reference book) has rated this disc with three stars, which is summarized as an outstanding performance and recording in every way. An excellent bargain!