Arabella Steinbacher, Peter von Wienhardt - Violino Latino (2006) CD-Rip

Violinist Arabella Steinbacher and pianist Peter von Wienhardt unite here on Violino Latino for truly a spectacular performance. Steinbacher's playing is, in a word, sexy. Though of German descent, her playing is filled with all of the hot-blooded passion, rhythmic vitality, and take-no-prisoners risk taking necessary to make these works truly memorable. Heard here on a new instrument (or rather, a much older instrument -- the 1736 "Muntz" Stradivarius) than what was on her previous recordings, the sound she achieves is quite memorable. She moves easily from the tender, suave music of Ponce's Estrellita to the aggressive, almost brutal playing in Piazzolla's Adios nonino and everything in between. Her exceptional musicianship and interpretive skills are paralleled by her dazzling technique and mastery of her instrument. The violin is clearly the star in these works, and von Wienhardt's accompaniment sensitively reflects that hierarchy. The sound quality of the recording is also quite good; everything can be heard clearly, from the occasional satisfying string buzz to the infrequent but guttural ferule clicks. This album is absolutely recommended without reservation.