Collectors may know violinist Uri Pianka and pianist Jonathan Zak as two-thirds of the noted Yuval Trio. They command equal respect as a duo in these engaging, well thought out, and expertly prepared live traversals of the 10 Beethoven violin sonatas, recorded in 1983. Although Pianka’s intense pointing up of phrases and slightly abrasive tone contrast to Zak’s rounded, mellower, yet no less incisive delivery, the musicians are on the same wavelength when it comes to balancing Beethoven’s frequent melodic interchanges between instruments or fielding the composer’s unpredictable accents and wide dynamic contrasts. Generally the interpretations grow more animated and confident as they progress, hitting a particularly expressive stride in the Op. 30 triumvirate and in the “Kreutzer” sonata’s finale. You could imagine audiences coming away from these performances uplifted and satisfied, notwithstanding missing exposition repeats and Pianka’s shaky intonation on high notes. The sonics convey an honest sense of how these fine musicians project in a congenial venue.
