Among period-instrument Beethoven piano and violin sonata cycles, the present offering easily eclipses the competition for ensemble precision, balances between instruments, and sonic impact. Note, for instance, the D major Op. 12 No. 1’s perfectly matched scales, or the intense synchronicity and flexible give and take you hear in the ornaments and turns throughout the “Kreutzer” sonata’s central variations. Granted, there’s little tonal enchantment emanating from the harsh and sometimes fatiguing timbres Jorja Fleezanis draws from her Lorenzo Storioni violin with her period bow (she normally produces a lovely, silver-tinted sonority with a modern bow), although Cyril Huvé’s Johann Schanz fortepiano (circa 1815) stands out for its pungent timbres and variety between registers. Tempos are generally fast and resolutely steady, sometimes to rather brutal effect (the G major Op. 30 No. 3’s opening movement is an example). While the musicians offer few moments of lyrical repose, the sheer variety in articulation and phrasing prevents the results from ever sounding metronomic. Michael Steinberg’s excellent, insightful annotations add to this release’s musical virtues. I’d still recommend a modern-instrument cycle as my reference version (Grumiaux/Haskil, Dumay/Pires, Perlman/Ashkenazy, to name a few favorites) while considering Huvé and Fleezanis as a viable period-instrument supplement.
