With these marvelous performances of the three Brahms violin sonatas, Nikolaj Znaider hits his artistic stride, abetted by Yefim Bronfman’s impeccable piano partnership. The G major seemingly begins out of nowhere in darkness, then gradually takes on brighter colors as Znaider opens up his tone. The canonic interaction between violin and piano unfolds with gentle yet enlivening lack of effort, as does all of the composer’s cross-rhythmic phrasing. Sample, if you can, Bronfman’s solo introduction to the slow movement, and also notice how he admirably avoids other pianists’ tendencies to push forward in climaxes by allowing the bass lines time to resonate and breathe in strict tempo. The A major sonata proves equally winning in a tender, lyrically inflected interpretation where even the softest, most delicate moments never go the least bit slack.
The musicians take the D minor’s first movement at an animated Allegro that still manages to convey the music’s brooding, somewhat mysterious underside. In the eloquent Adagio, Znaider’s long-lined command suggests a bow with no end, while Znaider and Bronfman bring astute voice leading and relative sobriety to the third movement–a valid alternative to more impulsive and animated accounts (Mullova/Anderszewski, for example). Control and clarity define the pair’s way with the finale, although the rollicking momentum they generate does not quite match the irresistible, kinetic abandon with which Suk/Katchen, Dumay/Pires, and Heifetz/Kapell have spoiled at least one reviewer named Distler! They conclude with an impassioned, intelligently parsed rendition of the “F.A.E Sonata” Scherzo. RCA’s detailed, beautifully balanced engineering further enhances my highest recommendation. [6/4/2007]
