Whatever humorous intentions lurk beneath the bubbly surface of Beethoven’s duo for viola, cello, and “two obbligato eyeglasses”, its technical challenges are no joke. Oleg Kagan and Natalia Gutman turn in an affectionate and even playful reading that delights on every level. By contrast, the microphone placement in the Septet (recorded live, as was the Duo) results in less-than-even balances. This slants my impression that the seven musicians are playing accurately in time, tempo, and pitch, but not always together. The double bass whispers when it should proudly resonate, and the expressive clarinet writing seems to emerge in a space different from its ensemble mates. I miss the cohesion, the give and take, and the focused sonics that distinguish the reference versions cited above. Admirers of Kagan’s artistry, though, will be glad to have further samples available of works he did not live to record under more favorable conditions.
