For their first Deutsche Grammophon release as a duo, violinist
Itzhak Perlman and pianist
Emanuel Ax offer two enjoyable works they have played together in recital,
Gabriel Fauré's Violin Sonata No. 1 in A major, Op. 13, and
Richard Strauss' Violin Sonata in E flat major, Op. 18. The
Fauré piece, the better known of his two violin sonatas, is a French Romantic work in a sweetly lyrical vein, and
Perlman plays it with tender feeling, drawing out the soaring emotions of the long-breathed themes, while
Ax maintains a propulsive accompaniment that gives the music urgency and, at times, some much needed volatility to balance its serenity.
Strauss' violin sonata is a Brahmsian study, in keeping with his early conservative training, and its mannered style provides contrast with the more evenly flowing and assured
Fauré. In this performance,
Perlman's expression is richer and darker in tone, and
Ax plays with calm restraint, despite the technical challenges that seem to invite a showier style. Deutsche Grammophon's recording gives
Perlman and
Ax comfortably close presence and nearly ideal acoustics for their instruments.