Mozart's sonatas for piano and violin present two issues of balance: the first is of the composer's making, but the second must be determined by the performers. The piano markedly dominates the violin in the early sonatas, and periodically in the later works, and the performers are behooved either to accept the lopsidedness with equanimity, or to adjust it through force of personality or interpretive skill. Secondarily, the order in which the sonatas are played will either point up the inequalities or minimize them; a chronological sequence is most telling, but mixing the early and late sonatas creates a more even impression. Violinist
Benjamin Schmid and pianist
Ariane Haering do not vie for dominance, nor do they follow the dictates of numbering; as a result, their 2004 CD on Oehms is intelligently laid out and well-rounded. Neither performer has an ax to grind -- both are on equal footing in musical abilities and celebrity -- and their programming of K. 526, K. 301, K. 9, and K. 378 in that order demonstrates an appreciation of the cycle's richness and the listener's need for variety.
Schmid and
Haering offer a satisfactory solution to the sonatas' difficulties, and they deserve high marks for their tasteful and idiomatic playing. The sound quality is terrific.