This disc in EMI's Perlman Edition brings back recordings that were first released in 1974 and 1983, and offers great music and fine sound for a reissue. Dvorák's Violin Concerto and the Romance are performed with the
London Philharmonic Orchestra under
Daniel Barenboim, and both performances sound splendid in the remastering, perhaps because the original analog recordings were above par. From these performances, it is apparent that
Itzhak Perlman takes special delight in Dvorák's violin music, and he plays these works with the same intense ardor and joy he displays in his Brahms. Brahms' influence on Dvorák is strongest in the concerto's first and second movements, especially in the shaping of themes and the rich orchestration, if not so much in their forms.
Perlman's mastery of line and depth of expression carry these movements convincingly, even though the music itself seems in search of an identity. The finale is pure Dvorák, though, and
Perlman's bright playing is perfectly suited to its furiant rhythms and jubilant spirit. The Romance is a sustained reverie that
Perlman and
Barenboim deliver with nuanced lyricism and warm resonance. The Sonatina and the Romantic Pieces (4), performed with pianist Samuel Sanders, are presented with charm and wit, and the all-digital recording superbly captures their intimate sound.