Before purchasing this volume of the
Mozart sonatas for piano and violin, listeners should ask themselves just which type of
Mozart they prefer. If a more Romantic interpretation of these sonatas is desired, then this recording is likely to fit the bill nicely. Much like
Anne-Sophie Mutter's recording with
Lambert Orkis, this recording predominantly focuses on the violin and less on the chamber music relationship between violin and piano.
Sitkovetsky's sound is quite lush and powerful. His interpretation is never overly indulgent, but it definitely favors more Romantic views of dynamics, articulation, sound quality, and rubato. From a technical standpoint,
Sitkovetsky's playing is quite lovely, with immaculate intonation, crisp ornamentation, and clear beautiful sound across the range of the instrument. Pianist
Antonio Pappano's performance is equally skilled, but his role in the sonatas is subverted.
If, however, a listener has more of a predilection for a more delicate, Classical sound (while still on modern instruments) featuring a greater equality of bi-play between the two instruments, this recording may fall short. For a performance of this ilk, listeners may do well to check out the recording made by pianist
Mitsuko Uchida and violinist
Mark Steinberg.