Ludwig van Beethoven, Maria-João Pires Beethoven: Complete Violin Sonatas Genre:Classical Violin-piano teams are surprisingly rare among chamber music combinations, and the Dumay-Pires duo is one of the most renowned. Their partnership began 12 years ago with Beethoven's "Spring" Sonata; this recording project ... more »took from 1997 to 2002 to complete. Though they admit to having differences of opinion and indeed at some points seem to have agreed to disagree, the performances show the fruits of their long, close collaboration in the perfection of ensemble, balance, and stylistic unanimity. Both players are consummate masters of their instrument and possess the effortless brilliance of virtuosos, but their interpretations, though carefully planned and thought out, are likely to raise a lot of eyebrows. Their playing is predominantly loud and frequently strident. The piano sounds clangorous, and while the violinist's tone can soar, he uses an unremittingly fast, intense vibrato (or none at all for sudden changes of color). Their style is large-scale and heroic, but driven and aggressive. To achieve utmost contrast, they overdo everything: dynamics are excessive; tempos, though generally sensible, change at will; impetuosity becomes turbulence; drama chaotic abandon. Most disturbing, they blithely ignore Beethoven's meticulous markings, adding and eliminating dynamics, changing note lengths, choosing bowings for instrumental convenience, not phrasing and articulation. In this heavy-handed approach, charm, lightness, delicacy, and emotional continuity are lost, and character and expression are projected through exaggerated external effects rather than inner experience. One cannot help wondering why it is so often the best players who tend to take the easy way out. Listeners will find their own favorite sonatas and interpretations, from the bright, youthful exuberance of No. 1 to the calm serenity of No. 10. --Edith Eisler« less
Violin-piano teams are surprisingly rare among chamber music combinations, and the Dumay-Pires duo is one of the most renowned. Their partnership began 12 years ago with Beethoven's "Spring" Sonata; this recording project took from 1997 to 2002 to complete. Though they admit to having differences of opinion and indeed at some points seem to have agreed to disagree, the performances show the fruits of their long, close collaboration in the perfection of ensemble, balance, and stylistic unanimity. Both players are consummate masters of their instrument and possess the effortless brilliance of virtuosos, but their interpretations, though carefully planned and thought out, are likely to raise a lot of eyebrows. Their playing is predominantly loud and frequently strident. The piano sounds clangorous, and while the violinist's tone can soar, he uses an unremittingly fast, intense vibrato (or none at all for sudden changes of color). Their style is large-scale and heroic, but driven and aggressive. To achieve utmost contrast, they overdo everything: dynamics are excessive; tempos, though generally sensible, change at will; impetuosity becomes turbulence; drama chaotic abandon. Most disturbing, they blithely ignore Beethoven's meticulous markings, adding and eliminating dynamics, changing note lengths, choosing bowings for instrumental convenience, not phrasing and articulation. In this heavy-handed approach, charm, lightness, delicacy, and emotional continuity are lost, and character and expression are projected through exaggerated external effects rather than inner experience. One cannot help wondering why it is so often the best players who tend to take the easy way out. Listeners will find their own favorite sonatas and interpretations, from the bright, youthful exuberance of No. 1 to the calm serenity of No. 10. --Edith Eisler
Christopher Angius | Portland, OR United States | 02/02/2003
(5 out of 5 stars)
"For those who had forsaken of ever hearing entirely satisfactory performances of these enormously challenging works, the release of this three-disk set is a cause for celebration. Dumay and Pires, too little heard separately or together in this country but well known elsewhere, achieve what no other collaboration in the extensive discography of these sonatas has yet succeeded in realizing. Finally we hear the soaring bel canto lyricism, the flashing virtuosic energy, the intimacy, the intellectual introversion of these works, often within the short span of a few bars. No collaboration until now has consistently captured the breathtaking emotional sweep of these works that too often remains undiscovered. It is immediately apparent that this recording project was no hastily arranged meeting of marquee performers. Listening to these performances, we have the sense that each phrase, if not each measure, was analyzed and debated long before these performers brought their formidable technical powers to bear in the recording studio. To listen to these performances is to delight in things we have never heard before in works that we thought we knew so well. The result is a recording of unsurpassed beauty and insight in which Beethoven the lyricist and Beethoven the intellectual receive equal justice."
Ok but not one of the greats...
Kenneth J. Luurs | Oak Park, IL USA | 01/07/2003
(3 out of 5 stars)
"I was surprised no one has reviewed these recordings. I am a big fan of Pires and have enjoyed her work with colleague Dumay. Sadly, while there are some interesting moments in this collection, I would advise you to audition prior to purchase, or if you are only to have one set of these works in your collection, do look elsewhere.I just was not inspired by the performances and the recording itself has a bit of an odd acoustic quality to it -- overly resonant -- that bothers me as well.I'm damning with faint praise. These are great musicians. There is beauty here, but I have heard more insights from these musicians in previous recordings."
Best reconding for Beethoven violin sonatas
W. Tang | usa | 06/14/2003
(5 out of 5 stars)
"As a violinist, i've listened many recordings of complete Beethoven sonatas, by comparison, this one is so far the best. although some of the sonatas recorded in earlier year( the whole recording session lasted for 5 years.)tend to be overly aggressive and the tempo is a bit too fast ( No.7~No.9) but the excellent cordination ,musical balance , heroic characteristic and large-scale dynamic changes between the two intsruments perfectly represent the true Beethoven spirit."
Absolutely Wonderful!
Jacques Racine | Washington, DC USA | 03/08/2003
(5 out of 5 stars)
"Thank-You Christopher for writing such a great review. I do not have much time, so here is the essential: the sound quality is awesome.For the reviewers who have problem with it, two advices: get decent audio gear and tweak the acoustics of your room. It was even a Stereophile record of the month...Enjoy"
Equal to any, superior to most.
Scott E. Peterman | Oneida, NY USA | 09/21/2007
(5 out of 5 stars)
"Valid interpretations of Beethoven's masterpieces require a delicate balance of fire and beauty. The Itzhak Perlman/Vladimir Ashkenazy set achieves that balance and so too does this set of Dumay/Pires. I do prefer the sound and balance of instruments of this set over the Perlman/Ashkenazy. Along with the Grumiaux/Haskil set, I count these as the 3 best currently available."
