Search - Prokofiev, Bell, Mustonen :: Violin Sonatas

Prokofiev's two sonatas represent opposite sides of his personality. The first is dark, austere, acerbic, often brutal, occasionally lyrical; the second, originally for flute and piano, is sunny, singing, exuberant, humorous. This recording brings him together with kindred spirits: two brilliant young soloists who are frequent chamber-music partners and have a special affinity for his music. Bell's extraordinarily beautiful, radiant tone is intense, expressive, warm--never lush or sweet, with a flexible, focused vibrato; its infinite variety of color and inflection lets him change mood, character, and expression on a single note, from dreamy, mysterious, exciting, ominous, or aggressive to tender, serene, inward, even ecstatic. In the first sonata, the long runs are crystal-clear as well as spooky; in the second, the rhythms and cross-rhythms seem etched with a fine point, and the soaring melodies shimmer and glow. The Five Melodies, originally for wordless voice and piano, are predominantly singing and lyrical, with a charming, humorous scherzo. Mustonen is a superb pianist and partner, but in the percussive sections of the first sonata the violin is sometimes outmatched. --Edith Eisler