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| Decca (Full price) (CD) 411 677-2DH. From 411 677-1DJ (9/85). |
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| Mutter, BPO, Karajan (5/83) 400 064-2GH. |
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| Heifetz, Chicago SO, Reiner (10/85) RD85402 |
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I enjoyed Boris Belkin's account of the Brahms Concerto a great deal more than TH who made a direct comparison with Heifetz's RCA (on LP in September) to Belkin's distinct disadvantage. Heifetz dashes off the first movement in 18'52", against Belkin's 24'45". Even Mutter (DG), who offers the most direct challenge, only takes 21'56". It is her version with Karajan that makes the most obvious prime recommendation for this work on CD, a commandingly spontaneous performance, immensely satisfying in its combination of espressivo and ardour. Karajan's accompaniment is first class and the partnership between veteran and youth is extraordinarily successful. The sound too is DG's best. But this Decca CD is technically very fine too, and I found Belkin's waywardness in the first movement fully acceptable—it is deeply felt and has its own kind of expressive spontaneity. As TH pointed out Belkin plays Joachim's cadenza, and there is a moment of real magic as it draws to a close. But one has the curious anomaly that the LP and cassette versions of this performance are on the Jubilee label and thus cost less than half the CD!
The Heifetz CD, however, offers the Beethoven Violin Concerto as well, with a total playing time of 72'12" for the two works. While Heifetz does not seem rushed in the first movement of the Brahms, the pacing of the opening movement of the Beethoven does seem just a trifle hectic for so serene a conception. Nevertheless, there are some superb moments in the Heifetz performance (not least in the Larghetto), and the digital remastering has produced CD sound that is little short of a miraculous improvement on the early LP. With roughnesses eliminated, the treble remains unmuffled, so that the analogue stereo is made to sound remarkably convincing and certainly enjoyable to listen to.
IM