This is a very distinguished performance indeed, as much from Giulini as from Perlman, and it won the Gramophone Concerto Award 1981. It is one where one's senses tell one from the start that nothing will mar the enjoyment; how this should be I do not know, but immediate distinction is already apparent and it is never lost. I was writing recently about the importance of recognizing the difference between forte and fortissimo in beethoven, and Giulini makes the distinction already clear between the ff of bars 73 and 74 soon after the start and the f which surrounds them. Notice too the marvellous way he gets the Philharmonia to p lay a sfp—a pleasure in itself. The liquid smoothness of the wind playing is another joy.

The slow movement has the utmost calm beauty from both soloist and orchestra, while Perlman plays the finale at an admirably swift speed, yet with all the flexibility it needs, so that it really dances lightly. Contrast Chung on the Decca CD whose finale is almost lethargic in comparison, and Kremer for Philips who takes it at a terrible lick but puts it firmly into a strait-jacket.

The clarity of the orchestral texture is outstanding from the new CD. The bassoon, for example, sings its solos in the finale easily and without the least forcing, whereas on the Chung recording it sounds more consciously brought forward. But the Decca is no match in general sound for this HMV and has not the extreme clarity we have come to expect of CD. If I come down firmly in favour of Perlman I must fairly add that others have enjoyed Chung more than I do, so personal taste comes more than usually into it.