Schumann [Sonata] Sonatas for Violin and Piano—No. 1 in A minor, Op. 105; No. 2 in D minor, Op. 121; No. 3 in A minor—Intermezzo. Ilya Kaler (vn); Boris Slutsky (pf).

Naxos (Super budget price) (CD) 8 550870 (51 minutes: DDD).

Schumann's two violin sonatas are late works, dating from 1851, and both were written quickly, apparently in four and six days respectively. That does not stand against them—Bach and Mozart would have thought nothing of it—although, according to the booklet essay, the D minor Sonata was "an attempt to succeed where he felt, in the earlier work, that he had failed". In fact the A minor work is well structured and has an admirable vigour.

These performances, powerfully recorded in Indiana by young Russian artists, are most enjoyable. The passion of their playing is perhaps not wholly Germanic, but every artist legitimately brings something of himself to the music he performs, and nothing here takes us out of touch with Schumann's world. Indeed, there is an impressive intensity to this playing, although refinement and tenderness are rightly also present. Kaler and Slutsky mould these melodies well; it's a matter of timing as well as tone and dynamics, as the Allegretto of the A minor Sonata shows. The same movement also demonstrates how they follow Schumann naturally through his characteristically rapid changes of mood, while the finale that follows has power and purpose.

I like the D minor Sonata no less. In this much longer work, the artists give us poignant eloquencce as well as fire. The single movement from the composite "FAE Sonata" dedicated to Joseph Joachim, in which Schumann collaborated with the young Brahms and Albert Dietrich, makes a useful bonus in a disc which would otherwise last under 50 minutes. An alternative account from Kremer and Argerich, arguably more subtle, has just the two complete sonatas and comes at full price. The present disc at super-bargain price represents fine value.

CH