Anne-Sophie Mutter, Lambert Orkis - Beethoven: The Complete Violin Sonatas (2001/1998)

This is a very welcome DVD release of an important series of concerts. Anne-Sophie Mutter, as she explains in the documentary, gave up a year of her life to concentrate solely on playing and recording the Beethoven Violin Sonatas in a series of concerts world wide - a luxury, she admits, afforded to few musicians. These performances come from the Paris cycle and are remarkably fresh. From the Haydnesque early sonatas to the altogether more challenging later sonatas, particularly a magnificent 'Kreutzer', these are performances that hint neither at over-preparedness nor over-familiarity. There is real spontaneity in many of these performances and a real sense of partnership between these superlative artists. Mutter is happy to allow Orkis to take the spotlight (and in the case of the op.23 dictate the development of the work). In every one of these sonatas there is ample proof that Mutter and Orkis are working for Beethoven and not for themselves. (Marc Bridle)

Cast:
Anne-Sophie Mutter, violin
Lambert Orkis, piano

Track List:
DVD1:
Sonata No. 1 in D major Op. 12 No. 1
01. 1. Allegro con brio
02. 2. Tema con Variazioni. Andante con moto (Var. I - IV)
03. 3. Rondo. Allegro
Sonata No. 2 in A major Op. 12 No. 2
04. 1. Allegro vivace
05. 2. Andante più tosto allegretto
06. 3. Allegro piacévole
Sonata No. 3 in E flat major Op. 12 No. 3
07. 1. Allegro con spirito
08. 2. Adagio con molta espressione
09. 3. Rondo. Allegro molto
Sonata No. 4 in A minor Op. 23
10. 1. Presto
11. 2. Andante scherzoso, più allegretto
12. 3. Allegro molto
Sonata No. 5 in F major Op. 24 "Spring"
13. 1. Allegro
14. 2. Adagio molto espressivo
15. 3. Scherzo. Allegro molto
16. 4. Rondo. Allegro ma non troppo
Sonata No. 6 in A major Op. 30 No. 1
17. 1. Allegro
18. 2. Adagio molto espressivo
19. 3. Allegretto con Variazioni (I - VI)
Sonata No. 7 in C minor Op. 30 No. 2
20. 1. Allegro con brio
21. 2. Adagio cantabile
22. 3. Scherzo. Allegro - Trio
23. 4. Finale. Allegro - Presto
DVD2:
Sonata No. 8 in G major Op. 30 No. 3
01. 1. Allegro assai
02. 2. Tempo di Menuetto, ma molto moderato e grazioso 9:45
03. 3. Allegro vivace
Sonata No. 9 in A major Op. 47 "Kreutzer"
04. 1. Adagio sostenuto - Presto
05. 2. Andante con Variazioni (I - IV)
06. 3. Presto
Sonata No. 10 in G major Op. 96
07. 1. Allegro moderato
08. 2. Adagio espressivo
09. 3. Scherzo. Allegro - Trio - Coda
10. 4. Poco allegretto - Adagio espressivo - Tempo I
Bonus:
11. A Life with Beethoven