BUSONI/ENESCU Violin Sonatas

Nurit Stark, violin & Cedric Pesci, piano

Claves CD 502811 [UK Distributor Discovery]

A dream coupling of two of my favourite violin sonatas which perfectly complement each other and were well known to me, perhaps half a century ago, but seem to have virtually disappeared from the UK recital repertoire.

Ferrucio Busoni's no 2 in E minor is long, culminating with far ranging variations on a Bach chorale, and includes references to other composers. Busoni's creativity was stimulated by music of his predecessors and this sonata is structured upon Beethoven's Op 109.

George Enescu's 3rd Sonata, famously recorded by the composer with Dinu Lipatti, recreates and transfigures Romanian folk music with immense subtlety, as described in excellent, comprehensive notes by Etienne Barilier.

Stark & Pescia have 'worked in close collaboration for many years' and they evince a feeling of intuitive rapport, well balanced by the engineers of Teldex Studio Berlin. The Claves production is altogether of high quality, with several full page photos of the personable young musicians.

Recommended unreservedly.

Peter Grahame Woolf

You can sample the Busoni, performed very satisfactorily by Prunaru & Protopopescu, on YouTube.