Anne Sophie Mutter

Anne-Sophie Mutter and Pablo Ferrández – a musical team united by friendship, inspiration and mentorship. Established as musical partners for many years, Anne-Sophie Mutter discovered the Spanish cellist’s extraordinary talent early on. Described by her as ‘someone truly special’ the world star violinist invited him into her foundation and circle of “Mutter’s Virtuosi”, young talents she supports and tours with. Since then, Pablo Ferrández has made himself a name on his own, developed into a sought-after, award-winning soloist home at the world’s most prestigious concert halls. For this recording, both artists, mentors and friends unite once more to capture their musical friendship on their first joint album with pianist, long term collaborator and friend Lambert Orkis, conductor Manfred Honeck and the Czech Philharmonic.

Berg's Violin Concerto (1935) is considered by many the most accessible and emotionally engaging piece of music in the atonal idiom. His last completed work, the concerto was written as a memorial "to an angel" upon the premature death of Alma Mahler's daughter Manon Gropius. But as with all of Berg's oeuvre, an autobiography of the composer's inner life is also thoroughly woven into the score.

For thousands of Mutter fans, this CD is godsend. It includes two programs of Beethoven's Sonata. The first one is the Sonata for Piano and Violin No. 5 in F major (Spring), 26 minutes. The second one is the Sonata for Piano and Violin No. 9 in A major (Kreutzer), 44 minutes. ASM is amazing and perfect in both programs, working together with her long-time partner, Lambert Orkis. The music is exuberant with color, emotion and energy.

We're celebrating with a unique deluxe package that has everything. It's a box unlike anything you have seen before. A stunning, blow-you-away, multi-coloured object made of high-quality, transparent, frosted injection-moulded acrylic. "The complete musician" Box comprises three separate elements: * A solid, heavyweight base in translucent red, including a white CD "bin" to hold the 40 albums * A detachable green "book-shelf" that holds the BOOK (see info below) – with an embossed metal DG cartouche on its side * Bright yellow cover that envelops the whole package, with etched ASM35 logo * In addition, a wrap-around info-sheet will be set under the shrink-wrap on the side of the box – it will fall away when the shrink-wrap is opened.

Ce CD ravira les fans de la violoniste prodige (à partir de sa cinquième année) Anne-Sophie Mutter, dont Herbert von Karajan fut le découvreur et le mentor, dès qu'elle atteignit l'âge de 13 ans. D'ailleurs, ce dernier est présent pour un bon nombre des plages de ce disque - à la tête des Berliner Philharmoniker. Mais, il ne faut pas oublier de signaler aussi la présence d'un autre grand de la direction d'orchestre : l'américain James Levine, avec les Wiener Philharmoniker.

Anne-Sophie Mutter's virtuosity is so crystal clear that she doesn't even have to try any more. The ease with which she gets into her first solo in the Tchaikovsky is astounding–we hardly know what hit us–and she tackles the cadenza as if it were just another integral part of the work, rather than draw attention to the fact that it's a rather awkward cadenza at that. Her attacks are clean and strong and her tone is always deep and round; this is the epitome of the Romantic approach. The final movement draws attention to itself somewhat, but the listener remains dazzled.

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)

I"m much more a fan of Mutter/Karajan Brahms violin concerto than the double concerto that is paired here. I have other Brahms Double Concerto recordings I prefer. But, this Karajan GOLD Brahms Violin Concerto is definitely a sonic upgrade from a standard DG (non-gold) issue when the Violin Concerto was all that was put on the disc. I'm hearing more spatial relationships, more tonal accuracy, more upper end and balance.