Kalman Rubinson, stereophile.com
This glorious recording is a consequence of Leertouwer’s doctoral thesis on historically informed performance practice (Brahms.johannesleertouwer.nl), and the performers employ an 1857 Blüthner grand piano and a 1619 Amati violin. This is, however, not an academic exercise but a deep embrace of Brahms’s Romantic style. The opening of the first Sonata immediately recalled to me the classic Grumiaux/Sebök (1976) recording, but Reynolds and Leertouwer are, throughout the sonatas, more subtly inflected and dynamic. They engage the mind and take hold of the emotions. The sound quality is, in equal measures, warm and transparent and presents a friendly, intimate “they are here” perspective.
Adrian Quanjer, HRaudio.net wrote: “I got a feeling as though I was listening to musical love letters”
Bert Oling, auteur en journalist: “Een juweel van een productie zowel in muziekaal-technische zin als qua interpretatie en niet te vergeten de opname van Bert van der Wolf. Edison waardig!”
(“A jewel of a production, both in a musical-technical sense and in terms of interpretation, not to mention the recording by Bert van der Wolf. Worthy of an Edison award!”)
Cd available through:
challengerecords.com
High Quality downloads:
The Spirit of Turtle
Reviews:
NRC
Opusklassiek
Colin Clarke: “Five stars: It is imperative this release is recognized for its musicological importance and its musical qualities” read all…
