Beethoven: Violin Sonatas 4, 5, and 7 (CD review)

Performed on period instruments by Viktoria Mullova, violin, and Alasdair Beatson, fortepiano. ONYX 4221.

By Bill Heck

Given the popularity of period instrument performances in some corners of the classical repertoire, I would have thought that there would be quite a collection of such recordings of the Beethoven Violin Sonatas. Not so, or at least not so easily found: several are readily available, but this set by Mullova and Beatson enters a field less crowded than one might expect. It does, however, follow rather closely on the heels of a complete cycle on period instruments featuring Jerilyn Jorgensen and Cullan Bryant, which was reviewed a few months back by our own John Puccio: https://classicalcandor.blogspot.com/2021/01/beethoven-complete-sonatas-for-piano.html.

Viktoria Mullova is a well-known figure in the world of violin recordings, with an extensive discography. Her partner in this venture (I deliberately avoid the term “accompanist”, which seems to imply a mere subservient strumming along role for the keyboard; Beethoven’s writing for the piano is far more than just an “accompaniment") is perhaps less well known but with just as extensive a discography, albeit much of it on smaller labels. Indeed, the liner notes for this release are written by Beatson.

A few words about the instruments are in order, but first I should confess to some prejudice regarding the period instrument movement. I understand and appreciate that sometimes the more focused (thin?) sound of many period instruments can reveal textual details that can be lost in (poorly balanced?) performances on modern instruments with their heavier (richer?) timbres. But, as my parenthetical words may have revealed, I suspect that modern instrument performances need not be cloudy and congested: the players have a lot to do with the sound, after all. As to the argument that we should hear the music the way that an 18th or 19th century composers heard their work, it’s an interesting concept, but I wonder if said composers would not have been overjoyed to have had access to the power and tone of modern instruments.

Which brings us to the instruments in use here. Mullova plays a 1750 Giovanni Battista Guadagnini with gut strings; she also uses a classical bow. Beatson’s instrument is particularly interesting: a replica of an 1805 Viennese Walter fortepiano that strikes me as sounding midway between most of the fortepianos that I’ve heard and the modern piano. If you have been put off by the – I’m searching for a word here – clangy sound of some fortepianos, a sound that seems to owe much to that instrument’s harpsichord ancestors, this recording may be the one for you. Yes, the tonal qualities of both instruments differ from their modern counterparts, but more subtly than is often the case.

We also should note that the duo uses a new Bärenreiter edition of the scores prepared by Clive Brown. I confess that I am not so familiar with these works as to hear the differences immediately, but the results speak for themselves.

As to the music itself, John gave a nice summary in his earlier review; I recommend that you read it. Suffice it to say here that the 4th (published 1801) is the first of the series in which Beethoven is truly finding his own voice; the 5th, nicknamed “Spring” (1801), truly is springlike in a Beethoven sort of way (think 6th Symphony); and the 7th (1802) is the mature Beethoven, mixing charm with profundity.

So how do Mullova and Beatson do? In a word, superbly. I was immediately struck by the energy of these performances. This seems to fit with what I know of Mullova’s reputation: a dynamic, passionate approach. Indeed, there are moments of wonderful dynamic contrast not always offered with period instruments, such as the middle of the second movement, where Beatson is right with Mullova step by step, or the final measures of the fourth movement of 7th, which are about as dramatic as you can get with just two (period) instruments. Tempi are generally quick but never sound rushed, and the balance between the instruments is nicely judged at every turn. Perhaps I can best characterize these performances by saying that they kept me engaged from beginning to end – and this coming from someone who all too often finds his mind wandering during chamber music performances.

For comparison, I listened to several other performances of these sonatas. First, Jos van Immersed’s cycle is well regarded, but to me number 5 feels a little rushed and consequently ragged. In any event, I can't get past the sonics: the fortepiano is bathed in so much reverberation, which sounds artificial at that, as to suggest that it is in a cave. (In a large cathedral is a more likely, if less colorful, idea.) That cloudiness obscures the attack of the piano; meanwhile, the violin is off to the left in what sounds like a separate space and seems to have less reverberation. Others obviously could get past the sound; I could not.

On a more positive note, Watson and Ogata provide lively, well-reviewed performances. The recorded sound is slightly more reverberant than that of the Mullova/Beatson disk, but still natural and quite listenable, although perhaps the violin is a little too far forward of the piano. One noticeable difference, though is in the sound of the fortepiano: Ogata’s instrument sounds more harpsichord-like. I suppose that could be more authentic in the sense of being true to what Beethoven’s audiences would have heard, but it does make for some less than powerful sound when the piano is called upon for a dramatic chord. The dynamic range of the piano is slightly restricted on the softer end as well. As to performance, Mullova plays somewhat more "aggressively" than Watson, although again the difference is not large; I also wish that Watson and Ogata had skipped a repeat or two, particularly in the first movement of number 5.

Our last comparison is to the Jorgenson/Bryant cycle mentioned above. Obviously this one is complete, in the sense of including all of the sonatas, so it’s the one for you if you are simply looking for a full cycle. (Mullova recorded Sonatas 3 and 9 earlier with Kristian Bezuidenhout.) If you aren’t worried about that point, the differences that struck me most immediately were two: a more dynamic, energetic, or even passionate feel and a more upfront, less reverberant sound from Mullova/Beatson as compared to Jorgenson/Bryant. Please understand that I am not saying that the latter performances are sedate or dull; both sets are well within the range of acceptability, and which performances sound more congenial will be a matter of personal taste.

Finally, as already implied, the sonics of this new Onyx disk are quite clean and natural, sounding as if in a rather small hall. The two instruments are nicely separated but clearly inhabit the same space, which is as it should be. Overall, a most rewarding issue and well worth a listen, even if you already have a recording or two of the included works.

BH

To listen to a brief excerpt from this album, click here: