Beethoven: Violin Sonata No. 9 in A major, Op. 47 ‘Kreutzer'

One of the most promising violinists of the new generation, young Moldovan Patricia Kopatchinskaja makes her Naďve debut with a captivating disc that includes Beethoven’s masterpiece, the “Kreutzer” Sonata, Ravel’s Violin Sonata, Bartók’s Romanian Dances and the premier recording of the Violin Sonata by her accompanist, the outstanding Turkish pianist and composer, Fazil Say. Beethoven’s Violin Sonata No. 9 in A, commonly known as the “Kreutzer” Sonata, was published in 1802, and is known for its demanding violin part, unusual length and emotional scope. The piece’s title comes from its dedicatee, Rodolphe Kreutzer, who was considered to be the finest violinist of the day. Ironically, Kreutzer never performed it, and considered it unplayable.

Patricia Kopatchinskaja was born in Moldavia (now Moldova), and studied composition and the violin in Vienna and Berne before winning first prize in the International Henryk Szeryng Competition in 2000, followed two years later by the prestigious Crédit Suisse Group Young Artist Award. She represented Austria in the ‘Rising Stars’ concert series in the main European centres and New York. In 2004 she received the New Talent-SPP Award from the EBU and in 2006 the Förderpreis Deutschlandfunk, and now plays with leading orchestras and major festivals worldwide. More information at www.patkop.ch

Born in Ankara in Turkey, Fazil Say studied piano and composition at the State Conservatory of his home city. At 17 he was awarded a scholarship enabling him to work for five years with David Levine at the Robert Schumann Institute in Düsseldorf. From 1992-1995 he pursued his studies at the Berlin Conservatory. Say’s discography includes Stravinsky’s four-hand arrangement of The Rite of Spring, in which he plays both parts himself. This recording brought him several international awards, including the 2001 EchoPreis Klassik and the German Music Critics’ Best Recording of the Year. For Naďve, he has made recordings of Mozart Piano Concertos Nos. 21, 21 & 23 (V4992) and Beethoven’s ‘Appassionata’, ‘Tempest’ & ‘Waldstein’ Sonatas (V5016), and his own music, Black Earth (V4954). His most recent CD, a selection of Haydn Sonatas (V5070), was released in 2007. He gives a recital at the Edinburgh International Festival on 19 August.

Described by Nathan Milstein as “the greatest American-trained violinist”, Joseph Fuchs had an immensely long career, continuing to five recitals at Carnegie Hall until he was 93. He was a soloist with every major American orchestra and made many important recordings, including the concertos by Hindemith and Vaughan Williams, as well as Mozart’s G major and Sinfonia concertante.

For many years Fuchs had a duo with the pianist Artur Balsam with whom he made several recordings, including the Beethoven Violin Sonatas of which this disc forms the last of three volumes.

Apart from being the first complete cycle on the new vinyl medium, this one set a high standard in quality of both recording and performance.

“Fuchs and Balsam make a magnificent team… Both instrumentalists scorn effects of a superficial nature and probe directly to the music’s bone. These are strong, powerful, thoughtful performances that have the added virtue of being technically impeccable”. The New York Times