Christoph Eschenbach’s Brahms Double is everything you might expect it to be, with leisurely tempos, subtly stressed inner lines (especially among the woodwinds) and a warmth to the phrasing that contrasts happily with various high-octane Brahms performances currently lining the classical CD circuit. Both soloists are on top form technically, Zukerman hitting the note’s centre with impressive accuracy (I would guess that Heifetz rather influenced his phrasing) while Kirshbaum bows immaculately drawn lines. They play well together, grading their dynamics so that each voice melds effortlessly with its partner, always with tonal refinement and very occasionally with a certain lack of spontaneity. The Andante is broad and songful, the closing Vivace properly non troppo. RCA’s recording is good, save that I would have favoured a less prominent joint-solo image and rather more clarity among the winds.
The Triple Concerto, on the other hand, is beautifully balanced, especially in terms of John Browning’s poised piano playing, and the performance as a whole has a winning equanimity of gesture that brings a smile to the closing Rondo alla Polacca, in particular. Again, Eschenbach shines a soft-focus beam on accompanying figures and the solo strings play beautifully, with Kirshbaum scaling the heights in the brief central Largo. This is a heartfelt, unforced Triple, studded with happy interpretative incident and worthy of comparison with the best.
As to CD rivals in this coupling, most are at mid price or less and involve star soloists. My own mid-price first choice would be Stern and Rose in the Double coupled with Serkin, Laredo and Parnas in the Triple, charismatic performances in clear if somewhat dated sound. As to separate recommendations, Harnoncourt’s lively and perceptive Double (with Kremer and Lukas Hagen) is well worth searching out and although Karajan’s EMI Triple with Richter, David Oistrakh and Rostropovich would not be my own ‘No. 1’ (I rather prefer this Eschenbach performance), many will choose it as their first port of call. But do try and hear this new CD.'