Two sonatas in A major—and why not, when they are both masterpieces? The slow unaccompanied opening of the Kreutzer already tells us that this violinist is something special, for it is beautifully poised and in tune. In fact, the 18-year-old Maxim Vengerov, who hails from Novosibirsk, made his first commercial recording seven years ago and in 1990 he won the first prize in the Carl Flesch International Competition in London. He's already an accomplished artist who reminds me of Evgeni Kissin, with whom he has performed and who is three years his senior (!), in his vivid yet thoughtful approach to the music he plays. I actually find him a bit larger than life in the Presto of Beethoven's opening movement, but this also has something to do with Teldec's close recording, impressive though it is in its immediacy. At any rate, the smooth second subject is marked piano and dolce but comes out forte and rather passionately, and the pizzicato chords at 12'04'' make me fear for the structure of Vengerov's instrument. Still, this is thrilling playing, and his intensity, even in the central set of variations, is compelling and matched by his pianist. In this movement, though, I would have welcomed index points and there's a noisy page-turn after Variation 2 (6'27''). Predictably, the finale goes at a good lick and is more vigorous than joyful, though enjoyable. Perlman and Ashkenazy on Decca have equal brilliance but more scope and depth, including half-lights that as yet elude Vengerov and Markovich, and are recorded less glaringly.
The Brahms is a mellower work, not least in its first movement marked Allegro amabile, and, thank goodness, Vengerov knows this, although even here he's apt to overstate things wherever forte is marked. But the second subject of this movement is rightly unhurried—and tender, too, in a youthfully gauche way—and the sunset passage towards the close is finely done. The Andante tranquillo that follows, while thoughtful, is rather too firmly projected, as is the graceful finale. I prefer the greater ripeness and refinement of Josef Suk and Julius Katchen on their mid-price Decca disc of the three Brahms sonatas.'