An interesting coupling: Giardini was primarily a violinist who excited Mozart's admiration as such, Mozart was primarily a composer who in turn excited Giardini's admiration as such. On how their playing compared I will for obvious reasons offer no opinion, save to suggest that Giardini probably had more time to practice than had Mozart. But on how their composing of an A major violin concerto compared there is evidence here, and that is that Giardini is within a whisker of Mozart in both style and quality. These are not fine words to be read as euphemistic for the music being a pale imitation; in any event, Giardini was 40 years older than Mozart, and unlikely to conceive the notion of purposely imitating the younger man (or younger boy, really; Mozart was 19 when he wrote this concerto). It seems to follow that Giardini was substantially ahead of his time.
Certainly, on this premiere recording (of the Giardini!) both composers are given every chance on both record and tape. Lefkowitz, a Latvian making his name in the western world, plays stylishly everywhere, though there will be those who think he occasionally leans rather heavily (for the music) on a note; and there will be those who know beyond a doubt that he often sharpens the upper note of a whole-tone trill (once, on an exposed cadential trill, he reaches a minor third from the parent note: a grisly effect). Nevertheless, the beauty of style wins the day; and the ECO contribute this quality generously on this occasion, as they do on many, many others. Balance is good, as are other aspects of recorded quality; though the tape is perhaps not quite so clear as the record, and does have a slightly higher background level.'