Whilst in no way competing with the artistry of Mintz, Perlman, Kavacos and Midori—all full-price versions—Ilya Kaler approaches the Paganini Caprices with energy and a pretty dependable virtuoso technique. Michael Rabin's mid-price version on EMI is predictably stunning, but it is crudely recorded, with the violin sound being far too close for comfort. The Naxos CD retails for around £3 to £3 50 less and is far superior regarding recording quality.
Kaler does not really explore the darker, Gothic side of Paganini's Caprices, as does Kavacos. He is a trifle naive. Generally, some musical profile and character is lacking. However, if you want to hear these ferociously taxing works played straightforwardly, Kaler's version can carry a strong recommendation. He always gets into the strings with his bow and his left-hand technique, in particular, is frequently fairly stunning. The finale Caprice, the A minor (the one used by Rachmaninov in his Rhapsody), may be short on monumentality and memorability, but it is nevertheless played with a thorough grasp of the notes and emerges as perfectly acceptable. Only in a couple of the Caprices was I bothered by an element of stridency to the violin sound.'