What a musicianly violinist Viktoria Mullova is. It shows in her versatility of manner as well as of tone-colour. There is a hint of demureness to the opening of her Tchaikovsky-based Stravinsky, but no lack of richness to the second theme or of bite to the toccata-like pages later on. And how carefully she listens to her pianist, realizing in the slow movement of the Ravel that against his deft wit she can afford to wear her heart on her sleeve a little; something similar happens in the finale of the Stravinsky. Her palette of tone colour allows her an intimacy of expression elsewhere in the Ravel, together with a quality that I can only describe as an earnest ardour. Gentleness seems to be the tone set for her Prokofiev, but then with an impulsive spurt towards the second theme she shows that exuberance forms part of her make-up, too; that and (not only in the Prokofiev) a delightful touch of carefree good humour.
A splendid coupling, in short, and a detailed comparison with the formidable list of rival versions above comes out almost wholly in Mullova's favour. Her Stravinsky is a bit more characterful than Perlman's on EMI, her beautiful, clean-toned sound in the Ravel is more attractive than the brightness given to Oistrakh by a very close balance on Philips, while in the Prokofiev, though Mintz (DG) is perhaps Mullova's artistic equal, he has one or two patches of tight, thin tone to mar an otherwise fine performance. And Philips's recording for Mullova, intimate but very natural, with an exemplary balance between violin and piano, is pretty well ideal. Strongly recommended.'