Two extremes of Schoenberg's musical personality are on offer here: the one that could spice up Brahms's G minor Piano Quartet with wickedly funny orchestration, and the one that could create a Violin Concerto of amazingly consistent hyper-activity. Virtually the only common factor is that neither work has been lucky in the recording studio, so the coupling may appeal to those seeking to plug gaps in their collection. Back in the 1960s Robert Craft made a pioneering recording of the Quartet orchestration with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra on CBS (6/67 - nla). That had a marvellous energy and sweep to it, which his new account does not begin to recapture. With the Philharmonia the many gains in textural clarity and refinement are cancelled out by a lack of intensity and relish.
Anyone who can honestly claim to love the Violin Concerto may be called a genuine Schoenbergian, for this is a porcupine of a piece, repelling all attempts to get to grips with it other than by analytical dissection. Probably the most characterful movement is the finale, which at least conveys a fulminating, self-righteous anger. Rolf Schulte negotiates the horrendous demands of the solo part with considerable aplomb. His dynamic range is not wide, and the balance, as in the Brahms, does no favours to what the CD booklet is pleased to call the 'London Philharmonia'. Conductor and orchestra are given fulsome write-ups, the soloist none. And Robert Craft's insert-note has its inadvertently comical moments, my favourite being his view that 'the melodic content of the Concerto is remarkably simple, appealing, and memorable'.

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