This is an unnecessary issue. Gidon Kremer is one of the most gifted and interesting violinists alive, but the Sibelius Concerto is really not his piece, or at least it was not in August 1977 when this performance was recorded (nor was it six years later when he recorded it with the Philharmonia and Muti for EMI—I entirely agree with David Gutman who found ''the vein of poetic fantasy'' to be missing). Moreover, the vagueness of the recorded sound compounds the sensation of being outside the music. The Schnittke is fine, but certainly no finer than the DG version, which is coupled more logically with other works by the same composer.
Given that movement breaks on this CD are of the order of a mere four seconds, with a whole five allowed between works, and given that the insert-note is barely adequate, I would not wish to make a recommendation even if it were at super-bargain price.'