Anne-Sophie Mutter, Alexis Weissenberg - Brahms: Violin Sonatas (1997)

Brahms's violin sonatas--particularly No. 3--contain some of his most personal and expressive music. In fact, they make an excellent introduction to his chamber music in general, being of moderate length and much less fussy than, say, the string quartets. Mutter has become the premier German violinist of her generation, and as her superb recent performance of the Violin Concerto demonstrates, she certainly knows her Brahms. Weissenberg, on the other hand, is a controversial pianist--a brilliant intellectual who sometimes overpowers his music with an excess of vehemence. His partnership with Mutter works well though--the music can take a little extra juice here and there. -- David Hurwitz