Anne-Sophie Mutter, Berliner Philharmoniker, Herbert von Karajan - Mendelssohn, Brahms: Violin Concertos (1994)

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Anne-Sophie Mutter, Berliner Philharmoniker, Herbert von Karajan - Mendelssohn, Brahms: Violin Concertos (1994)

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I must say that this recording surely has something magic about it. But I wouldn't really go as far as the previous reviewer, to say it's sexual - it's far more than earthly pleasures - it's ethereal. You can just sit back in your sofa, close your eyes and feel that there's something more than just the music you hear in this recording. Sensitive, intensitive, and sensual, sometimes on the border to vulnerability, is the playing from especially Ms Mutter. Karajan shows his great experience by not letting his own conducting catch too much of your attention - he is simply responsive and supportive to Ms Mutter's young and fresh-sounding playing. Need I then say that this is beautiful? Happily, this is valid for both these lovely concertos.
The Mendelssohn start with lots of fire and brilliance from both Ms Mutter and Karajan in the first movement, leading through the second movement, the Andante, which is utterly moving and suffocatingly beautiful here, to a playfully vivacious Allegretto/Allegro.
The Brahms concerto is no less good. The first allegro, a part balancing between solemnity and violent, tragic explosions, through parts of wondering and restfullness, is showing every possible variation of emotion called for - just listen to Ms Mutters lovely intense vibrato after about 11 ½ minute. Ms Mutter definately shows that she understands the intrinsical values of this concerto - If this first part doesn't make you understand what's etherical in music, nothing probably ever will. The following adagio is extremely beautiful, the oftenly dominating oboepart being put aside here by Ms Mutters lovely playing, which grows for every bar played. The last allegro is played just as the name indicates, non troppo vivace - not to playful, sounding like an almost serious dance melody.
The sound is a little too close for my taste, especially since the Berlin forces sounds a little unclear, but thats of minor concern indeed, when the rest of this recording makes you nothing but happy. I don't think that you'll find any better version of these lovely concertos than these ones, at least I haven't.