The greatest Russian violinist of the twentieth century is the legendary
David Oistrakh, the virtuoso whose muscular tone and tender lyricism were the culmination of the Russian tradition of violin playing and whose influence is still felt in the playing of
Gidon Kremer,
Vadim Repin,
Viktoria Mullova, and dozens of others. But what makes
Oistrakh legendary when most of his best work is so easily available? As Philips realized early on, reissuing
Oistrakh not only kept his work before the public, but was an assured income. In this reissue of
Oistrakh's magisterial set of the ten Beethoven violin sonatas recorded in 1962 with pianist
Lev Oborin, Philips kept before the public what is arguably the best set of the sonatas since the classic
Fritz Kreisler set of the '30s.
Oistrakh's interpretations are fresh but thoughtful, seasoned but still passionately involved with the music. His slow movements sing, his fast movements dance, his melodies are endless, his harmonies flawless, and his form is exquisitely poised between consideration and inspiration.
Lev Oborin is wholly as one with
Oistrakh and a terrific player in his own right. Together, their performances are perhaps the most satisfying and exalting ever made. Indeed, the only real problem with
Oistrakh's recordings is the sound of the recordings. Hazy and recessed, the sound slightly softens
Oistrakh's attacks and blurs the balance between
Oistrakh and
Oborin.