For more than a quarter of a century, this recording of
Brahms' Violin Concerto by
Itzhak Perlman with
Carlo Maria Giulini conducting the
Chicago Symphony Orchestra was the recording to get if you wanted a lush and voluptuous performance of the work.
Perlman's playing is plushly upholstered in warm leather and smooth silk.
Giulini's conducting is lushly opulent with a rich blend of wind, brass, and strings. The
Chicago's accompaniment is lavishly luxurious with a deep-pile, wall-to-wall carpet of sound. EMI's late stereo sound was as gloriously full and gorgeously colored. While some listeners have objected to the recording on the grounds that it lacked lyricism and wanted momentum, most listeners have acclaimed it the best modern recording of the work. And most listeners, even those who have historically objected to the recording, will have to admit that this remastering is nearly as glorious and gorgeous as the original LP.