Schumann Violin Sonatas 1-3
2010 is the 200th anniversary of Schumann’s birth, so recordings of Schumann keep appearing on the market. While his violin Sonatas are infrequently played, they are reflective of the sadness and tragedy in the composer’s life at the time these compositions were created.
Here is what Andrew Clements of the Guardian wrote about Ilya Gingolts’ playing of these sonatas by Robert Schumann:
“… Ilya Gringolts’s dark, smoky violin tone suits the introspection of the three works perfectly. He and pianist Peter Laul do not attempt to impose themselves on the music… but instead seek out the moments when Schumann’s individuality and lyrical invention are most obvious. There are more of those moments in the first sonata, in A minor, than in the others, and for that reason it’s easily the most convincing performance of the three; but in general, Gringolts and Laul do a fine job on some rather unrewarding material.”
Here is Ilya Gringolts participating in a performance of Tchaikovsky’s Trio: