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Title: BORDERLINE BRAHMS AT BEST
Review: If you can get past Perlman's swooning, vibrato-immersed violin playing, the rather thin sound of this live recording (which, by the way, is noted nowhere in the liner notes, on the CD, or on the back of the jewel box), and the intrusive applause, then, well, you might enjoy these performances. Perhaps not. Of course, since these ARE live performances, a certain latitude must be given; however, that said, I still find this Brahms wanting... too often. If anything, Barenboim pulls more interesting detail from this music than does Perlman, whose closely-miked violin tends to constantly overshadow his partner's piano. These artists try admirably, but there are simply too many moments of sloppy, stilted ensemble work, too much "pointing," and an overall sense that an imbalance exists in more than just the recording itself.[Running time: 65:50]
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