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Title: Excellent Bruch, very good Mendelssohn
Review: In my opinion, this 1980 rendition of Bruch`s most famous concerto for the violin, without doubt, ranks in my top five regarding this opus. Yes, I realize that the orchestra does tend to be a little too front-and-center at times. However, this does not detract from the overall performance and result: an expansive and luscious reading of this concerto.Although not as memorable as the Bruch, Mutter`s Mendelssohn performance with HVK and the Berlin is quite consistently fine throughout. The Andante, clocked at 9 and a half minutes, is heartbreaking, and is undoubtedly the highlight of the concerto. A few other performances of the Mendelssohn do top this one. The one which comes easily to mind is Chung/Dutoit/Montreal on Decca from 1981, which is the frontrunner.
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