Live recordings ain't what they used to be. In the old days, you had coughs, shuffling, the occasional bang as a trumpet was dropped, dubious balance. I have just been listening to Renaud Capuçon and Martha Argerich recorded live in Aix-en-Provence on 23rd April 2022 and, apart from applause at the end of the CD, you would never guess the recording was live. Well done the engineers (and the audience). All well-balanced, to boot (balancing a piano and a solo violin is not plain sailing). The recording illustrates one of the advantages of live, versus studio.
Capuçon has always been one of my preferred modern violinists (which is why I broke my rule and added this new CD to my collection). I have not been a fan of Argerich; too tigerish for me (can you imagine her pleasing in music by Mozart or Debussy?) This Aix-en-Provence CD assembles Schumann's first violin and piano sonata, with Beethoven's Kreutzer sonata, and César Franck's sonata; all beefy 19th century works that suit Argerich's piano playing. I greatly enjoyed Capuçon's playing, and the duo balance with Argerich, though I would have preferred a less flamboyant pianist. Not a CD I really needed, having innumerable recordings of the Schumann, Kreutzer and Franck on my shelves; and the Kreutzer is not my favourite violin & piano sonata, since I rarely enjoy Beethoven in macho mode. Probably not a CD I should have bought, though I do enjoy Capuçon's violin playing here, so I'll keep the recording.
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