DG has done the world a great service in recording this recital for posterity. Mutter revels in the inspiration of the moment without losing her grip on structure. Buy this disc! If it were possible I would be even more emphatic, for Deutsche Grammophon has done the world a great service in recording this recital for posterity. Mutter demonstrates not only a formidable technique but also a searching interpretative mind. Far from being afraid of taking risks in the concert hall, this performance shows Mutter revelling in the inspiration of the moment whilst never losing her grip on the architectural whole. Whether holding back on certain phrases in the Debussy Sonata or exquisitely grading tone colour as the Mozart sonata moves in and out of the shadows, nothing feels either accidental or formalised. Fluctuations of tempo are distinctly greater than has recently been the norm. The end of the Franck sonata is dangerously close to the hurried side of exhilarating, whilst the flourish at the conclusion of the Debussy is almost thrown away, but the occasional moments when Mutter seems almost fallible, far from being a weakness, only add to the overwhelming sense of humanity in the performance. Mutter is partnered by the excellent Lambert Orkis who on this evidence deserves to be heard more often. Performance: 5 (out of 5), Sound: 5 (out of 5) -- Christopher Dingle, BBC Music Magazine Works on This Recording 1. Scherzo for Violin and Piano in C minor, WoO 2 "FAE Sonata" by Johannes Brahms ■ Performer: Anne-Sophie Mutter (Violin), Lambert Orkis (Piano) ■ Period: Romantic ■ Written: 1853; Germany ■ Date of Recording: 09/1995 ■ Venue: Philharmonic Hall, Berlin, Germany ■ Length: 5 Minutes 50 Secs. 2. Sonata for Violin and Piano in G minor by Claude Debussy ■ Performer: Anne-Sophie Mutter (Violin), Lambert Orkis (Piano) ■ Period: 20th Century ■ Written: 1916-1917; France ■ Date of Recording: 09/1995 ■ Venue: Philharmonic Hall, Berlin, Germany ■ Length: 13 Minutes 33 Secs. 3. Sonata for Violin and Piano in E minor, K 304 (300c) by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart ■ Performer: Lambert Orkis (Piano), Anne-Sophie Mutter (Violin) ■ Period: Classical ■ Written: 1778; Paris, France ■ Date of Recording: 09/1995 ■ Venue: Philharmonic Hall, Berlin, Germany ■ Length: 18 Minutes 1 Secs. 4. Sonata for Violin and Piano in A major, M 8 by César Franck ■ Performer: Anne-Sophie Mutter (Violin), Lambert Orkis (Piano) ■ Period: Romantic ■ Written: 1886; France ■ Date of Recording: 09/1995 ■ Venue: Philharmonic Hall, Berlin, Germany ■ Length: 29 Minutes 51 Secs. 5. Hungarian Dances (21) for Piano 4 hands, WoO 1: no 2 in D minor by Johannes Brahms ■ Performer: Lambert Orkis (Piano), Anne-Sophie Mutter (Violin) ■ Period: Romantic ■ Written: 1868; Austria ■ Date of Recording: 09/1995 ■ Venue: Philharmonic Hall, Berlin, Germany ■ Length: 2 Minutes 49 Secs. ■ Notes: Transcribed: Paul Klengel 6. Hungarian Dances (21) for Piano 4 hands, WoO 1: no 5 in F sharp minor by Johannes Brahms ■ Performer: Lambert Orkis (Piano), Anne-Sophie Mutter (Violin) ■ Period: Romantic ■ Written: 1868; Austria ■ Date of Recording: 09/1995 ■ Venue: Philharmonic Hall, Berlin, Germany ■ Length: 2 Minutes 41 Secs. ■ Notes: Transcribed: Joseph Joachim 7. Beau soir by Claude Debussy ■ Performer: Lambert Orkis (Piano), Anne-Sophie Mutter (Violin) ■ Period: 20th Century ■ Written: circa 1880; France ■ Date of Recording: 09/1995 ■ Venue: Philharmonic Hall, Berlin, Germany ■ Length: 3 Minutes 2 Secs. ■ Notes: Transcribed: Jascha Heifetz