Beethoven: Violin Sonata No. 7 in C minor, Op. 30, No. 2 - Claudio Arrau & Arthur Grumiaux. Rec 1976

00:00 - 1. Allegro con brio 07:46 - 2. Adagio cantabile 16:47 - 3. Scherzo: Allegro 19:59 - 4. Finale: Allegro; Presto Recorded: 1976 Decca – 483 2984 Beethoven: Four Violin Sonatas including the “Spring“ Sonata Review by James Leonard Unfortunately, violinist Arthur Grumiaux and pianist Claudio Arrau only recorded one disc of Beethoven violin sonatas in the mid-’70s. And of the sonatas they recorded, only the Op. 24, the “Spring,“ has any sort of listener recognition, while the others are -- for most listeners -- merely opus numbers. So it seems unlikely that this disc found its way into the hands of too many listeners. This is all a great shame because Grumiaux and Arrau were both terrific Beethoven players who shared a common taste for exquisitely lovely interpretations and who brought to these sonatas a refinement and beauty that most other performances lack. Their “Spring“ is eternally fresh and vernal, their Tempo di menuetto from Op. 30/3 is exceedingly tender and lyrical, and their Allegro piacevole from the Op. 12/2 is as playful as the breeze in summer and just as delightful. And while their Sonata in A minor, Op. 23, may not have the “hell hound on my trail“ quality of some more driven performances, it has a monumental and sculpted quality that more driven performances lack. This is as good a collection of Beethoven violin sonatas as has ever been recorded.