Gil Shaham, Göran Söllscher - Schubert: Schubert for Two (2003)

This CD's main attraction for many will be Gil Shaham's velvety violin in gorgeous, largely off-beat music. Others will relish these Schubert works in arrangements that replace the piano with the expert guitar of Göran Söllscher, enhancing the impression of hearing Schubert's music in the intimate domestic setting for which it was written. Most of the works are short, melodically rich dance-based gems on which Shaham and Söllscher lavish a Romantic tonal fullness and freedom rarely heard these days. Sometimes that's a bit too much of a good thing, as works like the Violin Sonata in D veer close to the sentimental. But more often the players' flexible approach makes it hard not to keep repeating items like the melting Serenade from Schwanengesang, the sprightly Moment musical in Kreisler's arrangement, the German Dance, and a truckload of other delights. Shaham isn't afraid to linger over attractive melodies or to use portamento and other weapons of the Romantic violin's arsenal, helping to make this disc so compelling. -- Dan Davis