Renaud Capuçon, Nicholas Angelich - Brahms: Violin Sonatas 1-3 (2005) CD-Rip

Is this what Gallic Brahms sounds like? Well, violinist Renaud Capuçon is French-born and French-trained, and pianist Nicholas Angelich, while America-born, is French-trained, but does this make them French musicians rather than musicians who are French? Possibly: Capuçon has the lean, lyrical tone that has been the specialty of French violinists since Louis Capet and Angelich has the lush, lucid tone that has been the specialty of French pianists since Walter Gieseking. But does that make Capuçon and Angelich's Brahms sonatas sound Gallic anymore than Oistrakh and Richter's Brahms sonatas sound Russian? Probably: Capuçon and Angelich's performances are more about the melody and the rhythm than about the harmony and structure, more about the players' relationship than about the music, more about getting there than being there. Are there French qualities? Surely: try to imagine Klemperer caring more about melody than harmony or Furtwängler caring more about getting there than being there. Still, for Gallic Brahms, these are lovely and powerful performances that will thrill listeners who love these works, whoever is performing them. Virgin's sound is cool but clear, vivid but reserved, an acoustic that suits the performers admirably.