Schoenberg: Violin & Piano Concerti

Daniel Barenboim and Pierre Boulez infuse Schoenberg’s concerti with not just rigour and clarity but warmth and passion as well. It’s a fine balancing of heart and head, and both men—committed modernists—clearly love what is a famously challenging work. Barenboim’s son Michael brings comparable commitment to the more immediately approachable Violin Concerto, and soloist and orchestra intertwine almost sensuously with Barenboim Sr., an ideal conductor. The partnership with the Vienna Philharmonic yields additional rewards. While the presence of a live audience makes for an electric atmosphere, the album's immediate, upfront recording adds to the vividness of the music-making.