*** 1/2 ELGAR AND FRANCK: Sonatas for violin and piano. Midori, violin; Robert McDonald, piano. (Sony Classical)
On this disc, as always, Midori’s extraordinary gifts and accomplishment are easy to take for granted: a master, only 26 (as of Oct. 25), growing with her times. Her rapport with pianist McDonald provides joy and illumination, again as usual. Elgar’s wondrous, underrated E-minor Sonata and even the too-frequently-heard Franck work both benefit from the team’s ministrations. Mechanically, all is smooth and varied; all this music sings and speaks with eloquence; Elgar, in particular thrives under the players’ blanket of fortitude and delicacy. The thrills may reside in the scores, but Midori-McDonald bring them to compelling life.
*
Albums are rated on a scale of one star (poor), two stars (fair), three stars (good) and four stars (excellent).
The biggest entertainment stories
Get our big stories about Hollywood, film, television, music, arts, culture and more right in your inbox as soon as they publish.
You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Los Angeles Times.
