Mark Feldman / Sylvie Courvoisier MUSIC FOR VIOLIN AND PIANO

The understated cover does little to indicate the intensity of the music on this recording full of exquisite virtuoso playing. Feldman's beautiful tone juxtaposed with Courvoisier's complex, rhythmic style makes for a truly astonishing body of work. Off kilter pizzicato glissandos and strumming of inner piano strings open the disc with the opening track "Smoke," and this is an excellent indication of the madness to follow. The "Kit" suite is the highlight of the disc, a tune that explodes with a fiery intensity and aggressiveness. The piece seems to spin out of control every other minute and stops on a dime at moments of greatest distress. The "Too" suite at moments sounds like a demented Tchaikovsky piece that slips into a hurricane of high dancing violin line over a bed of left hand rumblings in the piano. Both Feldman and Courvoisier compliment each other well as they play in perfect step with one another. Highly recommended. (Mark Allender)