Here we have masterpieces from the French tradition in excellent performances that have won the status of recording classics. Kyung-Wha Chung and Radu Lupu are a fine duo who capture and convey the deli- cacy and poetry of the Franck Sonata as well as its rapturous grandeur, and never can the strict canonic treatment of the great tune in the finale have sounded more spontaneous and joyful. They are no less successful in the different world of the elusive Sonata which was Debussy's last work, with its smiles through tears and, in the finale, its echoes of a Neapolitan tarantella. The 1977 recording is beautifully balanced, with a natural sound given to both the violin and piano.
The Melos Ensemble recorded the Ravel Introduction and Allegro 15 years before, but here too the recording is a fine one for which no allowances have to be made even by ears accustomed to good digital sound; as for the work itself, this has an ethereal beauty that's nothing short of magical and Osian Ellis and his colleagues give it the most skilful and loving performance.
A wonderful disc and a must-buy.

Kyung-Wha Chung's classic recording, made in London in 1977, has been a favourite since it first saw the light of day on LP in 1980. There is a freshness to her playing that conveys the free-flowing ease of the music, with melodies beautifully shaped and rhythms lithe. She maintains a particularly fluid relationship with her pianist, Radu Lupu, who revels in the fact that Franck's keyboard part is no mere accompaniment but an equally virtuoso and essential element of the whole.