Brahms: Violin Concerto Op. 77 / String Sextet n°2 Op.36

"Following her award-winning set of the Beethoven Violin Sonatas Isabelle Faust turns to one of the great 'warhorse' concertos of the 19th century. Typically she plays the solo part with the utmost fidelity to the text especially in terms of rhythm and phrasing. Listening to it at first in the store I was struck by how fresh her approach was to the piece: the opening statement by the violin is played strictly in tempo, revealing the subtle changes of rhythmic emphasis (hemiolas, irrational subdivisions of the beat and syncopations) that are precisely notated by Brahms and yet often downplayed. She brings to this great work many unusual insights and a freshness of approach which is typical for her way of making music: nothing is taken for granted, everything has been thought through yet the whole performance sounds spontaneous and natural. An instant staff favourite here at Marbecks Classical. The Concerto is coupled with a sublime performance of the passionate and richly scored String Sextet No. 2 where Faust is joined by members of the Mahler Chamber Orchestra. Both works are graced with typically beautiful recorded sound from Harmonia Mundi." (Keith@Marbecks)

"Her performance is wonderfully proportioned...never grandiose nor unnecessarily rhetorical, with the Mahler Chamber Orchestra supplying perfectly scaled support...those who prefer [their Brahms] expressively searching and introspective should love it, with the bonus of the delicate and deft account of the Sextet." The Guardian, 24th February 2011 ****