Though Doremi doesn’t
mention it – they do rightly stress
the unique recorded collaboration
between Kogan and Gilels as sonata
partners enshrined here – this is
the only extant example of Kogan’s
Spring sonata so far unearthed.
As such it’s a major document. He
left behind recordings of the Op.12
No.3 and the Kreutzer, the
former with a regular sonata partner
Mytnik, the latter with Ginzburg,
though these are hard to find and
I’m not sure they’ve ever been re-released
on CD, even in Japan.
Kogan was a wonderful
player whose deterioration toward
the end of his life in no way diminishes
his great achievements. Technically
impeccable, expressive, warmly communicative
without effusion, with a wide palette
of tone colours and a sometimes on/off
vibrato (not to all tastes) he was
a noble exponent of the canon, as
well as an inquisitive proponent of
newer music as well – not every Soviet-era
fiddle player had a go at Arthur Benjamin
and Gershwin.
So my anticipation
at this sonata recital from Leningrad
in 1964 was high. He, Gilels and Rostropovich
formed the Soviet Union’s Billion
Rouble Trio and though their recordings
are amongst the greatest made in the
trio medium the twenty or so sonata
performances that Kogan and Gilels
gave together have not previously
been documented. There are many magnificent
things here from both musicians though
my ear was drawn rather more often
to Gilels than to Kogan when it came
to sonority and weight. Technical
address can be taken as read, musical
direction is principled, unostentatious
and subject to no obviously incursive
rubati or to any extremes of tempo
or tempo variation. In all three sonatas
the unanimity and ensemble discipline
that marked their trio recordings
is always apparent. If you sense a
"but" coming it’s this:
Kogan’s tone.
The recording, whilst
responsive to Gilels, has dealt Kogan
a rather steely blow. It’s not easy
for me to say with absolute certainty
that this is solely the fault of the
recording. Playing recordings of the
many 1960s Moscow recitals Kogan gave,
ones that were released in a big Melodiya
LP retrospective in the 1980s (multi-volume,
gatefold-sleeved doubles) one hears
the Kogan of old. His tone is a bewitching
one, full of the most subtle variations
and colours. Here in Leningrad from
the same period we hear a violinist
whose tone is steely, brittle and
occasionally unpalatable in the lower
strings. Much of this is in the recording
but in the Spring Kogan doesn’t
seem willing to take flight melodically
and its slow movement is rather bracing
and not especially warmly vibrated.
It’s only later on that he seems fully
warmed up and the scherzo and finale
are fine and spirited though once
more, steely.
The balance throughout
this trio of recordings is not ideal
but seems rather better in the Kreutzer.
Fortes though are harsh, Kogan’s
chording sounding brittle. The pacing
of the sonata is excellent, with the
variations of the second movement
phrased with acumen, in the same way
that Kogan shapes the second movement
of the E flat major with such acute
judgement. In the end though there’s
little light and shade - and few real
dynamic variations. And however impressive
it is to have such a titanic meeting
of musicians, of equal standing, the
deficiencies of the violin sound (as
recorded or as played, or a combination
thereof) mean that this disc will
be of a highly specialised appeal.
Jonathan Woolf
Leonid Kogan (violin) 
for details
