Brahms: Variations on a Theme by Haydn; Sonata in F minor Op 34b

Both these works for two pianos are better known in other versions - the Haydn Variations as the famous orchestral Variations on the St Anthony Chorale, and the F minor sonata as the Piano Quintet, in the same key. While the set of variations works well enough in this guise, the "sonata" seems overblown with such a weight of piano tone and without the strings to add different colours and textures to the climaxes. Perhaps that's a lot to do with this performance, though, and the way in which it has been recorded, for Emanuel Ax and Yefim Bronfman certainly don't hold back - Bronfman is always a robust pianist, and here he seems to have persuaded Ax to replace his usual delicacy with more of the same. There are some attractive moments, but far too many bombastic ones, while the recording cocoons it all in an over-warm acoustic.