…the strange, lovely, late Becalmed Sea and Prosperous Voyage receives a performance of real discernment and beauty, with a still opening which hardly allows you to breath.

Rather than opt for superficial barnstorming, Yefim Bronfman and David Zinman offer us a discreet, subtly voiced and above all durable Emperor, that rewards listening with increasing musical dividends. Bronfman plays with a light, precise though never brittle touch, always phrasing elegantly and dipping his tone whenever important instrumental lines need to be heard. There are numerous details that reveal how minutely all the participants are listening to each other. The slow movement unfolds in a mood of unruffled calm, Bronfman's first entry gentle, delicate, with an appropriate, even touching simplicity. The finale is brisk and energetic and the way Bronfman keeps accompanying rhythmic figurations light and well buoyed is most appealing.
The fill-ups are worthwhile, the Choral Fantasy's long solo opening more thoughtful than usual and with a bright, easy-going contribution from the chorus. Nothing is ever forced or overstated and the contrast in the seven-minute Calm Sea and Prosperous Voyage between worrying stillness and the first signs of a redeeming breeze, ingeniously painted by slowly swirling triplets, is superbly handled.
It is hard to imagine anyone being less than satisfied with Bronfman and Zinman, the Tonhalle Orchestra scoring top marks for teamwork, their woodwinds sounding fully on a par with Europe's best. Superbly balanced sound helps clinch an unmissable bargain.

The slow movement unfolds in a mood of unruffled calm, Bronfman's first entry gentle, delicate with an appropriate, even touching simplicity. The finale is brisk and energetic and I like the way Bronfman keeps accompanying rhythmic figurations light and well buoyed. ...the Tonhalle Orchestra scoring top marks for teamwork, their woodwinds sounding fully on a par with Europe's best. Superbly balanced sound helps clinch an unmissable bargain.

David Zinman´s Beethoven cycle with the Zurich Tonhalle continues to prosper.