Anton Rubinstein (1829‐1894) was born in Moscow, went to Berlin (like many of his compatriots in his time) for his education, and returned to St Petersburg to start a successful career as composer, pianist and teacher. St Petersburg was a melting pot of different musical cultures, the German tradition as personified by Liszt and Wagner, Italian opera, and the budding Russian nationalism, as propagated by the Group of Five.

Rubinstein’s works are essentially romantic, based on the aesthetics of Schumann and Chopin. His violin sonatas span a period of over 20 years, and offer an abundance of warm, sweeping melodies and instrumental brilliance.

Excellent new recordings by the Italian duo Daniela Cammarano and Alessandro Deljavan.