Tchaikovsky: Violin Concerto / Serenade Melancolique (LP)

In Perlman's words, Tchaikovsky "wears his heart on his sleeve" and his violin concerto is a work of "unabashed Romanticism". While bringing sensitivity and substance to his interpretation, Perlman never slips into sentimentality, and he leads an exhilarating dance in the finale.

This concerto more than any other has accompanied him throughout his career. Indeed, Perlman's often claimed that he could play it virtually in his sleep. It could even be seen as emblematic of his style, given both the prodigiously virtuosic demands it makes on the performer and its charismatic warmth.