A principal danger of warhorse mania in classical performance is that the great works will come to feel too safe. That's why we need steely soloists like Kremer. His edgy violin attack isn't what comes to mind for most people when conceiving of an ideal Beethoven interpretation—but Kremer's take on the “Kreutzer” sonata (alongside Martha Argerich) has the kind of innovative fire that helps keep the work alive. His engagement with modern and contemporary trends is likewise idiosyncratic and entertaining: Who else plays Nono and Messiaen as well as John Adams and Philip Glass? This guy.