Sonata for Violin and Piano, Chaconne for Violin and Piano

Track Listings

1. Bacon: Sonata for Violin and Piano: With Dignity

2. Bacon: Sonata for Violin and Piano: Allegretto

3. Bacon: Sonata for Violin and Piano: Lento

4. Bacon: Sonata for Violin and Piano: Allegro moderato

5. Diamond: Chaconne for Violin and Piano: Introduction

6. Diamond: Chaconne for Violin and Piano: Variations 1-4

7. Diamond: Chaconne for Violin and Piano: Variations 5-6

8. Diamond: Chaconne for Violin and Piano: Variations 7-10

9. Diamond: Chaconne for Violin and Piano: Variations 11-14

10. Diamond: Chaconne for Violin and Piano: Variations 15-18

11. Diamond: Chaconne for Violin and Piano: Variations 19-22

12. Diamond: Chaconne for Violin and Piano: Cadenza and Coda

Editorial Reviews
The Strad
"... this is a performance of potency and passion..."

Colin Clarke - MusicWeb
...a most committed performance by Greening-Valenzuela... The violinist has...a strong sense of line that suits this music perfectly.

Album Description
Con Brio Recordings is very happy to release this world-premiere recording of James Greening-Valenzuela, violinist, and John Walker, pianist. The duo was coached by Ernst Bacon before the recording sessions for authentic interpretation. The Diamond represents 20th Century composition at its most pleasurable—it is very easy to listen to. The original master tapes were lost and, for this CD, pristine copies of the LP were meticulously transferred to digital format.

Sonata for Violin and Piano, Chaconne for Violin and Piano

Tracks:

Chaconne
Me'lodie
Hungarian Dance No.1 In G minor
Symphonie espagnole, Op.21: IV Andante
Violin Concerto No. 5, Op.37 In A minor: II. Adagio
Violin Concerto No. 5, Op.37 In A minor: III. Allegro con fuoco
Sonata No.12, Op.3 In E Minor: I. Canzonetta - Andante innocentemente
Cantabile In D
Belshazzar's Feast: Nocturne, Op.51 No.3
Nocturne No.20, Op.posth. in C sharp minor
Consolation No.3 In D Flat
Violin Concerto, Op.35 In D - II. Canzonetta - Andante
Introuduction And Rondo capriccioso For Violin and Orchestra, Op.28

Customer Reviews:

Fantastic Album.......2007-03-16

This is a great album that I listen to over and over again. It really makes me feel... Sarah Chang is one of the greatest violin players and she has done a fabulous job on this album.

Easy listening Chang.......2006-03-09

This collection, consisting mostly of reissues, showcases Chang's expressive qualities, with the emphasis being mostly on the slow and dreamy side of her art. One has the feeling that the producers envisioned this disc as background music for a romantic candlelight dinner or some such, and for that purpose it is perfectly sufficient. Chang, of course, is a major violinist and none of the playing here is less than topnotch. As a musical experience for connoisseurs, however, "Sweet Sorrow" has its drawbacks, chief among them being the sameness of mood and tempo. Also, the inclusion of fragments of works such the Vieuxtemps Fifth Concerto and the Tchaikovsky Concerto is musically unsatisfying; the latter is particularly irritating as it leaves the end of the slow movement simply hanging. It may be of some significance that some of the most engaging playing from Chang is heard on the earliest tracks, the Chopin Nocturne and Liszt Consolation, recorded in her child prodigy days; here a genuine love for the music comes through that is somewhat muffled in most of the other selections.

total disappointment.......2005-08-14

In Chang's performance of the Vitali Chaconne, the feeling and passion initially apparent in her playing was wiped out by her
almost total lack of energy, expressed in a thin sound that often
made it difficult to distinguish the solo violin from the orchestra strings. By the second quarter of the piece, I was shocked to find the sound of her violin fading out in mid melody. It was so terrible, so embarrassing, I had to stop listening.

I think a much better interpretation of the Vitali is the one by Oistrakh, but sadly it is with piano accompaniment while Chang's is with orchestra - one that performs superbly... So that the aesthetic crime that is Chang's anemic, thin playing is doubly terrible.

some ways to go in knowing sorrow..........2004-09-04

Sarah Chang is no doubt technically brilliant on her instrument, however, her playing lacks depth and consistency of style. In the piano piece by Lizt re-arranged for violin for example, she has great difficulties in transitions and is therefore subdued in her musicality. The orchestral interpretation/edition of Saint Saens piece on this album is awful. Similar recordings by Anne Sophie Mutter or Midori Goto show greater maturity and are much more pleasing to the ear.

emotionally riveting vitali.......2004-01-13

The Vitali is worth the price of the cd. The rest is also very good - although obviously all very similar pieces. HOWEVER, this rendition of the Vitali with full orchestra (which is hard to find) is emotionally riveting. I usually stop the cd at that point because it's hard to listen to anything else immediately after that. Kind of like Jacqueline DuPre's Elgar - you need quiet after it to return yourself to everyday life.

Average customer rating:

Above All Others
The Great Master, of Masters
THIS GORGEOUS GUITAR MUSIC BEGS FOR LISTENING. . .
beautiful selection of the decca segovia
There's Only One Segovia

The Segovia Collection

Manufacturer: Deutsche Grammophon
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Suites | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music

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Art of Segovia
Ultimate Guitar Collection
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300 Years of Guitar Masterpieces
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ASIN: B000060O5J
Release Date: 2002-06-11

Amazon.com

The vastly improved sonics which the Deutsche Grammophon production team achieves with its 24/96 remastering of the guitarist's 1952-1969 mono and stereo performances for Decca allow listeners to finally experience the rich tonal palette and intimate nature of Segovia's performance art in a manner commensurate with the fidelity of the original LP releases (minus the edgy digital glare and graininess of the MCA reissues). What emerges is a portrait of the artist as a lightning rod for great composers, such as Manuel Ponce, Federico Torroba, Mario Castelnuovo-Tedesco, Isaac Albéniz, and Enrique Granados, all of whom enriched the 20th-century repertoire of solo and chamber works by custom-crafting works for this innovative guitarist (Segovia's interpretation of Joaquín Rodrigo's "Fandango" is a paradigm for his role in popularizing the modern Spanish idiom). Likewise, Segovias's work as an arranger in recasting baroque and medieval works for modern guitar, as well as his deep affection for 19th-century masters of the instrument such as Dionisio Aguado and Fernando Sor, shines forth on discs two and three. However, it is Segovia's romantic touch in transposing Bach's Partitas for Solo Violin--as on his virtuoso turns on the "Chaconne in D Minor"--that best illustrate his poetic conception of the instrument. --Chip Stern

Customer Reviews:

Above All Others.......2006-10-16

John Williams, David Russell, Christopher Parkening, Julian Bream, et. al. all owe a great deal to this now departed giant. If you own ANY classical guitar recordings, you should purchase this collection. It's not only the finest remastering available, but an equisitely fine selection of Segovia's contribution to the genre and the art.

The Great Master, of Masters.......2005-06-28

Andrés Segovia was the great master of classical guitar. This set show us 400 years of music taken for the guitar, he was the first in give the guitar place like a cult instrument in 20th century through his works invaluable transcriptions of several instruments (cello, lute, etc.) of composers like Bach, Dowland, Manuel M. Ponce, Fernando Sor, Tárrega, etc.

The scope from Segovia has leaved footsteps in the great world of classical music, for his research and investigations about it. In this set we can listen pieces like "six pavanas" from the ending Age Middle of Luis Milán, and begginig of Rennasaince like Dowland's songs togheter Roncali Ludovico between others on CD 3.
Also show us the great spanish composer Enrique Granados, Torroba, Sor, icons of guitar music. I Basically bought this cd for "Pavane" 1-6 and that better found it in this GREAT SET. If you're a lover of Classical Music, or classical guitar this one of the greatest set box ever made in any genre!!!.

Andrés Segovia, Marquis of Salobreia, was born near Jaen, Granada, Spain. He became a guitarist against the double opposition of his parents. First, they opposed his learning the guitar and got him cello and piano teachers instead. When he persisted in teaching himself guitar, they opposed his becoming a musician. He sought a guitar teacher at the Granada Institute of Music when he studied there, but found none, so continued learning the instrument on his own. He made his debut at the Centro Artística in Granada at the age of 15. He played so skillfully that he was urged to become a professional soloist. He played in Madrid in 1912, at the Paris Conservatory in 1915, and in Barcelona in 1916, and made a wildly successful tour of South America in 1919. He made his formal debut in Paris on April 7, 1924, in a program which included a new work written for him by Albert Roussel, named Segovia. It was the first of many works which were written for him by distinguished composers, enriching the instrument's repertory as Segovia had elevated its artistic potential. His U.S. debut was at Town Hall, New York, on January 8, 1928.

Being self-taught, his technique was unique. It was, in fact, superior to that which was being taught at the time, and extended the flexibility and expressive possibilities of the instrument. The main difference was in the method of using the right hand for strumming and picking the strings: Segovia's method paid much attention to the means of attack: whether hard parts of the fingers, fleshy parts, or the nails were used; other subtleties that affected the dynamics of the instrument; and an economy of motion that allowed longer and more sustained playing. There were classical guitarists before him, and distinguished ones even when he appeared, but it was not an instrument that was regarded as a serious vehicle for classical music. Segovia personally changed that, and not by accident. No doubt affected by his parents' attitude toward his chosen career, he had a driving desire to make it so. He wrote numerous transcriptions of older music for lute and for the Spanish vihuela. He transcribed music of Bach, Haydn, Mozart, Chopin, Handel, and others. He commissioned works by Castelnuovo-Tedesco (notably the great suite Platero and I), Falla, Turina, Tansman, Villa-Lobos, Torroba, Ponce, and Rodrigo, whose Fantasia para un gentilhombre was written for him. His reinstatement of the guitar as a solo instrument was sealed by his becoming one of the great teachers of music history. He established guitar schools or courses at the Accademia Musicale Chigiana, Siena, Santiago de Compostela, and the University of California in Berkeley. His students included Alirio Diaz, Oscar Ghilia, and John Williams.

Segovia become one of the great names in classical music, whose mere name was enough to sell out houses worldwide. He received numerous awards and honors during his lifetime, including the Grand Cross of Isabela and Alfonso, the Gold Medal of the Royal Philharmonic Society of London, and many honorary degrees. The house where he was born had a commemorative plaque attached to it in 1969 proclaiming him the "leading son of the city." King Juan Carlos of Spain ennobled him as the Marquis of Salobreia in 1981, and in the same year a Segovia International Guitar Competition was established in his honor. He continued to give recitals and concerts until an advanced age, and had the rare opportunity, in 1984, of playing at a gala concert honoring the 75th anniversary of professional debut.

THIS GORGEOUS GUITAR MUSIC BEGS FOR LISTENING. . ........2004-02-24

__________________________________________________________________________________

. . . and I literally begged for this boxed set as a gift a while back and got lucky. The technical quality of the remastering is exquisite - the first 2 CD's especially sound as if you're in a recording studio with the master himself. (disc one includes "Fantasia Para Un Gentilhombre" & "Concierto Del Sur" and disc two "Castillos De Espana")

I've found they are now selling the individual CD's separately in the same packaging, so if you're on a limited budget you can collect them at your own speed or limit yourself to those selections you most want. I sincerely recommend them all however and if you buy the boxed set you get the added bonus of an excellent booklet.

There are very few CD's in my collection that I derive as much sheer pleasure listening to. This is indeed a 5 star Segovia collection!

beautiful selection of the decca segovia.......2003-10-02

there probably wasn't a classical guitarist alive in the 1950's and 60's who didn't know by heart all of segovia's decca albums and julian bream's spectacular recordings for rca and westminster. this set will be a stroll down memory lane for everyone with segovia schott editions in the attic, and essential listening for anyone interested in the classical guitar or in discovering a genuine musical genius -- the equal on his instrument of casals, rubenstein or heifitz on theirs.

segovia literally created the 20th century classical guitar out of an instrument with a cachet not far above the banjo. the booklet to the boxed set gives a fine overview of segovia's career and recording practice, though omitting many key details. (segovia innovated guitar concerts in large concert halls because he was among the first to use his fingernails, rather than bare fingertips, to pluck the strings, and pushed guitar makers to build larger, brighter and more sonorous instruments.)

each of the 4 separately cased cds generously samples (up to 80 minutes each) from (1) the guitar concerto; (2) 20th century compositions dedicated to segovia; (3) pieces for lute, vihuela and 19th century guitar, with some albeniz transcriptions thrown in; and (4) segovia's transcriptions of pieces by j.s. bach.

the digital sound in these recordings (almost all from the 1950's) is really superb, giving contour to every detail of the master tapes. it also reveals the changing recording standards of the early lp: though the sound is consistently vivid and balanced, the guitar is sometimes distant and echoy (a "tile bathroom" sound characteristic of the earliest lp's), or intimate but slightly muffled, or bright and contrasty with a hint of added reverb at the top. i was a little taken aback by the uneven dynamics and nail clatter that i hadn't noticed years ago in segovia's playing: modern recording and performance practice have changed expectations toward a more homogenous and finished sound. but there is a spontaneity, fire, grace, color, imagination and wit in segovia's playing that you won't find anywhere else ... well, excepting julian bream.

it's picky to second guess editorial decisions in a set as generous as this ... but what the heck: i really missed tansman's lovely suite of polish dances ("cavatina"), regretted the absence of a complete sonata or suite by manuel ponce, and would trade the boccherini "guitar" (transcribed cello) concerto for the castelnuovo-tedesco guitar concerto. that said, the performances here of rodrigo's "fantasia para un gentilhombre" and ponce's "concerto del sur" are among the best available, and the generous sampling sor etudes will remind all us graying guitarists of the many happy hours we spent practicing these pieces from the only edition then available -- segovia's own.

deutsche grammaphon has also released a 2-cd set of segovia recordings ("the art of andres segovia"), which duplicates only four pieces from this 4-cd boxed set, and veers more toward colorful transcriptions and single movement selections from longer works. together they make a 6 cd collection of many of the finest recordings by the man who started it all, spawned thousands of heirs and imitators -- and set the bar for them very, very high.

There's Only One Segovia.......2002-07-19

This is the PERFECT retrospective boxed set. DG has outdone itself with this career retrospective of Spanish classical guitar legend Andres Segovia. The set was released on the 15th anniversary of Segovia's death in 1987. From the famous "Fantasia para un gentilhombre" to transcriptions of J.S. Bach for the guitar, all four CDs showcase nothing but the genius of Segovia. The remastered DG recordings sound terrific and the accompanying booklet, complete with photographs from throughout the master's life in Spain, is excellent. If you love Spanish classical guitar and adore the 19th-Century romantic style of playing championed by Segovia, buy this set. You won't be disappointed. VERY HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.

Average customer rating:

It's not the "Tonight" show any more!
Trumpet Spectacular
The Best of Both
Amazing technic, but poor tone.
Doc at his best!!

Trumpet Spectacular

Manufacturer: Telarc
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Unforgettably Doc
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Merry Christmas from Doc Severinsen and the Tonight Show Orchestra
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ASIN: B000003CW9
Release Date: 1990-03-15

Tracks:

Napolitana con Variazioni
Largo Al factotum
Trumpet Voluntary
Jesu, Joy Of Man's Desiring
The Flight Of The Bumblebee
A Carmen Fantasy
Medley Of Famous Tenor Arias
La Danza
Traumerei
Carnival Of Venice
A Trumperter's Lullaby
Chaconne

Customer Reviews:

It's not the "Tonight" show any more!.......2006-08-08

The entire disc is superb and who knew Doc could play like this? Wow! And of course, being an Ohio native, the fact that it's the Cincinnati Orchestra is just a bonus.

Trumpet Spectacular.......2006-03-22

A great selection of music. Severson's performance is outstanding. Sound reproduction is exceptionally good. If you enjoy trumpet you should have this CD

The Best of Both.......2005-12-24

This album really lets Severinson shine. I always felt he was underchallenged on the Tonight Show. And Kunzel is at his best here, too. If you like Doc and Erik, also give a listen to Big Band Hit Parade.

Amazing technic, but poor tone........2005-12-01

I listened to this cd and the technic is truly amazing. This guy is really good-BUT-he has that nasty jazz tone that doesn't do well in classical music. Especially disturbing is the Bach-Busoni Chaconne. Listen to the piano performance by Evgeny Kissin and you'll know what I mean. Good for motivation for brass students, but if you want some really good, sweet classical, go somewhere else.

Doc at his best!!.......2005-11-26

Of course, we all knew and loved Doc Severerinsen as the top shelf band leader fronting the top-shelf Tonight Show Band when Johnny was at the helm. But this collection shows Doc as he really is.....not "just" a top lead trumpet man, but indeed, a top trumpet player. He appproaches ALL music with a seriousness and respect that only a true musician can bring to a composition, no matter WHAT the genre. All great instrumentalists will tell you that the goal is to sound as much like the human voice as possible. As Doc approaches the Puccini suite, you understand what they mean. His technique is beyond category, able to deliver nuance and expression as any instrumentalist (and vocalist!) would ever hope to. This is a must for any music lover, and for any student of the trumpet.....time to go to school! And bring a lunch!

Most Relaxing Guitar Music in the Universe

Average customer rating:

Don't buy it
Certainly NOT Relaxing
On the mark
NIce Collection!
the most annoying guitar cd in the universe

Most Relaxing Guitar Music in the Universe

Manufacturer: Denon Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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The Most Relaxing Piano Album in the World...Ever!
More of the Most Relaxing Guitar Music in the Universe
The Most Relaxing Classical Album in the World...Ever!
Most Relaxing Classical Piano Music in the Universe
The Most Relaxing Jazz Music in the Universe

ASIN: B0007M220C
Release Date: 2005-03-08

Tracks:

Folk Song: Romance
Barros: La Catedral
Albeniz: Mallorca
Tarrega: Recuerdos al Alhambra
Chopin: Waltz in E Minor
Schubert: The Fisherwoman
Sanz: Canarios
Sor: Variations on a Theme of Mozart
Moreno-Torroba: Nocturno
Sor: Introductions and Variations on the "Malbroug" Air
Schubert: Aufenthalt
Moreno-Torroba: Arada
Sor: Fantasie Elegiaque

Tracks:

Rodrigo: Romance de Durandarte
Turina: Sonata, Andante
Yoshimatsu: Atom Hearts Club Duo, Andante
Albeniz: Evocacion from Suite "Iberia"
Schubert: Standchen
Sor: Menuett, Op. 11 No. 4
Abt: Agathe
Mudarra: Fantasia X
Schubert: Lob der Thranen
Coste: Grande Serenade
Mertz: Liebeslied from "Bardenklange"
Turina: Homenaje a Tarrega
Chopin: Nocturne in E Major
Bach: Paritta No. 2, Chaconne

Album Description

Relaxing, romantic music for solo guitar perfect for daydreaming your stress away!

Customer Reviews:

Don't buy it.......2007-02-11

Ok. The guitar players are good. But there is so much extra noise such as heavy breathing, the guitarist moving around etc. in many of the pieces. I am only somewhat being humerous when I say I am suprised you don't hear the guitarist belching or passing gas! It is a very, very irritating recording of good guitarists.

Certainly NOT Relaxing.......2006-08-04

This CD would get an average rating if it was merely titled "The World's greatest guitar music". However, this CD is supposed to be "relaxing". Well, it most certainly is NOT. Some of the pieces literally sound like soundtracks to a movie thriller.

Very misleading title to an otherwise pretty good collection of Spanish guitar ballads. If you are looking for something to relax or sleep to, look elsewhere.

On the mark.......2006-02-25

From the time I first attended a John Williams concert 40 years ago, I have been a collector of Spanish / Classical guitar music. I often play, on a Ramirez, some of the tunes on these two disks. The selections are wonderful examples of the world's greatest guitar music. I actually take naps while listening to these cd's. The guitarists are excellent; I only wish Denon had listed their artists.

NIce Collection!.......2005-11-12

I listen to a lot of classical guitar (and other stringed instrument) music, and I like this collection. It draws on an unusually wide range of guitar compositions, which is a plus, and it's well produced, with good sound and balance - I think it's a better than average collection.

the most annoying guitar cd in the universe.......2005-06-26

makes me want to stick needles into my eyeballs for relief.....i would recommend buying this for a mother-in-law you don't like...otherwise, save your money

Average customer rating:

Panorama: Virtuoso Violin

Manufacturer: Deutsche Grammophon
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Panorama: Passion for Piano, Vol. 2

ASIN: B00004YMTM
Release Date: 2001-01-23

Tracks:

Thais: Meditation - Nigel Kennedy
Romance No.1 in G, Op.40 - David Oistrakh
Romance No.2 in F, Op.50 - David Oistrakh
Liebesfreud - Arthur Grumiaux/Istvan Hajdu
Liebesleid - Arthur Grumiaux/Istvan Hajdu
Schon Rosmarin - Arthur Grumiaux/Istvan Hajdu
Caprices, Op.1 (Exc): 6. Lento (in g) - Salvatore Accardo
Caprices, Op.1 (Exc): 17. Sostenuto - Andante (in E flat) - Salvatore Accardo
Caprices, Op.1 (Exc): Rondo 'La Campanella' (Vn Con No.2: Finale) - Salvatore Accardo
Caprices, Op.1 (Exc): 1. Andante (in E) - Salvatore Accardo
Caprices, Op.1 (Exc): 9. Allegretto (in E) - Salvatore Accardo
Caprices, Op.1 (Exc): 24. Tema - Quasi Presto - Vars - Finale (in a) - Salvatore Accardo
Son in G, Op.1 No.4 'The Devil's Trill': 1. Larghetto Affettuoso - Arthur Grumiaux/Riccardo Castagnone
Son in G, Op.1 No.4 'The Devil's Trill': 2. Allegro - Arthur Grumiaux/Riccardo Castagnone
Son in G, Op.1 No.4 'The Devil's Trill': 3. Grave - Arthur Grumiaux/Riccardo Castagnone
Son in G, Op.1 No.4 'The Devil's Trill': 4. Allegro Assai - Arthur Grumiaux/Riccardo Castagnone

Tracks:

Partita No.2, BWV 1004: Chaconne in d - Henryk Szeryng
Son No.5 in F, Op.24 'Spring': 1. Allegro - Martha Argerich/Gidon Kremer
Son No.5 in F, Op.24 'Spring': 2. Adagio Molto Espressivo - Martha Argerich/Gidon Kremer
Son No.5 in F, Op.24 'Spring': 3. Scherzo. Allegro Molto - Martha Argerich/Gidon Kremer
Son No.5 in F, Op.24 'Spring': 4. Rondo. Allegro Ma Non Troppo - Martha Argerich/Gidon Kremer
Son in A: 1. Allegretto Moderato - Vladimir Ashkenazy/Itzhak Perlman
Son in A: 2. Allegro - Vladimir Ashkenazy/Itzhak Perlman
Son in A: 3. Recitativo-Fant. Moderato - Vladimir Ashkenazy/Itzhak Perlman
Son in A: 4. Allegretto Poco Mosso - Vladimir Ashkenazy/Itzhak Perlman
Tzigane - Gil Shaham/Gerhard Oppitz

Average customer rating:

Breathtaking!
A Unique Millennium Event
Glenn Gould on Acid.
A first - rate pianist!
Lots of flash....Too much, in fact

Pletnev Live at Carnegie Hall

Manufacturer: Deutsche Grammophon
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B000056PRG
Release Date: 2001-01-30

Tracks:

Partita No.2, BWV 1004: Chaconne in d
Pno Son No.32 in c, Op.111: 1. Maestoso - Allegro Con Brio Ed Appassionato
Pno Son No.32 in c, Op.111: 2. Arietta. Adagio Molto Semplice E Cantabile
Scherzo No.1 in b, Op.20
Scherzo No.2 in b-flat, Op.31
Scherzo No.3 in c#, Op.39
Scherzo No.4 in E, Op.54

Tracks:

Etude-Tableau in e-flat, Op.39 No.5: Appassionato
Poeme in F#, Op.32 No.1: Andante Cantabile
Son in d, K.9: Allegro Moderato
Etude De Virtuosite in F, Op.72 No.6: Presto
Islamey: Oriental Fant: Presto Con Fuoco

Amazon.com's Best of 2001

The 44-year-old Russian pianist-conductor Mikhail Pletnev made a belated Carnegie Hall debut as a pianist in November 2000. Listening to that recital on this CD confirms the wisdom of the pianist's decision to resign as music director of the Russian National Orchestra. In the Bach-Busoni "Chaconne," Pletnev's crescendos wash over the listener like tidal waves; the mighty edifice of the music seems to rise, mysteriously and inexorably, on its own. The angry surges in the first movement of Beethoven's Sonata, opus 111, are perhaps overdrawn. But the concluding movement's variations glide by as if in a dream, suggesting the transformation of the earlier movement's passionate anger into a vision of Paradise beyond the power of words to describe. In Chopin's Four Scherzos, Pletnev emphasizes too many details and inhibits the music's lyrical sweep. But the charm and dazzling pyrotechnics of his encores help make this the first great piano recording of the millennium. After Rachmaninov, Scriabin, Scarlatti, and Moszkowski, Pletnev's fifth and final encore was Balakirev's transcendentally difficult Islamey. The superhuman virtuosity, sonorous splendor, and Technicolor exoticism of this performance will knock your socks off--and the rest of your clothes as well! --Stephen Wigler

Customer Reviews:

Breathtaking!.......2007-07-06

This is an amazing performance, especially as it was recorded live and not reworked in a studio. Pletnev is one of this generation's greatest pianists. He manages to find nuances in the music that make these works fresh, particularly the four Chopin Scherzi that are part of every concert pianist's repertoire. The bonus CD is especially fine as it shows how Pletnev is capable of playing just about any style of music. As if the rest of the program wasn't virtuosic enough, Pletnev caps off the concert with the fiendishly difficult Islamey as one of his encores.

A Unique Millennium Event.......2007-05-09

Having written extensively on Mr Pletnev's hyper-idiosyncratic playing in his 1997 Chopin Recital, it is interesting to turn to his 2000 live Carnegie Hall Recital--where the main programmed attractions are the four Chopin Scherzos. You will not find a better recording of the Scherzos as a group--even if Argerich surpasses Pletnev in terms of ferocious drive and sheer brilliance in Nos 2 & 3. Pletnev's Scherzo No 4 is the best yet to have appeared on disc--`perfect' in the sense that music virtually comes to life as a free-standing organism. Never before has Chopin's genial writing in this work been conveyed with such impeccable mastery.

As one can expect, all the large-scale bombast in the Bach-Busoni Chaconne is delivered with high-voltage pianism in the Grand Manner. By sharp contrast, the second movement in Beethoven's last Sonata is given its probably dreamiest account ever--which evidently reveals Beethoven as one of the main initiators of the romantic era. As far as the encores go, generously provided by DG on the supplementary disc, they are delivered with such panache and masterfulness that you are unlikely to find them bettered--irrespective of where you look. The Balakirev Islamey really has to be heard to be believed--other great modern versions by Gavrilov and Berezovsky pale by comparison.

This extraordinary live recital more than anything confirms Pletnev's position as one of the truly greatest living pianists. The only drawback is that the CD makes you envy those lucky souls who had the opportunity of being there on site. Luckily enough, DG's recording is a worthy second best.

Glenn Gould on Acid. .......2006-12-16

My whole review is in the title.

--E. R. O'Neill

A first - rate pianist!.......2006-07-13

The sumptuous and refined style of Michael Plentev confirms the accurate security Sviatoslav Richter kept in mind at the moment he accepted to become his musical mentor. The time, the supreme judge and the great audiences around the world have fortunately verified this initial statement.

Plentev is without discussion, one of the major pianists in the actual musical stages. His prodigious technique has worked out under expression' s service, and the result is absolutely gratifying. He has captured the essential musical roots around the whole pianist repertoire, and being such young artist we eventually will have to wait for future major achievements.

When you listen him, you should realize his outcome precedes form that inner vision conferred by the touch of genius.

Lots of flash....Too much, in fact.......2004-08-18

To say that Pletnev reminds me of the flamboyant pianists of the past would be a slight to the flamboyant pianists of the past. Even though they were not being kosher to the score, there was something about them that held interest. Pletnev often doesn't even do that. These are very superficial, shallow performances.

Things start off very encouraging, with a stupendous Bach-Busoni Chaconne. At this point I was ready to give the album five stars. Pletnev thunders, he turns his piano into an organ, he turns in one intense reading. Ah, I thought, we are going to be in for a treat.

But that's the high point. His next work is very different and calls for a very different approach, and he treats it largely the same. He adds his own razzle-dazzle to Beethoven's Op. 111 rather than take the trouble to find the depth *in* the music itself. Now, I'm not a pedant (at least I don't think so!) but these departures add no insights are just make a hash of Beethoven's own extremely powerful ideas. Pletnev plays piano where it is not written, freely adds sfumatos, ignores and adds accents at will, twists and turns the structure--to no advantage I can see other than to say "I'm here, pay attention to ME!" But most damningly of all, he doesn't hold the Arietta together to my ears, failing to find a common thread for the various variations that unify this enigmatic work. The second movement felt very long, and when, say, I listen to Schnabel (1933) in this music, I have no sense how much time has gone by. Lest anyone think I am too conservative, let me say that two of my favorite Op. 111s are Ernest Levy and Anatol Ugorski! The Chopin is just as bad, with too much fussiness in the ornamental details that has little to do with Chopin's piece and a lot to do with Pletnev's fingers. If you ever wondered what Chopin sounded like as played by Liszt on bipolar meds, this is it. The music's own shapes, momentums and moods are ignored so that Mikkey can plow through the notes as fast as humanly possible. (And that he can do.)

The encores don't excite me as much as they do some other reviewers. Want to hear really stunning Rachmaninoff Etudes-Tableauxes (if that's a word), listen to Sviatoslav Richter--he finds fireworks *inside* the score, not by juxtaposing his ideas over it. The reviewer below who said the better the music, the worse the performances, hit the nail right on the head. That's also how I've felt about his conducting, from what I've sampled: lots of sound and fury, signifying nothing. I'm perplexed that this was among Amazon's "Best of 2001." Maybe 2001 wasn't a good year.

Average customer rating:

A real gem for all trombone and brass enthusiasts
Another Great Trombone CD from the 4 of a Kind Guys

Four of a Kind 2

Manufacturer: Summit(Classical)
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Four of a Kind, Music for Trombone Quartet
Trombonastics
Trombonology
The Virtuoso Trombone
The Art of the Trombone

ASIN: B00008VGLY
Release Date: 2003-04-08

Tracks:

Overture To The 'Barber Of Seville'
I. Andante Con Moto
II. Allegro Assai
III. Vivace
From Paritita in D Minor For Solo Violin
From Partita in D Minor For Solo Violin
I. Adagio
II. Allegro
III. Largo
V. Allegro Molto Vivace
I. Andante Con Moto
II. Allegro Molto
III. Allegretto Grazio
IV. Adagio
V. Allegro Molto Vivace
I. Choral
II. Mouvement Perpetuel
III. Lento
IV. Final
God Bless The Child
It's Only A Paper Moon
Take Me Out To The Ballgame

Customer Reviews:

A real gem for all trombone and brass enthusiasts.......2007-05-18

This is another superb performance by Alessi, Hartman, Lawrence and Bollinger. These players are extremely gifted musicians. The musicality and technical prowess of these players is first rate. They play beautifully as an ensemble and the entire disc is very enjoyable. This should be required listening for all aspiring trombonists and brass enthusiasts.

Another Great Trombone CD from the 4 of a Kind Guys.......2004-01-06

I purchased the first 4 of a Kind CD shortly after it came out in 92. At the time there weren't many "Classical" Trombone CDs (well ok I admit it, I bought it on Cassette Tape), and the release of this item was a real find for me. I loved the tape. It was just great to hear what a trombone could sound like in the hands of a master.

As an amateur trombonist of more than 30 years, it has been very tough to develop as a player as there aren't many audio resources available to help you with things like sound and approach. At the time of the casette's release, the cassette was a real find, and I was happy to add it to my collection of trombone playing resources.

Well, it is almost 11 years later, and I am very happy to add this second great CD to my collection now. As a student and a listener, there is so much "to get out" of this CD. From a technical standpoint, the balance of playing, overall musicality of every recorded number, and the many styles presented is a wonderful resource to help you learn to play this great instrument. Of especially significant note is the absolutely beautiful sounds that can be heard, the balance between each and every part, and the perfect tuning of this ensemble (at least to this listener's ears). Things just ring in the high range, and "rattle and roll" down low. Listen for some just great Blair Bollinger Bass Trombone on this CD throughout. The playing and blend is gourgeous, and it is easy to see why these very fine players are so admired.

From a pure listener's standpoint, this album is fun listening and a musical joy to the ear. From the first track to last, this CD is full of musical gems, plenty of good musical ideas, and imaginative and very inspired music making. What becomes clear quickly as you listen is just how obviously much these guys like playing together, and the fun they are having. It comes out over and over again in every number.

There isn't a single clinker on this CD, or anyting that is disappointing or below standard in any way. The "Barber of Seville" is espcially good fun; I could see Elmer and Bugs in my mind as I listened to it (as an aside, if you haven't seen that famous Warner Brothers Cartoon featuring The Barber of Seville excerpts, try to find it, ooh, wait till I get that Wabbit!). On the other hand, I must also profess a real love for baseball, and the tune "Take me Out to The Ball Game". I just loved the arrangement, and the ensemble playing. It was just great. Including the "Crack of the Bat" and fan noise close to the end of the track just tops things off.

I really think these wonderful musicians have produced a truly great CD that obviously was put together with the listener in mind. From a techncial recording standpoint, you don't need to adjust the volume any time while listening to the CD, and the quality of the recording and editing of every tune is just great. Consequently, this CD simply flows by from beginning to end. You will want to play it again and again.

Customer Reviews:

The Art of Alicia de Larrocha.......2007-01-04

Alicia de Larrocha is probably the finest interpreter of Spanish Piano music.The Art of Alicia de Larrocha is a collection of recordings performed by the artist over many years.There are 7 CD's in total. Each Cd cover has a beautiful picture of Ms de Larrocha at different times in her performing career. An excellent example of her versatility, from Bach to Manuel De Falla,her musicality and clean technique are characteristic of her playing,well brought out by the recording process.
The sound quality is excellent.
A special delight are some rarely heard pieces like a Soler Sonata, an Sonatina by Montsalvatge and a Prelude by Mompou.
Very inspiring to pianists. I strongly recommend it!

A feast for piano lovers!.......2003-12-29

Alicia de Larrocha has always been one of my very favorite pianists, and while I was a student during the 1970s and early 1980s I eagerly snatched up each of her recordings as soon it arrived on the shelves. In the long twilight of her illustrious career, Se?ora de Larrocha has tended to concentrate on playing Mozart concertos and sonatas in public, music which demonstrates her sterling musicianship and tone without over-taxing her technique in a major way. Many people who have only heard her in this repertoire might not be prepared for the grandeur and sweep of her virtuoso accounts of big Romantic pieces, such as the Liszt Sonata, and Schumann and Chopin, all of which are represented here. The technique is big, the tone glorious, the musical interpretations impeccable, she has it all in spades. I am so happy to have her lovely account of the Chopin F Minor Concerto back in the catalog, as well as her colorful romp through the Khachaturian Concerto.

If you love great piano playing and you love Alicia de Larrocha, do not hesitate for a minute. Buy this box set while it is still available.

Average customer rating:

Powerful selections
Excellent

Bach Transcriptions for Piano

Manufacturer: Naxos
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Bach Piano Transcriptions, Vol. 3
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Busoni: Complete Bach Piano Transcriptions, Vol. 1

ASIN: B00004U2KX
Release Date: 2000-08-15

Tracks:

Wir Danken Dir Gott, BWV 29: Ov
Son in f, BWV 1018: Adagio
Partita in d, BWV 1005: Chaconne
Toccata And Fugue in d, BWV 565
Passacaglia in c, BWV 582
Toccata And Fugue in d 'Dorian', BWV 538

Customer Reviews:

Powerful selections.......2007-01-14

Although there has always been some uproar about transcribing Bach's music, especially his keyboard music to piano, I see the Bach transcriptions as an eloquent homage to the old master. Arrangements and transcriptions have been made for over two hundred years and for the reason that Bach's music will always be effective on other mediums. Busoni and Godowsky were perhaps the greatest transcribers, with Liszt following closely behind. The piano is such a versatile instrument and can please both the Baroque enthusiasts and the Romantic lovers. Only the piano can imitate the fleeting polyphony and yet transform the music with sonorous beauty.

This disc contains a stellar, almost perfect, selection of Bach arrangements. The works featured here are not only played with profundity but also nobility and feeling, characteristics sometimes absent from the automaton pianists out there. Risto Lauriala applies both a fidelity to Bach and an understanding of the Romantic emphasis of these transcriptions. I think Lauriala's Romantic expressive power tends to take control, but this is not a bad thing. Bach's music is not harmed by this; it's instead taken to a new level.

Saint-Saens's arrangement of the overture of BWV 29 is given an excellent treatment with just the right balance between Baroque and Romantic flavoring. The piano colors the ecstatic polyphony quite well. I find this arrangement the safest of them all; it should please Bach and piano fans alike. Siloti's arrangement of the Adagio from BWV 1018 is a melancholy escapade into gorgeous continuous melodies. Lauriala plays with feeling and an unerring stream of contemplation. This is no robotic interpretation but one of human thought. Siloti's transcription of the Chaconne from BWV 1005 is, unfortunately, not as impressive as Busoni's masterful efforts. Musically, though, this music is one of Bach's most inspired creations and perhaps the best on this disc. This is a 16 minute epic work with glorious harmonic variations and endlessly sublime lines of music. Lauriala plays to the best of his ability, but the transcription is frankly inferior to Busoni.

I also prefer Busoni's transcription of the Toccata and Fugue BWV 565 over Reger's here. But Naxos is still to be commended for placing a lesser known arrangement in the spotlight. Don't get me wrong, Reger still makes great drama and technical splendor out of this work. The music is impossible to dislike, and Reger clarifies and carefully embellishes the fugal voices with skill. The two major triumphs of this disc are saved for last, however, with d'Albert's Passacaglia and Kabalevsky's Dorian arrangement. The Passacaglia in C minor is a colossal work of grandiose variations on an awesome bass line. d'Albert's transcription employs more daring than the previous arrangements. Bass doublings and rich harmonies lend to making this piece an imposing pianistic tour-de-force. The last transcription, though, is my favorite. Kabalevsky's efforts with the 'Dorian' Toccata and Fugue are simply monumental. The toccata has all the majesty of Bach and the rhythmic vigor of a wonderful toccata. But the Fugue, with one of those simple but ingenius subjects of Bach, is taken on a Romantically-infused ride that leaves me breathless after each trip. Lauriala showcases his reflective side in the exposition; d'Albert's arrangement is sufficient enough that one can hear the entrance of new voices. But once the fugue has plunged into more episodes and restatements, the main subject is augmented and given increasing organ sonority on the piano. Indeed, the piano takes the throne as the king of instruments here. I don't even think the organ can rival the depth of the piano's lower registers. This is an absolute gem in the Bach piano arrangements and the most unique transcription on this disc.

Bottom line: Bach is simply exalted through the piano. In these transcriptions, his music retains all the natural polyphony and yet it experiences a metamorphosis from the Romantic spirit that manages to express Bach's ideas as never before. Risto Lauriala's playing is distinguished for fusing Romantic passion with the intellectual complexity of Bach. If that wasn't enough, there are two masterpieces of transcriptions that beg my full endorsement: d'Albert's Passacaglia and Kabalevsky's 'Dorian.'

Excellent.......2002-06-04

This recording showcases some lesser-known transcriptions of Bach's works, which I feel should become more mainstream. The Siloti transcription of the Chaconne, for example, is sublime, and Reger's treatment of the Tocatta & Fugue in D minor is nothing short of amazing. There have been transcriptionists and arrangers throughout musical history, and it's time that more than just Stokowski and Busoni -- both with tendencies to let their ultra-romantic sensibilities overshadow Bach's Baroque writing -- that these others should be known, and heard. Naxos has once again provided the listening public with an affordable entrance to the more obscure facets of classical music. Bravo!

Nathan Milstein: The 1946 Library Of Congress Recital

Average customer rating:

Totally amazing, despite the crude recording
A poor recording of wonderful music played near perfectly.

Nathan Milstein: The 1946 Library Of Congress Recital

Manufacturer: Bridge
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Bach: Sonatas for Unaccompanied Violin
Great Performances from the Library of Congress: Vol. 4
Milstein (4CD Set)
Bach: Sonatas and Partitas for Solo Violin
Bach: Partitas

ASIN: B000003GJM
Release Date: 1996-02-20

Tracks:

Chaconne - Nathan Milstein/Josef Blatt
Son in g, BWV 1001: Adagio - Nathan Milstein
Son in g, BWV 1001: Fuga (Allegro) - Nathan Milstein
Son in g, BWV 1001: Siciliano - Nathan Milstein
Son in g, BWV 1001: Presto - Nathan Milstein
Son in g, BWV 1001: Paganiniana (Vars) On Themes By Nicolo Paganini - Nathan Milstein
Con in e, Op.64: Allegro Molto Appassionato-Presto - Nathan Milstein/Josef Blatt
Con in e, Op.64: Andante - Nathan Milstein/Josef Blatt
Con in e, Op.64: Allegretto Non Troppo-Allegro Molto Vivace - Nathan Milstein/Josef Blatt
Nocturne in c# - Nathan Milstein/Josef Blatt
Scherzo-Tarantelle - Nathan Milstein/Josef Blatt

Amazon.com

This concert was recorded at the Library of Congress in 1946, and it's typical of a violin recital of that time, including a concerto played with piano accompaniment. The great Nathan Milstein was at the height of his career, and his playing is simply stupendous. The Bach Sonata is even more amazing than in Milstein's two studio recordings, and the unaccompanied Paganiniana will give other violinists nightmares. And I don't mind hearing the Mendelssohn with piano when it's played this beautifully. The sound shows its age, but it's listenable. Beware of a rip-off of this disc on the Italian Strings label; this edition is the original. --Leslie Gerber

Album Description

Hold on to your hat! Released herein, for the first time, is a disc of astonishing violin playing: one of this century's greatest masters captured at the peak of his powers. This 67 minute disc offers ample evidence for the widely held contention that Milstein was among a handful of the greatest violin virtuosi of his time. This disc includes performances of many of the works that made Milstein famous. His Vitali Chaconne features the impeccable intonation and beautifully focused vibrato that made his name legend. Faster and more intense than the studio recordings that he would later make, Milstein's Bach G minor Sonata brings together intellectual strength and the heartfelt emotion that marks all of the performances in this recital. In a class by itself is the astounding virtuosity of Milstein's Paganiniana- simply one of the most amazing displays of digital facility that one will ever hear. This disc includes a real rarity - Milstein's performance of the Mendelssohn Violin Concerto, Op. 64, with piano accompaniment. Because of the resultant prominence of the solo violin part, violin enthusiasts will be particularly excited about the opportunity to hear Milstein's interpretation "up close". As encores Milstein offers his own haunting transcriptions of Chopin's Nocturne in C sharp minor as well as a spectacularly fiery rendition of Wieniawski's Scherzo-Tarantelle.

Customer Reviews:

Totally amazing, despite the crude recording.......2004-04-01

I basically buy and listen to violin recordings with my daughter, the violinist, when she begins to learn each new piece. We bought this one for the Vitali Chaconne, and before hearing it we frankly did not have high hopes - my daughter tends to turn up her nose at the noise on older recordings, and neither of us liked Milstein's recording of the Bach Partita #3, but...Wow! The expressive sound that comes through the snap, crackle, pop, and hiss of the '40s recording technology is wonderful! The live-performance energy that you can sense on this disc makes you forget feeling "spoiled" by crystal-clear, heavily edited, DDD CDs. The Vitali is wonderful, and the totally unexpected piano-accompaniment-only version of the Mendelssohn concerto really makes you appreciate the solo violin even more. This is one to seriously consider even if you have the prejudices that we did at first.

A poor recording of wonderful music played near perfectly........1998-11-03

Recoreded in 46', this disc has many cracks, snaps and pops which are a little bit annoying, but the musicianship on the disc is amazing. It contains a wonderful selection of pieces ranging from sad and romantic to fast and virtuosic. Milstein is a phenomenal violinist and this recording captures him at his best. This record is a must have for violin fan fans as well as anyone with a pulse.

5 stars even though the recording is bad.

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1. Bacon: Sonata for Violin and Piano: With Dignity
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12. Diamond: Chaconne for Violin and Piano: Cadenza and Coda