Ongaku

1. Lion Dance

2. Roomful of Mirrors

3. Kokoro

4. Da-Da

5. Holidays

6. Taiko Song

7. Cruisin' J-Town

8. Odori

9. Echoes

10. Winds of Change (Henka No Nagare)

11. Warriors

12. Shinto

13. All I Want

14. Fortune Teller

Ongaku,Hiroshima,Arista,Contemporary Jazz,Crossover Jazz,Jazz,Jazz Music,Pop,World Fusion

Jazz

Music

jazz

music

Average customer rating: Breathtaking Virtuosity! good but not flawless Lovely

Jonathan Cohler: The Clarinet Alone Manufacturer: Ongaku ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD Duets | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music Koch, Erland von | ( K ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Messiaen | Messiaen, Olivier | ( M ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music General | Paganini, Niccolò | ( P ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Persichetti | Persichetti, Vincent | ( P ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music Clarinet | Reeds & Winds | Instruments | Classical | Styles | Music General | Classical | Styles | Music Classical | Indie Music | Stores | Music Similar Items: 20th Century Music For Unaccompanied Clarinet French Portraits The American Clarinet The Essential Clarinet French Clarinet Art ASIN: B000001Z2I Release Date: 1995-10-31

Tracks:

1. A Set: 1. Allegro
2. A Set: 2. Adagio
3. A Set: 3. Allegro
4. Ste, Op.74: 1. Rhap: Tempo Rubato
5. Ste, Op.74: 2. Ser: Molto Tranquillo
6. Ste, Op.74: 3. Scherzo: Vivace
7. Ste, Op.74: 4. Dance: Allegretto
8. Quatour Pour La Fin Du Temps: Abime Des Oiseaux
9. Monolog 3: 1. Andante Sostenuto
10. Monolog 3: 2. Allegro Vivace
11. Five Pieces: 1. Vigorous
12. Five Pieces: 2. Flowing
13. Five Pieces: 3. Rhythmic
14. Five Pieces: 4. Singing
15. Five Pieces: 5. Spirited
16. Parable, Op.126 (Parable XIII)
17. Rhap
18. Moto Perpetuo, Op.11

Album Description

Stunning collection of some of the most important 20th century solo clarinet works performed by one of the world's most renowned clarinetists.

Customer Reviews:

Breathtaking Virtuosity!.......2007-04-07

Love the album! First heard a live performance of the Martino "A Set for Clarinet" while in college. This recording is as good, for sure! Also love Mr. Cohler's take on Wm. O. Smith's "Five Pieces for Clarinet Alone".
(I know Bill Smith personally, and I'm sure he loves it too!). Best of all though, is the Paganini "Molto Perpetuo". Superb circular breathing!

good but not flawless.......2003-11-22

I don't have any overwhelming complaints about this recording, but from a clarinetist's standpoint, there are a few detractions. I thought the use of vibrato was a bit overdone and definitely affected the tone in a less than positive way. The echo-y sound of the recording definitely helps gloss over some things, but it almost has the effect of a pianist who uses too much pedal. On pieces for solo clarinet, I'd really like to hear a good clear tone with more core to it, rather than a somewhat flighty sound that uses vibrato to maintain your interest.

Matters of taste aside, the technical facility was excellent, except for a few minor spots where the rhythmic consistency seemed a little shaky. Some of the pieces have a lot of rubato feel to them, and that's fine, but some of them clearly demand a steady pulse, and there are just a few minor places were you're not quite sure if it's still there (a couple places in the smith 5 pieces for clarinet for example). Pitch on the extreme registers was good, and most of the weird effects came across well.

All in all, I'd recommend this to any clarinet aficionados, but serious students would be advised to take the performance with a grain of salt (as I suppose could be said of any recordings really.)

Lovely.......2003-03-25

Every composition well-chosen, every performance well-played. The recording quality is clear with splendid presence.

The Paganini--wow! I've already moved the doleful Osborne to my frequent-listening shelf. It's unsurprising the Martino appeals to clarinetists: it's exciting and athletic, leaping over multiple octaves at a single bound! I also enjoyed Enland von Koch's alternatively playful and pensive "Monolog 3".

This is a fine collection of 20th century solo clarinet works. It's great to have them recorded. That they are so *well* recorded makes it all the sweeter.

Average customer rating:

The Ongaku Masters, An Anthology of Japanese Classical Music, Volume Three: Modern Japan Manufacturer: Celestial Harmonies ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General | International | Styles | Music General | International | Indie Music | Stores | Music Similar Items: Shakuhachi - The Japanese Flute ASIN: B0007G6S1W Release Date: 2005-01-06

Tracks:

1. haru-no-umi (YOSHIMURA Nanae)
2. muju shin kyoku (MITSUHASHI Kifu)
3. tennyo (YOSHIMURA Nanae)
4. isuzugawa (KOGA Michio)
5. shikyoku ichiban (KIMURA Reiko, TAJIMA Tadashi)
6. kamu-ogi-guoto (YOSHIMURA Nanae)

Album Description

The Ongaku Masters: An Anthology of Japanese Classical Music, a five-CD edition presented in a black linen box, spans 1,000 years of Japanese classical/traditional music, from early Buddhist Shomyo chant to late 20th century Takemitsu. It touches on every relevant stage in the development of Japanese music from the distant origins on the Asian mainland to contemporary expressions. Leading scholars from universities on three continents contributed to extensive and informative booklet notes which also contain images from several leading Japanese museums. Close to 100 musicians are singing and playing on these recordings. The musical material presented in this collection has been drawn from the Celestial Harmonies catalogue and spans two decades of work. When approaching the music of a cultural bloc, there is an understandable tendency to treat the traditions of that bloc as a unified entity: one speaks of Western music, Indian music, Chinese music, African music, and so on. Of necessity, such a monolithic viewpoint is a vast oversimplification, ignoring the differentiations, for example, between Western Baroque, Classical, Romantic, and other musical genres, or between Indian Hindustani and Karnatic musics, or in the present case, between the large variety of differing genres that are together referred to as hogaku, literally "music of the homeland (Japan)", or Japanese traditional music. There are a number of intersecting ways of catagorising hogaku. One is to view the various styles according to their social role. Another possibilty is to distinguish genres where music is presented in a context with other art forms—theatre or dance—from genres in which instrumental and vocal performance are the sole presentation. This collection concentrates on the various streams of Japanese instrumental and vocal music leaving the theatrical forms of No, Kabuki, Bunraku and others for a later project. Volume 3: Modern Japan concerns itself with the developments of these genres by Japanese composers from the late 19th century into the late 20th century, revealing a spectrum of directions in modern (gendai) hogaku.

Average customer rating: Collectors Note A solid beginning A must-have for Hiroshima fans!

Ongaku Hiroshima Manufacturer: Arista ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General | International | Styles | Music General | Jazz | Styles | Music Jazz Fusion | Jazz | Styles | Music Fusion & World Fusion | Compilations | Jazz | Styles | Music Smooth Jazz | Jazz | Styles | Music CDs $7 - $10 | Jazz General | Jazz | Today's Deals in Music | Formats | Music All Bargain Titles | Jazz General | Jazz | Today's Deals in Music | Formats | Music Similar Items: Providence East L.A. Go The Bridge ASIN: B000002VEK Release Date: 1990-10-25

Tracks:

1. Lion Dance
2. Roomful Of Mirrors
3. Kokoro
4. Da-Da
5. Holidays
6. Taiko Song
7. Crusin' J-Town
8. Odori
9. Echoes
10. Windows Of Change (Henka No Nagare)
11. Warriors
12. Shinto
13. All I Want
14. Fortune Teller

Customer Reviews:

Collectors Note.......2002-08-14

This disc contains part of the first album (Hiroshima)[tracks 1-6] and all of the second album (Odori)[tracks 7-14]. If you are wanting the whole catalog, then I recommend buying those two instead. Just in case you're interested: Ongaku means music, Odori means dance.

A solid beginning.......2002-05-09

Ongaku is a CD that contains compositions from the band's early days. When I listen to this, it's clear to me that Hiroshima got off to a solid start.

The third track, "Kokoro," is the ultimate in stress relief. I lay my head down on my desk and listen to it when I'm feeling tired or during a headache. Lion Dance starts out slow and then rushes on you as it builds momentum. "Winds of Change" is a powerful instrumental that will charge up your emotions. My other favories are "Warriors," "Shinto," "Da-da" (it has lyrics that I can relate to).

I gave it four stars because most of the songs with lyrics sound like they were made for children. It turns out that "roomful of mirrors" was the opening theme for a kid's show on PBS called "Bean Sprouts." Other instumentals like Odori and "Taiko song" are repetitive.

Nevertheless, for their first album I felt that Hiroshima did a good job. If you listen to their other albums you'll agree that the band continued to develop their musical talent over time. Ongaku is a classic!

A must-have for Hiroshima fans!.......1999-08-29

This CD contains all of the Hiroshima classic hits. Definitely a must-have for all Hiroshima collectors. I've listened to the group since 1980 and this CD brings you back to the beginning.

Average customer rating: A golden Goldberg Wow wow and thrice wow! better than Gould Superb Goldbergs topnotch interpreter/performer

The Goldberg Variations Manufacturer: Ongaku ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD All Works by J.S. Bach | Bach, Johann Sebastian | ( B ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music Variations | Forms & Genres | Baroque (c.1600-1750) | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music General | Baroque (c.1600-1750) | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music General | Classical | Styles | Music Classical | Indie Music | Stores | Music Similar Items: The Six Keyboard Partitas Vol. 1 The Six Keyboard Partitas Vol. 2 Well Tempered Clavier Book 1 Well Tempered Clavier Book 2 Sergey Schepkin Plays Debussy ASIN: B000001Z2K Release Date: 1995-10-31

Tracks:

1. Vars In G BWV 988: Aria
2. Vars In G BWV 988: Var 1
3. Vars In G BWV 988: Var 2
4. Vars In G BWV 988: Var 3: Canone all'Unisuono
5. Vars In G BWV 988: Var 4
6. Vars In G BWV 988: Var 5
7. Vars In G BWV 988: Var 6: Canone alla Seconda
8. Vars In G BWV 988: Var 7: Al tempo di Giga
9. Vars In G BWV 988: Var 8
10. Vars In G BWV 988: Var 9: Canone alla Quarta
11. Vars In G BWV 988: Var 10: Fughetta
12. Vars In G BWV 988: Var 11
13. Vars In G BWV 988: Var 12: Canone alla Quarta
14. Vars In G BWV 988: Var 13
15. Vars In G BWV 988: Var 14
16. Vars In G BWV 988: Var 15: Canone alla Quinta
17. Vars In G BWV 988: Var 16
18. Vars In G BWV 988: Var 17
19. Vars In G BWV 988: Var 18: Canone alla Sexta
20. Vars In G BWV 988: Var 19
21. Vars In G BWV 988: Var 20
22. Vars In G BWV 988: Var 21: Canone alla Settima
23. Vars In G BWV 988: Var 22: Alla breve
24. Vars In G BWV 988: Var 23
25. Vars In G BWV 988: Var 24: Canone all'Ottava
26. Vars In G BWV 988: Var 25: Adagio
27. Vars In G BWV 988: Var 26
28. Vars In G BWV 988: Var 27: Canone alla Nona
29. Vars In G BWV 988: Var 28
30. Vars In G BWV 988: Var 29
31. Vars In G BWV 988: Var 30: Quodlibet
32. Vars In G BWV 988: Aria

Album Description

Debut recording of the leading American Bach pianist. This ground breaking recording put Sergey Schepkin on the global stage.

Customer Reviews:

A golden Goldberg.......2006-02-24

Sergey Schepkin was born in St Petersburg and has studied with Russell Sherman at the New England Conservatory. His debut CD recording boldly tackles the Goldberg Variations. I am still reeling from the encounter with it, and I mean that largely as a compliment.

To start with, Schepkin's technical command makes even famous colleagues sound labored in comparison. He can play some of the most difficult variations without sounding stretched, even at exceptionally fast speeds, so that he is free to concentrate on musical expression (which is, after all, what virtuosity is about). At the same time, he takes such fast tempos rarely, and for specific purposes, and not as a sort of general velocity credential.

The actual sounds he draws from his (unspecified) instrument are often ravishing, and they cover a wide range of character and color--compare the incisive authority of the very first variation with the velvety evocation of the harpsichord's buff stop in the repeats of Variation 21.

Beyond all this, as his remarkably intelligent comments in the booklet interview underline, he has been at once bold and dedicated enough to reimagine the entire work from the ground up. All repeats are taken, and they are varied and embellished with an imagination that is at times outrageous but more often revelatory and always consistent in a validly baroque way.

One of Schepkin's tactics is to put the melody an octave up in the repeat of several variations. On the face of it, this is a perfectly defensible practice--it makes a sound foreign to Bach's world, but the piano does that anyway, and it is the meaning conveyed by the sound that is paramount. Here, however, I confess to mixed feelings, and for two reasons. One is that the device pays diminishing returns with repetition, and I think Schepkin uses it at least one time too many. The other is that, as recorded, it combines with the only small blemish in an otherwise admirable recorded sound--an area of somewhat excessive resonance around the G above the treble stave--to produce an inappropriately New-Age-ish effect as of mystical chimes.

I hope this blemish can be eradicated in the succeeding Bach recordings promised in the biographical note. On any number of points of rhythm, articulation, or tempo I could take issue with Schepkin. But he has given us a Goldberg of rare richness and beauty, and it will be a part of my view of the work from now on.

Wow wow and thrice wow!.......2004-07-01

Okay, to admit that both of Glenn Gould's recordings of the Goldberg have a vertiginous ectasy about them--performed with a jaw-dropping pianism and surgeon-like articulation. If one is looking for a penultimate version of the Goldberg, indulge in one of the Gouldian versions first. (The 1955 version is my personal favorite but the one recorded for CBS Masterworks 27 years later is also quite special) But this version...wow, wow and thrice wow! Schepkin is definitely in the same realm as Gould. There is none of the typical sloppy keyboard work camouflaged with heavy pedalling, no ponderous Liberace-esque galumphing and histrionics. Exceptional talent and ability speak for themselves and is made evident without all the marketing and fluff--all the tangential and extraneous dramatugy that tries to make the mediocre seem larger than it really is. If you are someone loves the Goldberg and enjoys the aesthetic delineations that come from listening to different versions of the same recording, then I strongely urge you to partake of Sergey Schepkin's magisterial talent. You will not be disappointed.

better than Gould.......2004-06-30

This is the greatest recording of the Goldbergs I've ever heard (and I've heard many: Gould, Rosen, Feltsman, Tureck, Schiff, Lifschitz, etc.). Schepkin plays with just incredible panache, plasticity, and spontaneity, seemingly re-creating the work rather than merely giving it another run-through. But at the same time, he doesn't distort the music in any way or get in its way--that kind of balancing act makes for the magic of a great performance. The ornaments Schepkin adds fit in perfectly and are an authentic part of the period's style, and the way he differentiates the repeats makes the variations that much more exciting. On top of that, he's one of the few people to play this work whose dexterity truly is in Gould's league. But you don't get any extraneous noises here to distract from the performance--and you do get all the repeats.

Schepkin was a pupil of Grigory Sokolov (perhaps the world's greatest living pianist--wish he'd make some more recordings!), and he belongs to the great tradition of Russian pianism. This debut disc, even more than his excellent later Bach recordings, is a real knock-out. I've bought copies for many of my friends, and all of them have been deeply impressed by this recording.

Superb Goldbergs.......2004-02-19

I have more than twenty-five recordings of the Goldberg Variations, most of them with pianists. Like many of my generation Glenn Gould's 1950s release hit me like a bomb; I was bitten and have never looked back. I was a little surprised that this release by Sergey Schepkin hasn't received more attention here at Amazon; up to now it's only had two short reviews. It is, however, one of my favorite versions and so I want to sing its praises a bit.

Schepkin, I believe now a faculty member at the University of Iowa, was a Bostonian at the time of recording this, his first CD. He has since gone on to record more Bach (WTC-II, the Partitas, French Suites) as well as Debussy and Schnittke. I remember how impressed I was when this came out in 1995. I had earlier been disappointed (and still am) with the 1994 Goldbergs by his countryman, Vladimir Feltsman, and yet their approach has some similarities. For one thing, they both do a fair amount of ornamenting, primarily in the repeats. But there they part company. Feltsman's ornaments feel plastered on, and they aren't terribly elegant. Schepkin's on the other hand are organic, feel spontaneous (who knows, maybe they are!), and are by and large true to baroque style.

Further Schepkin's variation in tone and easy control of phrasing leaves Feltsman in the dust. This is a musician first and foremost, not just a technician. I've felt the same way about his Well Tempered Clavier and Partitas. At the time of this recording he was still studying with Russell Sherman, not a pianist particularly noted for playing Bach as far as I know, but one can hear some of Sherman's kind of intellect combined with an occasional appealing waywardness.

As to particular high spots for me in this recording I'd point to the repeats of the Aria, a dancing Var. 2, the sturdily forthright Var. 4, the flowing Canon alla Terza (Var. 9), the inward Var. 13 (gorgeous tone), the sprightly Var. 18 (Canon alla Sexta) with a charming octave displacement in the repeats, the elegant Var. 19 gavotte, the quietly anguished Var. 25, a jolly Quodlibet.

I reach for this performance as often as any I own. Heartily recommended.

TT=71:53

Scott Morrison

topnotch interpreter/performer.......2001-01-23

a most pleasing rendition of the goldberg variations. it rates
favorably with its peers, deserving a place in your collection
along with schiff and even gould.

Average customer rating: A mediocre release, at best

Henry Cowell: Works for Orchestra Manufacturer: First Edition ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD Suites | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music Symphonies | Forms & Genres | Modern, 20th, & 21st Century | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music General Modern | Modern, 20th, & 21st Century | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music General Contemporary | Modern, 20th, & 21st Century | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music General | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music Modern & 20th Century | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music General | Classical | Styles | Music $9.99 and Under | Classical Music Blowout | Stores | Music All Classical Music Blowout | Classical Music Blowout | Stores | Music Instrumental | Classical Music Blowout | Stores | Music Similar Items: Henry Cowell: Instrumental, Chamber and Vocal Music, Vol. 1 Roger Sessions: Symphony No. 4; Symphony No. 5; Rhapsody Henry Cowell: Instrumental, Chamber and Vocal Music, Vol. 2 Persichetti: Symphony No. 5 / Piano Concerto Henry Cowell: Persian Set ASIN: B00006C2PS Release Date: 2003-03-11

Customer Reviews:

A mediocre release, at best.......2003-03-12

Henry Cowell was an American original. His music was sometimes brilliant and innovative. Often it was tepid and missing the mark. This disc certainly falls into the latter category. Cowell obviously struggled with the symphonic form. The two symphonies on offer here are lackluster and offer nothing worth remembering. A failed attempt at tonality with little or no organic development. Production is good as can be expected seeing that only 7 of the 63 minutes on the disc were recorded in stereo. For this era of Cowell's output, the discs on Koch do far better justice. For a truly ambitious and unique Cowell disc, search out the disc on Col Legno titled "American Piano Concertos". I had higher hopes for this disc, but knowing that I'd never listen to it again, I gave my copy to a friend. Maybe he'll find something in it that I missed.

Average customer rating: Sergey Schepkin plays Bach: Vital, Intelligent, Earthy, Dancing Schepkin the iconoclast does it again

The Six Keyboard Partitas Vol. 1 Manufacturer: Ongaku ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD All Works by J.S. Bach | Bach, Johann Sebastian | ( B ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music Suites | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music General | Baroque (c.1600-1750) | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music General | Classical | Styles | Music Classical | Indie Music | Stores | Music Similar Items: The Six Keyboard Partitas Vol. 2 The Goldberg Variations Well Tempered Clavier Book 1 Well Tempered Clavier Book 2 Sergey Schepkin Plays Debussy ASIN: B000001Z2L Release Date: 1997-05-27

Tracks:

1. Partita I in B-flat, BWV 825: Praeludium
2. Partita I in B-flat, BWV 825: Allemande
3. Partita I in B-flat, BWV 825: Corrente
4. Partita I in B-flat, BWV 825: Sarabande
5. Partita I in B-flat, BWV 825: Menuet I
6. Partita I in B-flat, BWV 825: Menuet II
7. Partita I in B-flat, BWV 825: Giga
8. Partita II in c, BWV 826: Sinfonia, Grave Adagio
9. Partita II in c, BWV 826: Sinfonia, Andante
10. Partita II in c, BWV 826: Sinfonia, [Allegro]
11. Partita II in c, BWV 826: Allemande
12. Partita II in c, BWV 826: Courante
13. Partita II in c, BWV 826: Sarabande
14. Partita II in c, BWV 826: Rondeaux
15. Partita II in c, BWV 826: Capriccio
16. Partita III in a, BWV 827: Fantasia
17. Partita III in a, BWV 827: Allemande
18. Partita III in a, BWV 827: Corrente
19. Partita III in a, BWV 827: Sarabande
20. Partita III in a, BWV 827: Burlesca
21. Partita III in a, BWV 827: Scherzo
22. Partita III in a, BWV 827: Gigue
23. Partita IV in D, BWV 828: Ouverture
24. Partita IV in D, BWV 828: Allemande
25. Partita IV in D, BWV 828: Courante
26. Partita IV in D, BWV 828: Aria
27. Partita IV in D, BWV 828: Sarabande
28. Partita IV in D, BWV 828: Menuet
29. Partita IV in D, BWV 828: Gigue

Amazon.com

These are among the most accessible of Bach's keyboard works, but they usually sound much better on the harpsichord than on the piano. Previously the main exception to this rule was Glenn Gould, but Sergey Schepkin's performances are even better. The clarity and dexterity of his playing are simply amazing; he seems to breathe life and excitement into every measure of the music. It's rare that a little-known artist comes along and sweeps the field, but Schepkin has done exactly that. For Bach partitas on the piano, he is it. Leslie Gerber

Customer Reviews:

Sergey Schepkin plays Bach: Vital, Intelligent, Earthy, Dancing.......2007-05-13

The Baroque Era in western classical music is supposedly named for the Portuguese word that means, misshapen pearl. These performances of the JS Bach Partitas set one to thinking, backwards, and forwards.

We first have to cope with the use of the modern piano, instead of say, the harpsichord. If Wanda Landowska made playing Bach on the harpsichord in concert a signal of our ongoing return to original or period instruments, Bach on the modern piano is still very much with us. Liszt encouraged pianists to play Bach, and partly because of his genius, Liszt got away with playing Bach in public when for most music lovers, the old Baroque master was a historical watermark, mainly acknowledged for the pedagogical values of learning to play his music.

The later rediscovery of Bach and Handel had a lot to do with Baron van Swieten in Vienna, plus Mendelssohn's advocacy (would the St. Matthew Passion have been completely lost?), plus later figures like Edwin Fischer, Busoni, Egon Petri (a Busoni student and protégé), and above all most recently, Canadian piano genius Glenn Gould.

Thanks to miracles of modern information technology, Glenn Gould's Bach performances have been deftly analyzed, so that his trailblazing piano performance of the Bach Goldberg Variations, first released in about 1955, is now recreated, recorded, and available in state of the art super audio sound. See the Zenph re-performance series soon to appear on the shelves.

Bach kept being resolutely played and programmed by a gaggle of pianists in each successive generation. Then along comes Joao Carlos Martins. He immerses himself in all the keyboard works, and climbs another high peak by way of a much more Romantic manner of Bach playing. Then along comes Sergey Schepkin.

He is just himself. His approach to playing Bach on the piano partly eludes description. You get the brilliant clarity and ski-sloped vigor of Glenn Gould's style, plus a whole contrary dimension of wit, fantasy, earthiness, and emotion - qualities we would otherwise associate mainly with the later Romantic schools of Bach performance.

In Schepkin's hands, the old master comes off sounding like a much closer brother to Domenico Scarlatti - or even Rameau.

The stiff, gruff Lutheran piety so disappointed by earthly life is gone from Schepkin's performances, as it variously was absent from both Glenn Gould and Joao Carlos Martins. Instead we get just bucket-loads of sheer joy, a depth of fantasy and imagination that yet does not distort or violate period practice fundamentals, re-imagined, crafted to the modern piano. Schepkin's magic is partly due to his free and improvisatory way with Baroque ornamentation. He is near as florid as Handel in the operas - or Reinhold Keiser, or C.H. Graun. He brings a vocal, operatic sense of embellishment to the long, winding, intertwining Bach polyphonies. Rather like what violinist Andrew Manze does on his fiddle with this sort of period-informed performance practice.

There is absolutely nothing of the dry, laborious keyboard exercise here. And I have not always been a fan of everybody playing the Bach Partitas.

In addition to the high intelligence and wit, Schepkin manages also to convey a dimension of play, of kaleidoscopic gaming that still remains earthy and folk-loric. At times, the sophistication of this playing will probably remind you of Rameau's courtly, satin-clad harpsichord music. Artifice strangely elaborating the best of untutored, illiterate Nature.

Well, go get this first volume of the Bach Partitas, and maybe the second volume, too.

After you listen a while, who cares what I say? Very, very highly recommended. Along with Gould and Martins, Schepkin is our main Bach man, shedding all manner of varied lights and genius on the composer as he can be revealed on the cornucopian resources of the modern piano. And these two red book discs of the complete Bach Partitas are only the beginning. Schepkin has recorded a whole lot more. Oh yeah.

Schepkin the iconoclast does it again.......2000-08-09

The Partitas are here performed playfully rather than seriously. On the repeats, Schepkin ornaments almost to the degree one would expect from Couperin or Rameau, rolling his chords grandly, using all sorts of dynamics, and making it clear that this music of drama, wit, and emotion. And for the Partitas, it works beautifully - these are among the best of Bach's works, yes, but too often they are played as if the listener were to analyze rather than dance. Here, as in all of Schepkin's playing, it is clear that he takes Wanda Landowska's advice,"You play Bach your way, and I'll play him His way" to heart. Schepkin plays Bach his way, and he is never boring and often moving. This is a recording that makes you want to hear him live - it has a spontaneous quality that you won't heare from much other Bach recordings.

I'm not convinced that Sergei Schepkin's Bach playing is to everyone's taste (and, of course, the same could be said about every recording out there). I don't like his approach to the Goldbergs, and there are some things in the WTC recordings that are a little too mannered for my taste. But for the Partitas, this is a welcome approach; every music student thinking of studying on one of these would be well advised to hear this playing as a counterpoint to Gould's recording.

Average customer rating: Sergey Schepkin plays Bach: Vital, Intelligent, Earthy, Dancing

The Six Keyboard Partitas Vol. 2 Manufacturer: Ongaku Records ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD All Works by J.S. Bach | Bach, Johann Sebastian | ( B ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music Suites | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music General | Baroque (c.1600-1750) | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music General | Classical | Styles | Music Classical | Indie Music | Stores | Music Similar Items: The Six Keyboard Partitas Vol. 1 Well Tempered Clavier Book 2 Well Tempered Clavier Book 1 The Goldberg Variations Sergey Schepkin Plays Debussy ASIN: B000001Z2M Release Date: 1997-05-27

Tracks:

1. Partita V in G, BWV 829: Praeambulum
2. Partita V in G, BWV 829: Allemande
3. Partita V in G, BWV 829: Corrente
4. Partita V in G, BWV 829: Sarabande
5. Partita V in G, BWV 829: Tempo Di Minuetto
6. Partita V in G, BWV 829: Passepied
7. Partita V in G, BWV 829: Gigue
8. Partita VI in e, BWV 830: Toccata
9. Partita VI in e, BWV 830: Allemanda
10. Partita VI in e, BWV 830: Corrente
11. Partita VI in e, BWV 830: Air
12. Partita VI in e, BWV 830: Sarbande
13. Partita VI in e, BWV 830: Tempo Di Gavotta
14. Partita VI in e, BWV 830: Gigue
15. Clavierubung III: Four Duets: Duetto I in e, BWV 802
16. Clavierubung III: Four Duets: Duetto II in F, BWV 803
17. Clavierubung III: Four Duets: Duetto III in G, BWV 804
18. Clavierubung III: Four Duets: Duetto IV in a, BWV 805
19. Clavierubung II: Ov In The French Style (Partita in b), BWV 831: (Ov)
20. Clavierubung II: Ov In The French Style (Partita in b), BWV 831: Courante
21. Clavierubung II: Ov In The French Style (Partita in b), BWV 831: Gavotte I
22. Clavierubung II: Ov In The French Style (Partita in b), BWV 831: Gavotte II
23. Clavierubung II: Ov In The French Style (Partita in b), BWV 831: Gavotte I Da Capo
24. Clavierubung II: Ov In The French Style (Partita in b), BWV 831: Passepied I
25. Clavierubung II: Ov In The French Style (Partita in b), BWV 831: Passepied II
26. Clavierubung II: Ov In The French Style (Partita in b), BWV 831: Passepied I Da Capo
27. Clavierubung II: Ov In The French Style (Partita in b), BWV 831: Sarabande
28. Clavierubung II: Ov In The French Style (Partita in b), BWV 831: Bourree I
29. Clavierubung II: Ov In The French Style (Partita in b), BWV 831: Bourree II
30. Clavierubung II: Ov In The French Style (Partita in b), BWV 831: Bourree I Da Capo
31. Clavierubung II: Ov In The French Style (Partita in b), BWV 831: Gigue
32. Clavierubung II: Ov In The French Style (Partita in b), BWV 831: Echo

Album Description

Includes Partitas V and VI plus the Four Duets and the Overture in the French Style.

Customer Reviews:

Sergey Schepkin plays Bach: Vital, Intelligent, Earthy, Dancing.......2007-05-13

The Baroque Era in western classical music is supposedly named for the Portuguese word that means, misshapen pearl. These performances of the JS Bach Partitas set one to thinking, backwards, and forwards.

We first have to cope with the use of the modern piano, instead of say, the harpsichord. If Wanda Landowska made playing Bach on the harpsichord in concert a signal of our ongoing return to original or period instruments, Bach on the modern piano is still very much with us. Liszt encouraged pianists to play Bach, and partly because of his genius, Liszt got away with playing Bach in public when for most music lovers, the old Baroque master was a historical watermark, mainly acknowledged for the pedagogical values of learning to play his music.

The later rediscovery of Bach and Handel had a lot to do with Baron van Swieten in Vienna, plus Mendelssohn's advocacy (would the St. Matthew Passion have been completely lost?), plus later figures like Edwin Fischer, Busoni, Egon Petri (a Busoni student and protege), and above all most recently, Canadian piano genius Glenn Gould.

Thanks to miracles of modern information technology, Glenn Gould's Bach performances have been deftly analyzed, so that his trailblazing piano performance of the Bach Goldberg Variations, first released in about 1955, is now recreated, recorded, and available in state of the art super audio sound. See the Zenph re-performance series soon to appear on the shelves.

Bach kept being resolutely played and programmed by a gaggle of pianists in each successive generation. Then along comes Joao Carlos Martins. He immerses himself in all the keyboard works, and climbs another high peak by way of a much more Romantic manner of Bach playing. Then along comes Sergey Schepkin.

He is just himself. His approach to playing Bach on the piano partly eludes description. You get the brilliant clarity and ski-sloped vigor of Glenn Gould's style, plus a whole contrary dimension of wit, fantasy, earthiness, and emotion - qualities we would otherwise associate mainly with the later Romantic schools of Bach performance.

In Schepkin's hands, the old master comes off sounding like a much closer brother to Domenico Scarlatti - or even Rameau.

The stiff, gruff Lutheran piety so disappointed by earthly life is gone from Schepkin's performances, as it variously was absent from both Glenn Gould and Joao Carlos Martins. Instead we get just bucket-loads of sheer joy, a depth of fantasy and imagination that yet does not distort or violate period practice fundamentals, re-imagined, crafted to the modern piano. Schepkin's magic is partly due to his free and improvisatory way with Baroque ornamentation. He is near as florid as Handel in the operas - or Reinhold Keiser, or C.H. Graun. He brings a vocal, operatic sense of embellishment to the long, winding, intertwining Bach polyphonies. Rather like what violinist Andrew Manze does on his fiddle with this sort of period-informed performance practice.

There is absolutely nothing of the dry, laborious keyboard exercise here. And I have not always been a fan of everybody playing the Bach Partitas.

In addition to the high intelligence and wit, Schepkin manages also to convey a dimension of play, of kaleidoscopic gaming that still remains earthy and folk-loric. At times, the sophistication of this playing will probably remind you of Rameau's courtly, satin-clad harpsichord music. Artifice strangely elaborating the best of untutored, illiterate Nature.

Well, go get this and the first volume discs. After you listen a while, who cares what I say? Very, very highly recommended. Along with Gould and Martins, Schepkin is our main Bach man, shedding all manner of varied lights and genius on the composer as he can be revealed on the cornucopian resources of the modern piano. And these two red book discs of the complete Bach Partitas are only the beginning. Schepkin has recorded a whole lot more. Oh yeah.

Average customer rating:

Well Tempered Clavier Book 2 Manufacturer: Ongaku ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD All Works by J.S. Bach | Bach, Johann Sebastian | ( B ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music Improvisation | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music General | Baroque (c.1600-1750) | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music General | Classical | Styles | Music General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music Classical | Indie Music | Stores | Music Similar Items: Well Tempered Clavier Book 1 The Six Keyboard Partitas Vol. 1 The Six Keyboard Partitas Vol. 2 The Goldberg Variations Sergey Schepkin Plays Debussy ASIN: B00004S2T6 Release Date: 2000-04-11

Tracks:

1. Prld I in C
2. Fugue I in C (3-Part)
3. Prld II in c
4. Fugue II in c (4-Part)
5. Prld III in C#: ([Andante]-Allegro)
6. Fugue III in C# (3-Part)
7. Prld IV in c#
8. Fugue IV in c# (3-Part)
9. Prld V in D
10. Fugue V in D (4-Part)
11. Prld VI in d
12. Fugue VI in d (3-Part)
13. Prld VII in E flat
14. Fugue VII in E flat (4-Part)
15. Prld VIII in d#
16. Fugue VIII in d# (4-Part)
17. Prld IX in E
18. Fugue IX in E (4-Part)
19. Prld X in e
20. Fugue X in e (3-Part)
21. Prld XI in F
22. Fugue XI in F (3-Part)
23. Prld XII in f
24. Fugue XII in f (3-Part)
25. Prld XIII in F#
26. Fugue XIII in F# (3-Part)
27. Prld XIV in f#
28. Fugue XIV in f# (3-Part)
29. Prld XV in G
30. Fugue XV in G (3-Part)
31. Prld XVI in g: Largo
32. Fugue XVI in g (4-Part)
33. Prld XVII in A flat
34. Fugue XVII in A flat (4-Part)
35. Prld XVIII in g#
36. Fugue XVIII in g# (3-Part)
37. Prld XIX in A
38. Fugue XIX in A (3-Part)
39. Prld XX in a
40. Fugue XX in a (3-Part)
41. Prld XXI in B flat
42. Fugue XXI in B flat (3-Part)
43. Prld XXII in b flat
44. Fugue XXII in b flat (4-Part)
45. Prld XXIII in B
46. Fugue XXIII in B (4-Part)
47. Prld XXIV in b (Allegro)
48. Fugue XXIV in b (3-Part)

Album Description

Book II of Sergey Schepkins renowned traversal of The Well-Tempered Clavier. All Bach lovers need to hear this young Russian pianist. He is perhaps the foremost Bach pianist of his generation.

Average customer rating: What can i say? Kaler, solo: II! Great

Ilya Kaler: Violin Manufacturer: Ongaku ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD All Works by Hindemith | Hindemith, Paul | ( H ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Prokofiev | Prokofiev, Sergei | ( P ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music Violin | Strings | Instruments | Classical | Styles | Music General | Classical | Styles | Music General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music Classical | Indie Music | Stores | Music Similar Items: Ysaÿe: Solo Violin Sonatas Paganini: 24 Caprices, Op. 1 Glazunov: Violin Concerto; Dvorák: Violin Concerto; Romance, Op. 11 Brahms: Violin Sonatas Paganini: Violin Concertos No. 1, Op. 6 & No. 2, Op. 7 ASIN: B000001Z2G Release Date: 1995-10-31

Tracks:

1. Son, Op. 27 No.2: 1. Obsession
2. Son, Op. 27 No.2: 2. Malinconia
3. Son, Op. 27 No.2: 3. Danse Des Ombres
4. Son, Op. 27 No.2: 4. Les Furies
5. Son, Op. 31 No.1: 1. Segr Lebhafte Achtel
6. Son, Op. 31 No.1: 2. Sehr Langsame Viertel
7. Son, Op. 31 No.1: 3. Sehr Lebhafte Viertel
8. Son, Op. 31 No.1: 4. Intermezzo, Lied: Ruhig Bewegte Achte
9. Son, Op. 31 No.1: 5. Prestissimo
10. Son, Op. 31 No.2: 1. Leicht Bewegte Viertel
11. Son, Op. 31 No.2: 2. Ruhig Bewegte Achtel
12. Son, Op. 31 No.2: 3. Gemachliche Viertel
13. Son, Op. 31 No.2: 4. Funf Variationen Uber Das Lied
14. Son, Op. 115: 1. Moderato
15. Son, Op. 115: 2. Theme and Vars
16. Son, Op. 115: 3. Con Brio
17. Son No.5, Op. 32. No. 1: 1. Allegro Espressivo
18. Son No.5, Op. 32. No. 1: 2. Allegro
19. Partita : 1. Prld
20. Partita : 2. Scherzo
21. Partita : 3. Grave
22. Partita : 4. Toccata
23. Partita : 5. Postlude

Customer Reviews:

What can i say?.......2006-07-10

Not being a trained musician i feel unqualified to comment on Ilya's playing. It sounds as masterful as is humanly possible, wanting in no aspect of Virtuosity.Ilya's playing is at all times brilliant and thoroughly satisfying to my untrained ears.Clarity, strength,facility with complexity are all in fully mature exhibition throughout this CD.I would not hesitate to recommend its purchase to anyone desiring Virtuoso Solo Violin listening.I can state without reservation it is a highly rewarding experience.

Kaler, solo: II!.......2000-06-23

For those who enjoyed the experience of listening Kaler's recording of Paganini's Caprices, this CD is absolutely a must-buy.

Although a solo violin program is not material for wide audiences, this champion of all major violin competitions was able to put together some of the best modern representatives of this genre, with a rarely matched interpretation. Highly recommended!

Great.......2000-03-27

Great recording of great not-known-enough scores

Average customer rating:

More Cohler on Clarinet Manufacturer: Ongaku ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD All Works by Brahms | Brahms, Johannes | ( B ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Milhaud | Milhaud, Darius | ( M ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Poulenc | Poulenc, Francis | ( P ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Robert Schumann | Schumann, Robert | ( S ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Stravinsky | Stravinsky, Igor | ( S ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music Piano | Keyboard | Instruments | Classical | Styles | Music Clarinet | Reeds & Winds | Instruments | Classical | Styles | Music English Horn | Reeds & Winds | Instruments | Classical | Styles | Music General | Classical | Styles | Music General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music Classical | Indie Music | Stores | Music Similar Items: Cohler on Clarinet Moonflowers, Baby! Jonathan Cohler: The Clarinet Alone French Clarinet Art ASIN: B000001Z2F Release Date: 1996-01-15

Tracks:

1. Sonata in Eb , Op. 120 No.2: I. Allegro amabile
2. Sonata in Eb , Op. 120 No.2: II. Allegro, molto appassionata
3. Sonata in Eb , Op. 120 No.2: III. Andante con moto; Allegro (Tema con variazione)
4. Sonata: I. Allegro Tristamente: Allegretto
5. Sonata: II. Romanza: Tres calme
6. Sonata: III. Allegro Con Fuoco: Tres anime
7. Fantasy Pieces, Op. 73: I. Zart und mit Ausdruck
8. Fantasy Pieces, Op. 73: II. Lebhaft leicht
9. Fantasy Pieces, Op. 73: III. Rasch und mit Feuer
10. Sonatina, Op. 100: I. Tres rude
11. Sonatina, Op. 100: II. Lent
12. Sonatina, Op. 100: III. Tres rude
13. Three Pieces for Clarinet Solo: I. Sempre p e molto tranquillo - Jonathan Cohler
14. Three Pieces for Clarinet Solo: II. 168 - Jonathan Cohler
15. Three Pieces for Clarinet Solo: III. 160 - Jonathan Cohler

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