Quartetto Gelato Travels the Orient Express

Editorial Reviews
NY Times
Quartetto Gelato’s performances have a warm, endearing vitality

LA Times
Light programming, like comedy, is serious business. Quartetto Gelato has the stuff.

Album Description
Quartetto Gelato are one of Canada’s best selling and most acclaimed classical artists, having sold over 150,000 units internationally. Since their debut in 1994, Quartetto Gelato has won the hearts of audiences worldwide with their unique blend of sparkling technique, musical finesse and humor.

Quartetto Gelato have had sold-out repeat performances in New York, Washington, Vancouver, Chicago, Houston, Dallas, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Toronto, Calgary, Tokyo, Edmonton, Seoul and Hong Kong.

The group now consists of original members Cynthia Steljes on oboe and English horn, tenor Peter De Sotto on vocals and violin and new members Alexander Sevastian (three-time first prize-winner of the International Accordion Competition) on accordion and piano and Kristina Reiko Cooper (Doctorate of Music from the Juilliard School of Music and winner of the 1999 Walter M. Naumberg Chamber Music Competition) on cello.

Their latest release "Travels the Orient Express" follows the route of the storied train that runs from London to Istanbul. The songs change and shift in theme and style as the scenery would outside the traveler’s compartment window. Travels the Orient Express is an exciting musical journey for the listener.

Information on the band can be found on their website.

Quartetto Gelato Travels the Orient Express

Tracks:

Slow Train
Under Paris Skies
Tombeau de Couperin I Prde
Tombeau de Couperin V Menuet
Tombeau de Couperin II Rigaudon
La Vie en Rose
Konzertstus 79 Finale: The Feast
Rondo all Zingarese
Tambourin Chinois
Dein Ist Mein Ganzez Herz
Kai Kett
Kai KettI
Kai KettII
Romanian Caravan
Turkish Medley
Danny Boy

Album Description

Quartetto Gelato are one of Canada's best selling and most acclaimed classical artists, having sold over 150,000 units internationally. Since their debut in 1994, Quartetto Gelato has won the hearts of audiences worldwide with their unique blend of sparkling technique, musical finesse and humor.

Their latest release "Travels the Orient Express" follows the route of the storied train that runs from London to Istanbul. The songs change and shift in theme and style as the scenery would outside the traveler's compartment window. Travels the Orient Express is an exciting musical journey for the listener.

Information on the band can be found on their website.

Customer Reviews:

A long-awaited return.......2004-11-30

I love Quartetto Gelato, so perhaps I'm not the most objective reviewer. But I had some fears that the group might not be as great as it used to be after some personnel changes. I approached this CD with some trepidation.

QG is not the group it used to be, I must admit. But...the new QG is every bit as good as the original, just different now.

The CD is a great concept, a musical voyage on the classic Orient Express. The opening track, "Slow Train," represents London and is rather melancholy and sets the tone for a nostalgiac trip on a train voyage that (at least as far as I know) is no longer running. ("Slow Train" is by the British comedy team Flanders & Swann, an uncharacteristically solemn piece.)

Paris is represented by Ravel's "Tombeau de Couperin," brilliantly arranged, and by two familiar chestnuts, "La Vie en Rose" (giving Peter a chance to do Piaf), and "Under Paris Skies," giving new accordianist Alexander Sevastian a chance to strut his stuff.

"Konzertstuck" and "Rondo al1 Zingarese" give us a taste of Munich, and then cellist Kristina Reiko Cooper excels outrageously on Kreisler's "Tambourin Chinois," representing Vienna. Standing in for Budapest are Lehar's "Dein Ist Mein Ganzez Herz" and Kodaly's "Kallai Ketos".

My two favorite tracks come next. Bucharest is represented by an original piece, "Romanian Caravan," an energetic piece redolent of gypsy wagons and open fires. And "Turkish Carnival," for Istanbul, is another original piece, utterly intoxicating in its exotica, bringing images of odalisques, harem guards, and all the gaudy delights of the Near East.

The CD winds up with a return to the UK with "Danny Boy," bringing the voyage full circle.

Yes, it's light stuff, but it's good light stuff. I was once lucky enough to see QG live and they are a group who truly enjoys what they do, and their concerts have a sense of fun and delight that few classical performances have. Their CDs (I have them all) do capture some of that, and for that reason alone they're worth the attention of all classical music fans.

Average customer rating:

old wine in a new bottle

Travels the Orient Express (Import)

Manufacturer: Linus Entertainment
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Quartets | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Contemporary Folk | Folk | Styles | Music

General | Folk | Styles | Music

Traditional Folk | Folk | Styles | Music

General | International | Styles | Music

General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Modern & 20th Century | Historical Periods | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

General | Vocal Pop | Pop | Styles | Music

General | International | Indie Music | Stores | Music

Folk | Imports | Stores | Music

International | Imports | Stores | Music
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ASIN: B0001LVZB6
Release Date: 2003-03-09

Tracks:

The Slow Train
Under Paris Skies
Tombeau de Couperin
Tombeau de Couperin
Tombeau de Couperin
La Vie En Rose
Konzerstruck Opus 79
Rondo Alla Zingarese
Tambourin Chinois
Dein Ist Mein Gainzes HErz
Kallai Kettos
Kallai Kettos
Kallai Kettos
Romanian Caravan
Turkish Circus
Danny Boy

Album Details

"travels the Orient Express" is Not Scheduled for a Us Release Until June 2004.

Customer Reviews:

old wine in a new bottle.......2004-07-09

Fantastic CD! The oboist with this group continues to astound with each of their releases. I don't personally care for the vocal portions added to LeTombeau, but I wonder what Ravel might have thought? The 2 new members of the quartet really seem to pull their weight (and I really liked the former members!) The new accordionist just dazzles. This CD has something to offer for lovers of all musical flavors.

Average customer rating:

Travels the Orient Express
Quartetto Gelato
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

World Dance | Dance & DJ | Styles | Music
ASIN: B000254EUA
Release Date: 2004-03-09

Album Description

On this 2004 CD, the Canadian quartet (accordion, voice, oboe, cello, & other instruments) invites you to join them as they explore the music from the countries visited in the 1883 odyssey of the famous train. The trip begins on the platform of Wellington Station in London with stops in Paris, Munich, Vienna, Budapest, Bucharest & Istanbul & features a new arrangement of 'Danny Boy' as a bonus track. 16 tracks. QG Productions.

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