Duos for Violin & Cello

Editorial Reviews
Amazon.com
The thing with the artist formerly known as Nigel is that his audience never knows what he might do next, and that, we must assume, is the way Kennedy likes it. This release of duos for violin and cello presents music that conventionally wouldn't be found on a single disc, the concise notes stating that the Bach and Handel pieces represent the "very antithesis" of the "linear approach" of Kodály and Ravel. This contrast-and-compare approach offers effective insight into possibly unfamiliar music, a diversity closer to a concert program than a regular CD. Ravel's Sonata for violin and cello is far removed from the composer's lush orchestral sound, a stark anticipation of Bartók's Third Piano Concerto. Kodály's Duo provides warmth, strongly infused with the folk tradition of the composer's native Hungary. Cellist Lynn Harrell clearly has an affinity for such music. (He's simultaneously released a recording of Miklós Rózsa's Cello Concerto.) The Baroque-derived works are much shorter, the Bach being a new transcription of the Two-Part Invention No. 6, the Handel Passacaglia a hybrid adapted by the Norwegian conductor Johan Halvorsen from the Harpsichord Suite No.7. With superb sound and intensely focused playing, this imaginative program offers highly committed music-making. --Gary S. Dalkin

Duos for Violin & Cello, Music, Lynn Harrell, Johann Sebastian Bach, George Frideric Handel, Zoltan Kodaly, Maurice Ravel, Kennedy, Chamber, Chamber Music & Recitals, Classical, Classical Composers, Classical Music, Duo for Two String Instruments, Invention for Keyboard, Keyboard, Suite/Partita for Keyboard
Instruments of the Orchestra
Average customer rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • Instruments of the Orchestra - Great Reference Material!
  • Beginner or Expert
  • Very Informative and Enjoyable
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  • Excellent Intro for Those Not Familiar with the Orchestra
 Instruments of the Orchestra
Various Artists
Manufacturer: Naxos
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B00006O0NT
Release Date: 2002-12-03

Tracks:

  1. Overture To 'Tannhauser'
  2. Domna, Pos Vos Ay Chausida
  3. We Don't Merely Use Instruments, We Play On Them. And They Play On Us.
  4. Hungarian Dance No.7
  5. The Violin Is One Of The Most Tender And Beautiful Instruments Ever Invented.
  6. Violin Concerto In D Major (Adagio)
  7. But For A Long Time It Was Seen As The Instrument Of The Devil.
  8. The Soldier's Tale: Triumphal March Of The Devil
  9. The Manipulative Seductiveness Of The Gypsy Violin.
  10. Csardas Music
  11. The Violin And The Initiation Of Nature
  12. The Four Seasons (Spring, Mvt 1)
  13. Birds Are Again Evoked In The Second Concerto, Especially Music's Natural Favourite.
  14. The Four Seasons (Summer, Mvt 1)
  15. Like The Devil, The Violin Is A Master Of Disguise.
  16. Old Viennese Dance No.3 'Schon Rosmarin'
  17. The Menacing Sensuality Of Ravel's Tzigane: A Very Different Side Of The Violin:
  18. Tzigane
  19. Do We Now Have The True Measure Of This Instrument? Not Just Yet.
  20. Caprice No.24
  21. The Many Effects Of The String Tremolando: Brandenburg Concerto No.4 (Last Mvt)/From Joy To Fright/Quartettsatz In C Minor/The String Tremolo Practically Spells The World Agitato.
  22. Variations On A Theme Of Frank Bridge (No.7)
  23. Prokofiev's Tremolo In Romeo And Juliet Should Not Be Heard Just Before Bedtime.
  24. Romeo And Juliet: Act IV
  25. Vivaldi Use It To Illustrate The Shivering Of Travellers Crossing The Ice.
  26. The Four Seasons (Winter, Mvt 1)
  27. The Violin Muted
  28. Clair De Lune
  29. The Gentleness Of Muted Strings Persists Even When A Whole Orchestra Plays.
  30. Piano Concerto No.21 In C Major, K.467 (Slow Mvt)
  31. The Pizzicato Violin
  32. Pizzicato Polka
  33. In Prokofiev's Second Violin Concerto, The Accompaniment Is Pizzicato.
  34. Violin Concerto No.2 In G Minor (Slow Mvt)
  35. Varieties Of Pizzicato: Colas Breugnon (The People's Feast)/Now A Drier, Leaner, Hungrier Pizzicato. There's Not A Lot Of Comfort Here./Capriol Suite (Tordion)/The Use Of Pizzicato As 'Percussion'/Romeo And Juliet (Act I)/Mahler Used Pizzicato...
  36. The Planets (Mars - The Bringer Of War)
  37. The Technique Of Double-Stopping Enables The Violin To Play Duets With Itself./Sonata No.3 In C Major For Unaccompanied Violin (Fugue)/Now A Later Example Of The Same Technique
  38. Hungarian Dance No.4
  39. Double-Stopping Is A Standard Feature Of A Lot Of Folk Music.
  40. The Four Seasons (Autumn, Mvt 1)
  41. Now The Same Technique, But The Sound Might Have Come From Another World.
  42. Bolero
  43. Double-Stopping Can Only Approximate The Sound Of A Real Violin Duet.
  44. Cadenza To The Violin Concerto By Brahms
  45. Now Compare That With A Real Violin Duet.
  46. Forty-Four Duos (No. 1: Teasing Song)
  47. Another Duo By Bartok, Demonstrating The Violin's Rich Lower Register
  48. Forty-Four Duos (No.2: Maypole Dance)
  49. And Now What May Be The Most Beautiful Accompanied Violin Duet In History
  50. Concerto In D Minor For Two Violins (Largo)
  51. The Soul Of The Violin Is In Song; But What About This Weird Passage?
  52. Violin Concerto No.1 In D Major (Mvt 2)
  53. The Use Of Harmonies In The Orchestra Can Be Both Magical And Unsettling.
  54. Symphony No.1 'Titan' (Mvt 1, Opening)
  55. Tchaikovsky's Use Of Harmonics In The Sleeping Beauty Is Both Strange And Darling.
  56. The Sleeping Beauty (Act II, No.15: Entr'Acte)
  57. Ravel's Harmonics In Mother Goose Effect A Magical Transformation.
  58. Ma Mere L'Oye - Mother Goose (Beauty And The Beast)
  59. Stravinsky's Harmonics In The Firebird Transport Us Almost Into Another World./The Firebird (Introduction)
  60. The Natural Upper Notes Of The Violins Have A Unique Emotional 'Grab'.
  61. Also Sprach Zarathustra (Of The Afterworldsmen)
  62. Still In Their Upper Register, The Violins Unleash The Energy Of A Young Colt.
  63. Variations On A Theme Of Frank Bridge (No. 4)
  64. Elsewhere, Britten Uses The Same High Register To Create A Very Different Mood.
  65. Four Sea Interludes (Dawn) From 'Peter Grimes'
  66. To End This Outing With The Violins, A Charming Little Elfin Dance
  67. Elfenreigen

Tracks:

  1. Introduction To The Viola
  2. Viola Concerto (Mvt 1)
  3. Khatchaturian Gets A Very Different Sound From It: Fuller, Fruitier, More Exotic.
  4. Gayane Suite No.1 (Armen's Solo)
  5. Very Nearly The Whole Of The Violin's Upper Register Is Also Available To The Viola.
  6. Passacaglia, Op.33b From 'Peter Grimes'
  7. The Viola Can Bring A Special, Rich Twanginess To Pizzicato That The Violins Lack./Don Quixote/Berlioz Drew Sounds From It That Retain Their Metallic Strangeness Even Today.
  8. Harold In Italy (Mvt 4)
  9. The Muted Viola: Intimate, Gentle, Poignant In Dvork
  10. Cypresses (No.9)
  11. The Massed Violas Of The Modern Symphony Orchestra In Mahler
  12. Symphony No.4 (Mvt 3)
  13. The 'Period' Viola In Bach
  14. Brandenburg Concerto No.6 (Last Mvt)
  15. The Cello: A Voice Of Unique Nobility
  16. Suite No.1 For Unaccompanied Cello (Prelude)
  17. Brahms And The 'Soul' Of The Cello
  18. Piano Concerto No.2 In B Flat Major (Mvt 3)
  19. Most Orchestral Composers Tend To Emphasize The Cello's Lower Register.
  20. Cantata 'Herz Und Mund Und Tat Und Leben', BWV 147 (Soprana Aria: Bereite Dir, Jesu)
  21. In The Time Of Beethoven The Cello Remained As Fundamental As Ever.
  22. Symphony No.3 'Eroica' (Finale)
  23. But The Cello Is Not Condemned To Spend Its Life In The Basement.
  24. Elfentanz, Op.39
  25. Not Only In Recital Showpieces Like That Is The Cello Is Used In Its Highest Register.
  26. The Protecting Veil (Opening)
  27. A Cello With An Identity-Crisis: The Pizzicato Flamencan
  28. Flamenco
  29. Double-Stopping In The Lower Reaches Of The Cello's Range
  30. Solo Suiet For Cello And Piano (Sardana)
  31. It's In The Middle Register That The Cello Really Comes Into Its Own.
  32. Oriental Dance, Op.2 No.2
  33. It Was To The Cellos That Beethoven Gave Two Of His Most Famous Themes./Symphony No.5 (Mvt 2)/Still More Famous Than That Theme Is This One From The Ninth Symphony.
  34. Symphony No.9 (Finale)
  35. Introduction To The Double-Bass
  36. The Carnival Of The Animals (The Elephant)
  37. But The Double-Bass Can Be Intensely Expressive And Graceful.
  38. Elegy No.1 In D Major
  39. The Range Of The Double-Bass Is The Greatest Of All The String Instruments/Allegro Di Concerto, 'Alla Mendelssohn'/And It's Also Capable Of Very Considerable Virtuosity.
  40. Capriccio Di Bravura
  41. Double-Bass Solos In Orchestral Scores Are Rare But Often Memorable./Symphony No.1 'Titan' (Mvt 3)/In His Third Symphony Mahler Makes A Very Different Use Of The Instrument./Symphony No.3 (Mvt 1)
  42. The Double-Bass Muted In Prokofiev/Lieutenant Kije Suite (Kije's Wedding)/In Another Work Prokofiev Uses The Double-Bass To Enhance The Winds./Romeo And Juliet (Act III)/And He Combines The Bass Clarinet With A Shivering Tremolo From The Double-Basses....
  43. Symphony No.5 (Mvt 3)/So Much For The Strings/On Now To The Winds

Tracks:

  1. The Antiquity And Magic Of The Flute
  2. Prelude A L'Apres-Midi D'Un Faune
  3. The Versatility And Agility Of The Flute
  4. Orchestral Suite No.2 In B Minor (Badinerie)
  5. The Flute In Fifteenth-Century Spain
  6. Sa'Dawi
  7. Other Flutes: The Bass And Alto
  8. Chamber Music No.II
  9. The Piccolo - Aptly Named
  10. La Naissance D'Osiris (Mvt 6)
  11. From A Piccolo Of The Eighteenth Century To One Of Its Descendants In The Twentieth
  12. Suite No.1 For Small Orchestra (Valse)
  13. A Variety Of Techniques
  14. Chamber Music No.II
  15. Flutter-Tonguing. But Tchaikovsky Got There Eighty Years Before.
  16. The Nutcracker (Act II, No.2: Scene)
  17. From The Transverse To The Vertical: The Baroque Recorder
  18. Recorded Suite In A Minor (Menuet II)
  19. An Unfamiliar, Early Vision Of The Instrument
  20. Naelden, Naelden
  21. The Bachian Oboe
  22. Cantata 'Ein Feste Burg Ist Unser Gott', BWV 80 (No.7: Duetto)
  23. Introduction To The Cor Anglais Or 'English Born'
  24. Symphony No.9 'From The New World' (Mvt 2)
  25. The Loneliness Of The Cor Anglais
  26. The Swan Of Tuonela
  27. The Cor Anglais Joins The French Horn In Haydn.
  28. Symphony No.22 'The Philosopher' (Opening)
  29. Introduction To The Oboe D'Amore, Beloved Of Bach - But Also Of Ravel
  30. Bolero
  31. The Clarinet Family: Boxing The Compass, From The Depths Of The Bass Clarinet.../The Egyptian (Violence)/...To The Raucous And Squealy.../Taras Bulba (The Death Of Ostap)/...To The Shrill And Complaining...
  32. Petrushka (No.8: Peasant With Bear)/...To The High Sprits Of A Playful Puppy./Symphonie Fantastique (Last Mvt)/And To The Downright Jazzy/Romeo And Juliet (Act II)
  33. As The High Clarinets Tend To Be Loud, So The Bass Tends To Be Soft:
  34. Gayane Suite No. 1 (Mvt 5)
  35. The Bass Clarinet Is Used By Most Composers Mainly As A Colouring Agent.../Petrushka (No.4: The Blackamoor)/...But It Does Occasionally Get A Whole Tune To Itself./Iberia (Almeria).
  36. The Range Of The Normal Clarinet Parts Goes Quite High...
  37. The Snow Maiden (Scene 5: Melodrama)
  38. ...And Quite Low.
  39. Peter And The Wolf (The Cat)
  40. The Clarinet As Concerto Soloist
  41. Clarinet Concerto In A Major (Rondo)
  42. But That's Not The Instrument Mozart Wrote It For; This Is:
  43. Clarinet Concerto In A Major (Rondo)
  44. Introduction To The Saxophone
  45. Hary Janos Suite (Mvt 4)
  46. The Soprano Saxophone Has Quite A Different Feel To It.
  47. L'Arlesienne Suite No.1 (Minuet)
  48. The Little Sopranino Sax Goes Even Higher.
  49. Bolero
  50. The Most Famous Use Of The Saxophone Is In An Orchestration By Ravel.
  51. Pictures At An Exhibition (The Old Castle)
  52. The Saxophone Can Be Quite Contagiously Good-Humoured.
  53. Sax-O-Phun
  54. The Puffa-Puffa Image Of The Bassoon
  55. Peter And The Wolf (Grandfather)
  56. The Bachian Bassoon, In Accompanimental Mode
  57. Cantata 'Weichet Nur, Betrubte Schatten' ('Wedding Cantata'), BWV 202 (Aria No.1)
  58. Bizet Leaves The Puffa-Puffa Image Out, Allowing The Bassoon To Sing./Carmen Suite No.1 (Les Dragons D'Alcala)
  59. And Ravel, Also In Spanish Mode, Does Likewise.
  60. Bolero
  61. The Bassoon As A Voice Of High Seriousness, Indeed Desolate Loneliness
  62. Symphony No.3 (Opening)
  63. The Eerie Bassoon In Its Highest Register
  64. The Rite Of Spring (Opening)
  65. Stravinsky Now Draws On Its Lowest Register, Lonely And Melancholy.
  66. The Firebird Suite (1919, Berceuse)
  67. The Bassoon As Concerto Soloist, Avoiding All Exaggeration
  68. Bassoon Concerto In G Minor (Finale)
  69. The Deep-Voiced Contra-Bassoon, As A Fairy-Tale Beast
  70. Ma Mere L'Oye - Mother Goose (Beauty And The Beast)
  71. The French Horn Under Its Woodwind Hat
  72. Wind Quintet, Op.43 (Last Mvt)
  73. Now A More Prominent Role, In A Woodwind Quintet From An Earlier Era
  74. Wind Quintet In A Minor, Op.100 No.5 (Mvt 2)
  75. The Horn In Harmonious Blend With Strings In Another Quintet
  76. Horn Quintet, K.407 (Finale)

Tracks:

  1. The Trumpet As Virtuoso Soloist
  2. Brandenburg Concerto No.2 (Last Mvt)
  3. The Special Brillance Of Paired Trumpets
  4. Concerto In C For Two Trumpets, RV537 (Mvt 1)
  5. The Ceremonial Trumpet
  6. Fanfare For The Common Man
  7. Trumpets And Drums - An Incomparable Alliance
  8. Messiah (The Trumpet Shall Sound)
  9. The Versatility Of The Trumpet, From The Most Public To The Most Lonely
  10. Piano Concerto In F (Slow Mvt)
  11. The Trumpet As The Voice Of The City/An American In Paris/The Trumpet As Recruitment Officer/The Soldier's Tale (The March)/The Trumpet As Swaggerer
  12. Carmen Suite No.2 (Habanera)
  13. The Trumpet As The Voice Of Strength And Courage
  14. Carmet Suite No.2 (Toreador's Song)
  15. The Trumpet Muted/Petrushka (No.4: The Blackamoor)/Lieutenant Kije Suite (Opening)/The Trumpet As The Voice Of Weariness
  16. Billy The Kid
  17. The Trumpet As Character Actor
  18. Pictures At An Exhibition (No.6)
  19. The Trumpet As The Voice Of God
  20. Mass In B Minor ('Et Exspecto')
  21. The Birth Of The Trombone
  22. Aenmerckt Nu Hier
  23. The Birth Of The Brass As A Family
  24. Canzon 12 In Double Echo
  25. The Trombone In The Eighteenth Century
  26. Trombone Concerto In B Flat Major (Finale)
  27. The Tone Of The Tenor Trombone/Romance For Trombone And Organ/The Memorable Voice Of The Bass Trombone/Requiem (Mvt 2)/But The Bass Trombone Is More Than An Instrumental Bullfrog.
  28. Hosannah
  29. The Trombones Become Part Of The Orchestra.
  30. Symphony No.5 (Finale)
  31. The Wagnerian Trombone:/Overture To 'Tannhauser'
  32. The Trombone As Caricaturist
  33. Pulcinella (No.19: Vivo)
  34. The Trombone As Raspberry/Concerto For Orchestra (Intermezzo)
  35. The Horn And The Hunt
  36. Horn Concerto No.4 In E Flat, K.495 (Finale)
  37. The Challenging Horn Of The Baroque
  38. Abaris Ou Les Boreades (Menuet)
  39. The Scarcity Of First-Rate Players In Handel's Time
  40. Walter Music (Minuet 1)
  41. The Horn As Magician/The Firebird Suite (1919, Finale)
  42. Horns And The Sound Of Nobility
  43. Overture To 'Tannhauser' (Opening)
  44. The Special Sound Of The Horn In Its Higher Register
  45. Mass In B Minor ('Quoniam Tu Solus Sanctus')
  46. The Trumpet-Like Sound Of Massed Horns
  47. Symphony No.3 (Mvt 1, Opening)
  48. The Tuba - Unfairly Maligned?
  49. Symphony No.6 (Mvt 3)
  50. The Tuba Perfectly Cast By Ravel
  51. Pictures At An Exhibition (Bydlo)

Tracks:

  1. Introduction. And We Begin With A Bang.
  2. Fanfare For The Common Man/The Bass Drum On The Battlefields/Wellington's Victory, Op.91 (Opening)
  3. At The Opposite Extreme Is The Triangle.
  4. Piano Concerto No.1 In E Flat (Scherzo)
  5. Categories Of Percussion: Tuned And Untuned. The Side Drum
  6. Overture To 'La Gazza Ladra' - The Thieving Magpie (Opening)
  7. The Side Drum In An Effective But Unexpected Role/Clarinet Concerto (Mvt 1)
  8. The Tambourine. One Of The Oldest Instruments In The World
  9. Den Hoboecken Dans
  10. Even Older Is The Originally Oriental Gong.
  11. Ma Mere L'Oye - Mother Goose (Laideronette)
  12. No Single Instrument Can Match The Gong In Evoking The Breaking Of Waves./Passacaglia, Op.33b From 'Peter Grimes'/But Gongs Don't Have To Be Struck To Be Effective.
  13. Gymnopedie No.2
  14. The Cymbals Are Generally Discovered Early In Life./The Sanguine Fan/And They Do More Than Clash Together Loudly. They Can Be Clashed Together Softly./Studio Example: But They Needn't Be Clashed Together At All/Studio Example: They Can Be Lightly...
  15. Other Untuned Percussion Instruments Include The Whip.: Piano Concerto In G Major (Opening)/And Here Are No Fewer Than Twenty, Cracked By Tchaikovsky: The Nutcracker (Act I, Scene 5)
  16. More Versatile Than The Whip Are The Wood Blocks.../Studio Example/...Which Crop Up All Over The Place In Twentieth-Century American Music.
  17. Rodeo (Hoe-Down)
  18. Related To The Wood Blocks, By Sound, Are The Castanets./Jota Aragonesa/But The Castanets Were Also Used By Monteverdi Back In The Seventeenth Century.
  19. Scherzi Musicali (Damigella Tutta Belle)
  20. A Still Earlier Example From Fifteenth-Century Spain
  21. Yo M'Enamori D'Un Aire
  22. The Birth Of The Bongo
  23. Symphonic Dances From 'West Side Story'
  24. From The Streets Of New York To The Blacksmith's Shop/Il Trovatore ('Anvil Chorus')
  25. Desert-Island Decibels: Grand Canyon Suite (On The Trail)/Arcana
  26. From One Vegetable To Another: The Humble Squash, Or Marrow/Huapango
  27. Onwards To The Tuned Percussion. First, The Timpani
  28. Also Sprach Zarathustra (Introduction)
  29. But The Drum Roll Can Be More Effectively Frightening Than The Big Bang.: Symphony No.2 'Resurrection' (Mvt 3)
  30. Not One Drum Roll, But Many/Grand Canyon Suite (Sunrise)/Symphonie Fantastique (Last Mvt)
  31. Taking Advantage Of Tunability
  32. Music For Strings, Percussion And Celeste (Mvt 2)
  33. The Russian Composer Rodion Shchedrin Takes A Downward Turn./Carmen Suite (Changing Of The Guard)/Tuned, Yes; But For The Truly Melodic We Must Look Elsewhere.
  34. Introducing The Glockenspiel/Carmen Suite (Carmen's Entrance And Habanera)
  35. Saint-Saens And The Xylophone
  36. The Carnival Of The Animals (Fossils)
  37. Ravel And The Xylophone
  38. Ma Mere L'Oye - Mother Goose (Laideronette)
  39. Introducing The Marimba/Carmen Suite (First Intermezzo)
  40. Introducing The Vibraphone
  41. The Treasure Of The Sierra Madre (Narange Dolce)
  42. The Vibraphone Goes Russian.../Carmen Suite (Carmen's Entrance And Habanera)/...And Is Joined By The Marimba./Carmen Suite (Carmen's Entrance And Habanera)
  43. Introducing The Hungarian Cimbalom
  44. Folk Dances
  45. The Cimbalom And The Symphony Orchestra
  46. Hary Janos Suite (Mvt 3)
  47. Introducing The Tubular Bells
  48. Hary Janos Suite (Viennese Musical Clock)
  49. A More 'Up-Front' Approach From Rodion Shchedrin
  50. Carmen Suite (Introduction)
  51. But The Bells Can Also Make The Sinister Even More Sinister./Symphony No.7 'Sinfonia Antartica' (Mvt 1)
  52. Introducing The Celeste
  53. The Nutcracker (Dance Of The Sugar Plum Fairy)
  54. Magic, In The Use Of Collective Percussion
  55. Miroirs (La Vallee Des Cloches)
  56. Plucked Instruments: The 'Undercover Percussion'/Carmen Suite (Scene)
  57. A Prime Case In Point Is The Harp, Irresistible To The Romantics./The Nutcracker (Act II, No.1: Scene)/The Non-Solo Harp As An Integral Part Of The Orchestra/Hungarian Rhapsody No.1
  58. The Traditionally Subservient Role Of The Harpsichord In The Baroque Orchestra
  59. Brandenburg Concerto No.2 (Slow Mvt)
  60. The Piano: King Of The Tuned Percussion/Symphony No.3 'Organ' (Mvt 3)/And A Quarter Of A Century After That:
  61. Petrushka (Russian Dance)
  62. The Anti-Romantic Piano As An Integral Part Of The Orchestra
  63. Music For Strings, Percussion And Celeste (Last Mvt)

Tracks:

  1. Keyboard Instruments In The Orchestra - The Most Powerful Of Them All:
  2. Symphony No.3 'Organ' (Finale)
  3. But Things In Handel's Day Were Very Different.
  4. Organ Concerto In B Flat, Op.4 No.3 (Last Mvt)
  5. The Organ Is Difficult To Classify.
  6. An Unexpected, Organ-related Guest
  7. Concerto Pour Zampogna (Last Mvt)
  8. Peasant-Fancying... And A Touch Of The Roaming Cowboy
  9. Les Miserables (Drink With Me)
  10. Outside Artefacts And The Power Of Association
  11. Mahler's Sleighbells
  12. Symphony No.4 (Opening)
  13. A Roll-Call Of Some Unusual Guests/The Typewriter/Parade
  14. Chains, And More/Integrales/An American In Paris/Sandpaper Ballet
  15. Purpose-Built Oddities: Wind Machines/Symphony No.7 'Sinfonia Antartica' (Opening)
  16. Don Quixote (Variation VIII)
  17. National Calling Cards: The Guitar For Spain/Concierto De Aranjuez (Finale)
  18. And The Guitar's Poor American Relative, The Banjo/Washington Breakdown
  19. And Poorer Still, The Mouth Organ/The Treasure Of The Sierra Madre (Packing Up)
  20. The Balalaika For Russia/Romeo And Juliet (Act II: No.14)
  21. The Maracas For Mexico/The Treasure Of The Sierra Madre (El Desayuno)
  22. The Bongos And Congas And A Whole Wealth Of Other Drums For Africa And Central America/Studio Example
  23. The Sitar Of India/Evening Raga: Bhapoli
  24. The Accordion For France (Especially Paris)/Paris Canaille
  25. The Zither For Vienna/The Third Man (Theme)
  26. The Cimbalom For Hungary/Folk Dances
  27. The Guitar As An Integral Part Of The Orchestra/Rondena
  28. There Are Whole Orchestras Of Balalaikas./Sveit Mesiats
  29. The Effect Of The Wordless Human Voice, Used Purely As An Instrument/Symphony No.7 'Sinfonia Antartica' (Mvt 1)
  30. Nocturnes
  31. Instruments And the Imitation Of Nature. The Clarinet As Cuckoo
  32. The Carnival Of The Animals (The Cuckoo)
  33. The Flute As An All-purpose Aviary
  34. The Carnival Of The Animals (The Aviary)
  35. The Oboe As Duck
  36. Peter And The Wolf (The Duck)
  37. The Recording Of Reality. Does It Work As Well?
  38. The Pines Of Rome (The Pines Of The Janiculum)
  39. The Recording Of Reality Electronically Reborn In New Guises
  40. Cantus Articus - Concerto For Birds And Orchesra (Mvt 2)
  41. Beethoven Turns Avian: Cuckoo, Nightingale, And Quail
  42. Symphony No.6 'Pastoral' (Andante Molto Mosso)
  43. Some Improbable Casting: The Violin As Braying Donkey
  44. The Carnival Of The Animals (Persons With Long Ears)
  45. A Truly Orchestral Hee-haw To Be Reckoned With
  46. Overture To 'A Midsummer Night's Dream'
  47. A Thunderstorm In A Million
  48. Symphony No.6 'Pastoral (Allegro-Allegretto)
  49. the Instrumental Depiction Of A Silent World
  50. The Carnival Of The Animals (The Aquarium)
  51. Saint-Saens' Menagerie Takes A Curtain Call.
  52. The Carnival Of The Animals (Finale)

Tracks:

  1. The Grouping Of Instrumental Families. An Additive Approach. First, Two Violins
  2. Forty-Four Duos (No.4)
  3. A Great Contrast, Of Both Pitch And Character: Violin And Viola
  4. Duo For Violin And Viola In B Flat Major, K.424 (Finale, Vars 1 & 2)/Studio Example
  5. Arrival Of The Standard String Trio: Violin, Viola, And Cello
  6. String Trio In B Flat (Menuetto)
  7. The String Quartet: Two Violins, Viola, And Cello
  8. String Quartet In F, Op.18 No.1 (Mvt 3)
  9. The String Quintet - When The Extra Instrument Is A Second Viola
  10. String Quartet No.5 In D, K.593 (Adagio)
  11. The String Quintet - When The Extra Instrument Is A Second Cello
  12. String Quintet In C (Mvt 3)
  13. The String Sextet: Two Violins, Two Violas, And Two Cellos
  14. String Sextet In B Flat (Mvt 2)
  15. The String Octet: The Standard String Quaret Times Two
  16. Octet In E Flat, Op.20 (Mvt 1)
  17. Double The String Octet: A Fully Fledged String Orchestra
  18. String Symphony No.2 (Finale)
  19. The Massed Strings Of A Symphony Orchestra
  20. Fantasia On A Theme Of Thomas Tallis
  21. Contrasts Of Pitch And Instrumental 'Colour' In The Woodwind Section
  22. Wind Quintet In A Minor, Op.100 No.5 (Theme)
  23. In The First Variation It's The Horn That Gets The Lion's Share.
  24. Wind Quintet In A Minor, Variation 1
  25. In Variation Two The Torch Is Handed To The Bassoon.
  26. Wind Quintet In A Minor, Variation 2
  27. In Variation Three The Oboe Leads.
  28. Wind Quintet In A Minor, Variation 3
  29. Variation Four: Conversation Before Returning To A Solo-dominated Texture
  30. Wind Quintet In A Minor, Variation 4
  31. And Variation Five is Dominated By The Clarinet.
  32. Wind Quintet In A Minor, Variation 5
  33. The Next To Be Featured Is The Virtuoso Flute.
  34. Wind Quintet In A Minor, Variation 6
  35. Individual Farewells And A Closing Chorus
  36. Wind Quintet In A Minor, Variation 7
  37. A Mixed Group: Clarinet, Bassoon, Horn, String Quartet, And Double-Bass
  38. Octet In F (Mvt 3)
  39. The Early Classical Symphony Orchestra Of Haydn And Mozart
  40. Symphony No.29 In A, K.201 (Finale)
  41. Strings, Wind, But No Brass. What Haydn And Mozart Never Knew
  42. Canzon 28
  43. Beethoven's Fifth: Two Horns, Two Trumpets, And Three Trombones Join The Team.
  44. Symphony No.5 (Finale)
  45. From Beethoven To The Massive Orchestras Of Berlioz, Wagner, And Mahler
  46. Beethoven Changed The Face Of The Symphony And The Orchestra Forever
  47. Symphoy No.6 'Tragic' (Mvt 1)
  48. The Cult Of Orchestral Elephantiasis Reaches Its Peak.
  49. Symphony No.1 'Gothic' (VI: Te Ergo Quaesumus)
  50. When Large Doesn't Necessarily Mean Loud: Debussy
  51. Images (Gigues)
  52. A Crisis Of Confidence; The Orchestra's Survival Hangs In The Balance, But It Still Develops. The Ondes Martenot:
  53. Turangalila Symphony (Chant D'amour 1)
  54. The Advent Of The 'Early Music' Movement Brings A New Vitality And Freshness.
  55. Balle De Xerxes (Gavotte En Rondeau)
  56. Computer And Synthesiser: Friends Or Foes?
  57. Concerto In D Minor For Two Violins (Largo)
  58. A Speculative Look Ahead/Mass In B Minor ('Dona Nobis Pacem')

Customer Reviews:

5 out of 5 stars Instruments of the Orchestra - Great Reference Material!.......2007-04-04

This set lends itself to greatly enhancing one's knowledge of the orchestra, instruments in it, and their usage. I am a huge music buff, and I still picked up a great deal I previously did not know. I highly recommend this for all who wish to understand the origin of music, as well as the processes that are employed to create music!

5 out of 5 stars Beginner or Expert.......2007-03-12

This CD is excellent for the beginner or expert! To be able to haear the instrumets separately and then together really provides a good education. and/or refresher. The book thaty comes with the CD is alomost worth the price by itself!

5 out of 5 stars Very Informative and Enjoyable.......2006-11-20

Whether you're a music novice or pro, "The instruments of the Orchestra" is a very worthwhile purchase. The 7 CDs, with a total of 8 hours, are expertly narrated by Jeremy Siepmann. He's a great speaker, very much like the late Leonard Bernstein was. Mr. Siepmann takes you on an unforgetable musical journey covering the origins and use of the various orchestral instruments throughout musical history. The balance between his narration and a wealth of musical examples, which range from snippets to entire movements, is superb. The comprehensive enclosed booklet is excellent and faithfully follows the 7 CDs in content. Even with my 40+ years of music training I still learned new things from this wonderful collection. Considering the excellence of the content, and a cost that translates to about $5 per disc, this collection is a great value. Grab it, you won't regret that you did. Five solid stars!

3 out of 5 stars Frank's view.......2006-08-19

This boxed set of CD's with booklet achieved all I had hoped that it would. There are good samples of individual instruments and well done commentary on each. The only drawback was that some of the samples were too brief and could have been longer, hoiwever I guess this fits in with time constraints of the medium. It has given me a lot of clues as to future purchases of CD's for listening to individual instruments. Altogeth a satisfactory purchase and a welcome addition to my collection.

5 out of 5 stars Excellent Intro for Those Not Familiar with the Orchestra.......2003-11-08

I've listened to classical music for years and am interested in composition. I bought this CD set to learn how an orchestra and its instruments work. I thought the CDs would be a nice but boring lecture. They aren't! Not only are they FUN but they are informative as well. I learned a huge amount from each CD and couldn't wait to listen to the next one.

The narrator and writer is a great speaker and holds your attention well. He is definitely knowledgeable. He provides musical examples for each point he makes, so you get to "hear" what he just talked about. I'd say the CDs are about 65% music and 35% narration. You'll learn about the range of instruments, some history, different ways to play them, how they sound, and how they are used in the orchestra. This CD set was a great learning experience and is sold at such a low price!

I recommend this CD for those who want to learn about classical music and those who know about it but are interested in learning more about the inner workings of an orchestra. You'll learn much useful information. For instance, the Rite of Spring (with that eerie start) is written for bassoon! I never knew a bassoon could sound like that but now I do.

The one complaint I have is the last CD. This deals with the orchestra. I wanted more of a tour of how the orchestra has been used through history up to the present. Instead, it was a tour of how different groups of instruments sound. I thought it could have been better. The other 6 CDs are excellent.
Mozart: Complete String Trios & Duos
Average customer rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • forgotten masterpieces
  • Eclipsed
  • A style made for Mozart
  • A nice pair
  • Nobody like Artur Grumiaux for Mozart violin music!
 Mozart: Complete String Trios & Duos

Manufacturer: Philips
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

DuetsDuets | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music
TriosTrios | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music
GeneralGeneral | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music
All Works by Wolfgang Amadeus MozartAll Works by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart | Mozart, Wolfgang Amadeus | ( M ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music
FuguesFugues | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music
GeneralGeneral | Classical (c.1770-1830) | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music
GeneralGeneral | Classical | Styles | Music
Similar Items:
  1. Mozart: The Complete Piano Trios
  2. Mozart: Violin Concertos
  3. Mozart: The Six String Quintets
  4. Mozart: The Violin Sonatas
  5. Complete String Quintets

ASIN: B0000041EK
Release Date: 1996-06-11

Tracks:

  1. Divertimento (String Trio) In E Flat, KV 563: Allegro
  2. Divertimento (String Trio) In E Flat, KV 563: Adagio
  3. Divertimento (String Trio) In E Flat, KV 563: Menuetto. Allegretto - Trio
  4. Divertimento (String Trio) In E Flat, KV 563: Andante
  5. Divertimento (String Trio) In E Flat, KV 563: Menuetto. Allegretto - Trio I - II
  6. Allegro
  7. Duo For Violin And Viola In G, KV 423: 1. Allegro
  8. Duo For Violin And Viola In G, KV 423: Adagio
  9. Duo For Violin And Viola In G, KV 423: Rondeau, Allegro
  10. Duo For Violin And Viola In B Flat, KV 424: Adagio - Allegro
  11. Duo For Violin And Viola In B Flat, KV 424: Andante cantabile
  12. Duo For Violin And Viola In B Flat, KV 424: Tema con variazioni. Andante grazioso - Allegretto - Allegro

Tracks:

  1. Sonate (Trio) In B Flat, KV 266: Adagio
  2. Sonate (Trio) In B Flat, KV 266: Menuetto, Allegretto
  3. Six Preludes And Fugues For Violin, Viola And Cello, KV 404a No. 1 In D Minor: Adagio
  4. Six Preludes And Fugues For Violin, Viola And Cello, KV 404a No. 1 In D Minor: Fuga
  5. Six Preludes And Fugues For Violin, Viola And Cello, KV 404a No.2 In G Minor: Adagio
  6. Six Preludes And Fugues For Violin, Viola And Cello, KV 404a No.2 In G Minor: Fuga
  7. Six Preludes And Fugues For Violin, Viola And Cello, KV 404a No. 3 In F: Adagio
  8. Six Preludes And Fugues For Violin, Viola And Cello, KV 404a No. 3 In F: Fuga
  9. Six Preludes And Fugues For Violin, Viola And Cello, KV 404a No. 4 In F: Adagio
  10. Six Preludes And Fugues For Violin, Viola And Cello, KV 404a No. 4 In F: Fuga
  11. Six Preludes And Fugues For Violin, Viola And Cello, KV 404a No. 5 In E Flat: Largo
  12. Six Preludes And Fugues For Violin, Viola And Cello, KV 404a No. 5 In E Flat: Fuga
  13. Six Preludes And Fugues For Violin, Viola And Cello, KV 404a No. 6 In F Minor: Adagio
  14. Six Preludes And Fugues For Violin, Viola And Cello, KV 404a No. 6 In F Minor: Fuga

Customer Reviews:

5 out of 5 stars forgotten masterpieces.......2007-02-22

I was a little surprised to see so many reviews for this CD, most of them are full of praise. As I, too, am full of praise I can be brief.
First I must confess that, after listening to Mozart for well over 40 years, it is only very recently that I came accross any of the works on these CDs. I heard the last movement of the string trio and went straight to the computer to get it. As last year was Mozart's 250th birthday and we were deluged with his music this is incredble.
The string trio K563 is a late work by a mature Mozart, it is a very fine work, beautifully played by Arthur Grumiaux and friends. The two duos for violin and viola is another great find for me, more superb Mozart. These do not have a bass line, the composition is so good that they don't need one, indeed I was well into them before I noticed that there wasn't one. In all of these works all the instruments are equals, there is lots of work for the viola and the cello too has an important role. The six preludes and fugues again were new to me, but I am getting to know them and love them.
This is another excellent recording of Mozart's chamber music from Philips Duo, and well worth full marks. I recommend it highly, especially for Mozart lovers. If you are not well versed in Mozart I might suggest that you start with his concertos and instrumental works before you buy these Cds.

3 out of 5 stars Eclipsed.......2006-08-04

For me the point here is the K.563, and while I have loved Grumiaux's playing for decades, and this is a nice older [1967] recording, it is completely blown away by the recent recording by Yo Yo Ma, Gidon Kremer, and Kim Kashkashian. On the other hand, the latter recording is defective in that the technicians managed to make the violin sound shrill and harsh -- the usual suspects are of course recording engineers who've spent much of their careers blowing out their high-end hearing listening to and working with "rock and roll" recordings, and thus needing to boost the highs in order to hear them; at the same time, it was miked much too closely. At least the Philips recordings were done in an era when the engineers were older folks who had spent their careers listening to and recording music. My choice: the Ma / Kremer / Kashkashian CD, but with my treble control cranked down....

5 out of 5 stars A style made for Mozart.......2005-08-26

Here is yet another great Mozart Philips recording featuring the elegant playing of Arthur Grumiaux. The String Quintets and Violin Concertos are other ones. When you hear Grumiaux play Mozart like this, you think, "Now, how can one top that?" Such a dignified, galante and poised style as his is perfect for Mozart's music. These two CD's provide a cournacopia of Mozart delights played magnificantly by Arthur Grumiaux and friends: three string duos, the one and only great string trio (K.563) and a rather unique collection of preludes and fugues mostly transcribed from Bach's "Well Tempered Clavier" for violin and viola. Each work also has an interesting story behind it as does most of Mozart's music.

Two of the late duos Mozart wrote were "ghost written" for a terribly ill Michael Haydn - a comtemporary and great friend of Mozart. As history goes, Haydn had promised a series of six duos for the impatient Archbishop Colloredo and was two short. Mozart's continual visiting the ill Haydn and lightening-fast composing of these two duos reveal the compassionate, warm-hearted side of Mozart. In each you can hear both Haydn and Mozart by the various musical mannerisms, but they eventually passed off as Haydn's works just fine.

The trio is a late work (K563/626) that was written in 1788 - the year that Mozart's popularity with the fickle Vieneese dwindled and life strarted to fall apart. But, one would never know this from the skill and stature of the great work. Having a full six movements lasting a full 45 minutes, the string trio is a work of grand scale and rich diversity that does not once become bogged down, repetitive or dull. The equality of the part writing is especially notable as much as is the complex sonorities, intelligent design and lyrical charm. It ranks right up there with his quintets as Mozart's most accomplished chamber works.

Perhaps the surprize delight of the set are the six preludes and fugues, most of which are transcribed from JS Bach (and one each from JC Bach and Mozart). It is said that Mozart's wife Constanze adored the fugues of Bach and Handel upon first hearing them in 1782 and supposedly begged her husband to compose such music - which apparently he obliged with these works here. Of course they sound like Bach as they mostly are Bach. The Grumiaux Trio makes them sound glorious from their rich and nuanced playing and the fine Philip's sound quality. Overall, a rich, rewarding listening experience.

If you are new to Mozart's chamber music, these Philips DUO sets are excellent CD's to collect. The most recommended Philips Mozart CD's are: The Great Piano Concertos Vol I, II, the Violin Concertos, Great Quintets Vol. I and II, the Piano Trios and String Trios/Duos here. Then, the Great Seranades, the six 'Haydn' String Quartets, the two Piano Quartets and Great Violin Sonatas Vol. I, II are also fine music.

5 out of 5 stars A nice pair.......2005-06-22

Not much to add here: 1st CD: The string trio K. 563 is a peer to Mozart's greatest quartets and quintets. Period! The string duos K. 423 and 424 are simple in sound, but rich in texture; the simplicity of means calls for advanced composing and Mozart doesn't dissappoint. 2nd CD: The trio K. 266 is less interesting, but the six preludes and fugues are really great, fusions of Mozart and Bach. All the playing is excellent.

5 out of 5 stars Nobody like Artur Grumiaux for Mozart violin music!.......2004-07-19

Joseph Szigetti gave a towering surprise with the ten violin sonatas , but Grumiaux was a real fighter for this Mozart music so plenty of lyricism.

The vibrato and musicality given for Grumiaux is out of this world. His playing is kindness enjoyable extremely cantabile and above all deeply idomatic , loaded with majesty and charm and intimacy.

This belgium violinist was a pupil of Georges Enesco . Pleas acquire also the trio Kv 563 . I've never a recording that rivalizes with that.
Certainly Grumiaux was a champion master in this field!

If you take a look around about the most remarkable string Trios, you will find out that these are not so many. Before that immense Mozart's Divertimento in E flat Kv. 563, written in 1788, we just find a dozen of Trios by Bocherini and after, Beethoven Piano Trios, Schubert, Tchaikovsky, Brahms. Dvorak Dohnayi, Webern, Roussel and Schoenberg. In this sense and taking into account the brief set it's obvious to state we are in presence of the most significant, pyramidal and complete string Trio ever written, not only because it was a true milestone in what concerns to structural complexity, lyrical density and enjoyable mood.

Surprisingly, it does not use to appear among the most extraordinary musical achievements ion the enormous musical legacy of the beloved son of Salzburg. But measure by measure, I wouldn't hesitate just for a second in what respects to include it among the ten best works of Mozart throughout his opulent and extraordinary production.

And particularly this version possesses that touch of genius and dazzling luminosity, filled of kind spirits, cheerful energy and rhythmic vitality.

This masterpiece by itself justifies plainly your inversion in this double CD, but additionally you will find out another treasures of highest level as both Duos for violin and viola, The Kv. 266 The six preludes and fugues for violin, viola and cello written as a profound and heartfelt homage in Bach's memory are astonishing and notable compositions by themselves.

So I think not to sin of exaggerate when I recommend you this extraordinary set, one of my most beloved albums of my personal collection and wishing for you to have. You will agree with me once you have acquired and enjoyed over and over.

It's almost useless to talk about the purity of spirit of Artur Grumiaux, one of the most distinguished, refined and honest violinists ever born as well as one of the maxim exponents of Mozart's repertoire for violin, and I don't think to sound exaggerate to affirm this record was one of his highest artistic peaks as musician.
Bartok: Complete Solo Piano Music
Average customer rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • Microcosmos
  • Great value with a few flaws
  • eeh, I guess I don't like Bartok that much
  • Best classical value out there
  • 5 Stars for the music and performance
 Bartok: Complete Solo Piano Music

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

DancesDances | Ballets & Dances | Classical | Styles | Music
GeneralGeneral | Bartók, Béla | ( B ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music
EtudesEtudes | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music
ImprovisationImprovisation | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music
ElegiesElegies | Requiems, Elegies & Tombeau | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music
RondosRondos | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music
BagatellesBagatelles | Short Forms | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music
ImpromptusImpromptus | Short Forms | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music
GeneralGeneral | Sonatas | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music
SuitesSuites | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music
Chamber MusicChamber Music | Forms & Genres | Modern, 20th, & 21st Century | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music
SonatasSonatas | Forms & Genres | Modern, 20th, & 21st Century | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music
GeneralGeneral | Keyboard | Instruments | Classical | Styles | Music
GeneralGeneral | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music
GeneralGeneral | Classical | Styles | Music
NoelsNoels | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music
General ChristmasGeneral Christmas | Holiday | Miscellaneous | Styles | Music
General ChristmasGeneral Christmas | Holiday Music | Special Features | Music
Similar Items:
  1. Bartok: The Piano Concertos
  2. Béla Bartók: The 6 String Quartets - Takács Quartet
  3. Complete Piano Works of Scriabin
  4. Bartok: Violin Concertos, Viola Concerto, 6 Duo for 2 Violins, Violin Rhapsodies; Yehudi Menuhin
  5. Brahms: Works for Solo Piano

ASIN: B00008X5AY
Release Date: 2003-05-27

Amazon.com

Sàndor, still active at 90 as this reissue appears, was a student of Bartók and a preferred interpreter of his music. Since this set appeared on nine LPs in the early 1960s, it has been the standard for Bartók's piano music; in this fine-sounding reissue, it still is. Sàndor can hit hard enough for such virtuoso pieces as the Piano Sonata and "Out of Doors," but he also retains the romantic element heard in the composer's own playing which tempers the harsher qualities of the music. While this collection isn't quite as complete as advertised (some early, insignificant piano music by Bartók is omitted), it includes all of Bartók's significant piano music, including such relatively obscure gems as the Bagatelles, eight Improvisations, and many delectable folk arrangements which will appeal even to listeners who think Bartók is too challenging for them. Vox's recorded sound, superbly remastered, resists obsolescence as effectively as Sàndor's performances. Even with the inclusion of the early books of "Mikrokosmos," which will appeal mostly to piano students, this set is worth several times the asking price. --Leslie Gerber

Customer Reviews:

4 out of 5 stars Microcosmos.......2007-03-08

Sándor was a champion not only of Bartók's music but also of Bartók's style of playing. He often complained that people were too quick to see Bartók as ultra-modern, and to fail to appreciate the rich seam of lyricism that also runs through his music.

The piano music is dominated by short pieces, many of them written for piano students, notably the collections "Microcosmos" and "For Children". These, together with suites of folk dance arrangements, make up the bulk of the solo piano output.

Sandór plays these short, and often simple pieces, with neither too much nor too little art. As a gifted teacher, he knew unerringly how much music each of these small vessels held. The result is beguiling - but be warned: no-one can listen to the 153 short pieces of Microcosmos end-to-end. This is an anthology to be dipped into, not swallowed whole.

The remastering is pretty successful (fortunately - some of Vox's CD reissues are plagued by severe deterioration of the original tapes). And it's for half nothing-what's not to like?

4 out of 5 stars Great value with a few flaws.......2006-07-28

I am not a Bartok expert by any scale, but I do like the way these pieces, without exception, are played. There are, however, a couple of other problems.

As mentioned by an earlier reviewer, very few of the works are split into tracks - Mikrokosmos is divided into 7 for each of its six volumes, and to accomodate for a full CD. In these seven tracks there are 121 songs. I would have much preferred if the songs had been split into tracks. Almost the entire CD set is this way - Fifteen Hungarian Songs is one track, Fourteen Bagatelles, etc. It is very annoying when one wants to hear a particular song in those tracks and not the others.

Another detriment to the collection is the recording quality. It is decent most of the time, but in loud sections the piano buzzes. One might be able to ignore it, but I think that it detracts from the passion of the forte quite a bit.

Overall, for $18 it is pretty decent, but if you are like me and like to keep your music library neatly organized (and aren't extremely cheap), I would not recommend this set.

3 out of 5 stars eeh, I guess I don't like Bartok that much.......2006-07-25

I like the fact that Bartok is into the folk tradition and all, but he just tends to forget the fact that melody has to be SOMEWHERE in the music. I'm all for creative expression when you're sitting alone at the piano, but abstract music should be reserved for performance art. I like playing some of your stuff Bela, but I just don't want to listen to you.

5 out of 5 stars Best classical value out there.......2005-10-05

To put this set in perspective, for months I would go to my local Tower Records fishing for worthwhile classical CDs at least once a week. One of the discs that sat in the bins the longest was a single CD of Bartok piano music, played by Zoltan Kocsis. It was Volume 7 of a complete series. This CD listed for $17.99, and as long as I went to that Tower Records, it did not budge an inch, nor was its price amended.

Now, Kocsis is one of the greatest pianists alive, and if anyone is worthy of commanding a premium, it is him. And to be fair, that CD is going to be re-released on October 11 as part of a Collector's Edition - eight CDs, $63.97 MSRP. But it's already going up against this little gem, which contains five CDs with all of the truly great solo-piano works by an internationally recognized Bartok specialist for $21 - not much more than the cost of one CD from the other set. This kind of value is not to be taken lightly.

I came to this set with my impression of Sandor informed by his complete Prokofiev - ultra-hard, sometimes rhythmically slack, always melodically lacking in some way or another. But he held a very special feeling for Bartok, and saved his best playing for the great Hungarian. In passages like the first of the Three Csik Dances, the opening of the Improvisations Op. 20, or in the Ten Easy Pieces, there is a simplicity, charm and wistful homesickness that is quite touching. In pieces like the Out of Doors suite, the Sonata, or the Burlesques, there is a vicious, impulsive energy, a wicked sense of humor and an overabundance of overtones. It is never mindless, inappropriate or even overly harsh - it's just very, very loud.

In this set I like best the endless landscape of the Sonatina, the unusual colors and fragrances in the Etudes, the brilliantly conceived Bear Dance (the last of the Ten Easy Pieces), and the multifaceted, complex, gorgeous Improvisations. Any fan of Bartok should hear these.

4 out of 5 stars 5 Stars for the music and performance.......2005-04-04

This is a fantastic deal, but the problem with this Collection stems from the fact that the pieces are often not separated by tracks. This is especially annoying for the Children's Pieces and Mikrokosmos. There are so many pieces, one wears out the fast forward button and still may miss the particular piece one is looking for. The booklet is fairly insightful, and the performer is widely hailed as the supreme interpreter of Bartok's piano music. So aside from this slightly annoying at times and ridiculously annoying at other times flaw, this is one of the best deals in Classical music. Don't hesitate. Add it to the cart.
Bartok: Violin Concertos, Viola Concerto, 6 Duo for 2 Violins, Violin Rhapsodies; Yehudi Menuhin
Average customer rating: 5 out of 5 stars
  • As good as it gets
 Bartok: Violin Concertos, Viola Concerto, 6 Duo for 2 Violins, Violin Rhapsodies; Yehudi Menuhin
Yehudi Menuhin , Bela Bartok , Pierre Boulez , Antal Dorati , New Philharmonia Orchestra , and BBC Symphony Orchestra
Manufacturer: EMI Classics
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

DancesDances | Ballets & Dances | Classical | Styles | Music
DuetsDuets | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music
GeneralGeneral | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music
GeneralGeneral | Bartók, Béla | ( B ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music
GeneralGeneral | Concertos | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music
Chamber MusicChamber Music | Forms & Genres | Classical (c.1770-1830) | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music
General ModernGeneral Modern | Modern, 20th, & 21st Century | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music
GeneralGeneral | Keyboard | Instruments | Classical | Styles | Music
ViolaViola | Strings | Instruments | Classical | Styles | Music
ViolinViolin | Strings | Instruments | Classical | Styles | Music
GeneralGeneral | Classical | Styles | Music
$7.99 and Under$7.99 and Under | Classical Music Blowout | Stores | Music
All Classical Music BlowoutAll Classical Music Blowout | Classical Music Blowout | Stores | Music
Bartók, BélaBartók, Béla | ( B ) | Composers, A-Z | Classical Music Blowout | Stores | Music
InstrumentalInstrumental | Classical Music Blowout | Stores | Music
Similar Items:
  1. Bartok: Viola Concertos
  2. Beethoven: Piano Trios, Vol. 2; Itzhak Perlman; Vladimir Ashkenazy; Lynn Harrell
  3. Beethoven: Piano Trios, Vol. 1; Itzhak Perlman; Vladimir Ashkenazy; Lynn Harrell
  4. Bartok: Complete Solo Piano Music
  5. Berg: Violin Concerto; Schoenberg: Piano Concerto; Violin Concerto

ASIN: B0000CE7FG
Release Date: 2004-06-01

Tracks:

  1. I: Andante Sostenuto
  2. II: Allegro Giocoso
  3. I: Moderato
  4. II: Adagio Religioso
  5. III: Allegro Vivace
  6. I: Lassu: Moderato/II: Friss: Allegretto Moderato
  7. I: Lassu: Moderato/II: Friss: Allegretto Moderato

Tracks:

  1. I: Allegro Non Troppo
  2. II: Andante Tranquillo
  3. III: Allegro Molto
  4. 28. Sorrow
  5. 31. New Year's Greeting 4
  6. 33. Harvest Song
  7. 36. Bagpipes
  8. 41. Scherzo
  9. 42. Arabian Song
  10. I: Tempo Di Ciaccona
  11. II: Fuga: Risoluto, Non Troppo Vivo
  12. III: Melodia: Adagio
  13. IV: Presto

Customer Reviews:

5 out of 5 stars As good as it gets.......2007-02-07

First you have to like Bartok. Not everyone enjoys the 20th century extention of classical music. If you do like Bartok and want to hear his violin compositions - then buy this CD and hear a true master at work.
Zoltán Kocsis plays Bartók
Average customer rating: 5 out of 5 stars
  • Masterful interpretation of Bartok's piano works
 Zoltán Kocsis plays Bartók

Manufacturer: Philips
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Similar Items:
  1. Debussy: Solo Piano Music; Fantaisie; Ravel: Piano Concertos
  2. Works for Solo Piano
  3. Liszt: Works for Piano and Orchestra
  4. Historic Russian Archives Emil Gilels Edition [Box Set]
  5. Plays Schubert

ASIN: B0009A41VA
Release Date: 2005-10-11

Customer Reviews:

5 out of 5 stars Masterful interpretation of Bartok's piano works.......2005-10-21

Without a doubt Bartok is one of the most influential composers of the 20th century. Combining a deep understanding of the possibilities of eastern European folk music - particularly Hungarian and Romanian - with an extremely advanced harmonic and rhythmic vocabulary, Bartok composed some of the greatest works of the last century.

Although Bartok wrote some sublime orchestral music (The Music for strings, percussion and celeste comes instantly to mind), it is in the realms of string quartet and solo piano music that Bartok reigns supreme among 20th century composers in the humble opinion of this reviewer.

So. Here is an 8 CD set of all of Bartok's solo piano music by (argueably) the pre-eminent interpreter of his piano music. These are insightful, passionate performances beautifully recorded.

I for one am thrilled to have this set - particularly since many of these CDs were unavailable up till now. The box is also very reasonably priced compared to the separate CDs.

Highly recommended - modern music begins here.
Face à face: Duos for Violin & Cello
Average customer rating: 5 out of 5 stars
  • A smile in the mind...
  • Magnificent music making!
 Face à face: Duos for Violin & Cello

Manufacturer: EMI Classics
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

DuetsDuets | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music
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All Works by HalvorsenAll Works by Halvorsen | Halvorsen, Johan | ( H ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music
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Similar Items:
  1. Inventions
  2. Brahms: Piano Trios
  3. Haydn: Cello Concertos
  4. Ravel: Sonatas & Trio
  5. Franck: Violin Sonata; Rachmaninov: Cello Sonata

ASIN: B00008ODZJ
Release Date: 2003-07-08

Tracks:

  1. Passacaille After Handel
  2. Duo Op. 7
  3. Duo Op. 7
  4. Duo Op. 7
  5. Sonate Pour Violon & Violoncelle
  6. Sonate Pour Violon & Violoncelle
  7. Sonate Pour Violon & Violoncelle
  8. Duo
  9. Duo
  10. Duo
  11. Duo
  12. God Save The King Op. 38

Amazon.com

This is a recording to induce smiles of incredulity, admiration, and delight. The Capuçon brothers are dazzling virtuosos who revel in their technical prowess with unabashed, sometimes mischievous relish; their tone is simply gorgeous: rich, vibrant, and intense, and they have the impetuosity, exuberance and abandon that befits their youth. (Renaud was born in 1976, Gautier in 1981, in Chambery, France.) The recording is designed to display every aspect of their matchless virtuosity, but equally astonishing are their uncanny rapport and unanimity and the homogeneity of their tone: they trade phrases and take over lines literally imperceptibly, and at times, especially when the cellist plays high up on the A and the violinist on the G-string, one cannot tell which instrument is playing what. The program includes a world premiere: Eric Tanguy's Sonata, written for the brothers and tailored to their strengths: two marathon run-around movements flanking a dark, passionate, slow one, all full of close interplay between the instruments. Kodály's familiar, very difficult Duo, played with great idiomatic empathy, unbridled temperament and mournful lamentation, exploits all the instruments' resources of colors and sound effects. The less familiar Duo by Erwin Schulhoff is equally difficult; with its wildly contrasting moods, abrupt changes of character and improvisatory freedom it has a powerful emotional impact. The program begins and ends with brilliant fireworks: Handel-Halvorsen's "Passacaglia," tossed off with playful nonchalance, and "Variations brillantes sur God Save the King," by two virtuosos: violinist Joseph Ghys and cellist Adrien Servais. (It is tempting to imagine that each wrote his own part.) Prefaced by a solemn, operatic Introduction, the five variations are the last word in acrobatics; the pyrotechnics are so incredible that the piece sounds like a parody of its own genre. Naturally, the playing is absolutely stunning. --Edith Eisler

Customer Reviews:

5 out of 5 stars A smile in the mind..........2003-09-12

Refreshingly interesting programming combined with virtuosic music-making makes this one of the few "must-have" classical albums of the year (2003). No re-hashes here...it's all new to the ear (well, my ear). and the sense of ensemble between these two brothers is uncanny and breathtaking, underscored throughout by a sly sense of wit...merry, witty and just plain fun! BUY THIS CD...you'll love it and you'll be supporting some darned interesting upcoming new talent! P.S. The liner notes and photos are subtley hilarious...very well put-together package.

5 out of 5 stars Magnificent music making!.......2003-07-18

The playing and music making on this disc are magnificent. The Capuçon brothers are virtuosos of the first rank, but more importantly they are incapable of playing an unmusical or uninteresting note. They speak with one voice when called upon, but are perfectly willing to engage one another in heated musical dialogue in the Kodaly and Tanguy. The performance of the Kodaly is especially wonderful. Technical perfection, panache, an infinite pallete of colors and amazing musicianship: what more could you want in a cd? I urge you to buy this cd and all others by these remarkable young brothers, especially their Ravel disc.
Duos for Violin & Guitar
Average customer rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • Beautiful, wanton butchery
  • A Sublime Serenade
  • A Perfect Combination
 Duos for Violin & Guitar

Manufacturer: Sony
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

DuetsDuets | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music
GeneralGeneral | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music
Giuliani, MauroGiuliani, Mauro | ( G ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music
GeneralGeneral | Paganini, Niccolò | ( P ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music
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Similar Items:
  1. Paganini for Two / Gil Shaham, Goran Sollscher
  2. Schubert for Two (Dig)
  3. Together/Julian Bream & John Williams
  4. Together Again/ Julian Bream & John Williams
  5. Paganini: 24 Caprices

ASIN: B00000258U
Release Date: 1990-10-25

Tracks:

  1. Centone Di Sonate, Op. 64, No. 1: Introduzione
  2. Centone Di Sonate, Op. 64, No. 1: Allegro maestoso
  3. Centone Di Sonate, Op. 64, No. 1: Rondoncino
  4. Sonata No. 6 In E Minor, Op. 3
  5. Sonata Concertata In A Major: I. Allegro spiritoso
  6. Sonata Concertata In A Major: II. Adagio assai espressivo
  7. Sonata Concertata In A Major: III. Rondeau
  8. Sonata For Violin And Guitar: I. Maestoso
  9. Sonata For Violin And Guitar: II. Theme & Variations - Theme
  10. Sonata For Violin And Guitar: II. Theme & Variations - Variation 1
  11. Sonata For Violin And Guitar: II. Theme & Variations - Variation 2
  12. Sonata For Violin And Guitar: II. Theme & Variations - Variation 3
  13. Sonata For Violin And Guitar: II. Theme & Variations - Variation 4
  14. Sonata For Violin And Guitar: III. Menuetto: Allegretto
  15. Sonata For Violin And Guitar: IV. Rondo: Allegretto
  16. Cantabile For Violin And Guitar

Customer Reviews:

3 out of 5 stars Beautiful, wanton butchery.......2001-07-11

The sound of these instruments in duo is exquisite. The performances here are stunning. Itzhak's violin sings in the hands of its master. Mr. Williams' mastery of the guitar is no less great in its power to move. It's not what is performed, but what isn't, that caused this recording by venerable masters to ruffle my feathers. All but one of the variations where the guitar assumes a lead role are edited out of the second movement of Giuliani's op. 25, perhaps Giuliani's finest chamber work. What Giuliani intended as an interesting dialog between instrumental peers has been reduced to Guitar as dog in service to master Violin with the toss of only one bone for its efforts. Simply wrong.

5 out of 5 stars A Sublime Serenade.......2000-07-25

The DUOS CD by Perlman & Williams provides the most sublime music this side of Mozart. Their presentation of the Paganini Sonata Concertata in A is particularly "otherworldly"

5 out of 5 stars A Perfect Combination.......2000-05-05

Superlatives are inadequate for describing this ineffable listening experience!

I first heard John Williams interpreting Paganini about thirty-five years ago and was excited to learn that he had teamed with Itzhak Perlman in this marvelous production. Strangely, I find myself as attracted to their collaboration with Mauro Giuliani as with Paganini.

Occasionally you find the rare classical piece, such as Corelli's La Folia, that can rapture you into a remote dimension of complete peace and unanimity. This entire album is of that genre. It would be insipid to attempt to explain the effects of this music in terms of tonality, virtuosity, etc.--sometimes when technique is perfect, the magic is missing. Call it magic, soul, genius, whatever--this is it.

Williams does some things with the Sonata in A Major that must be heard to be believed and Perlman's sweet song is the perfect compliment.

Try it in the dark with earphones.
Biber: Missa Christi resurgentis
Average customer rating: 5 out of 5 stars
  • Enjoyable Satisfacation
  • A splendid achievement
 Biber: Missa Christi resurgentis
Heinrich Ignaz Franz von Biber , Johann Heinrich Schmelzer , The English Concert , Andrew Manze , and the Choir of the English Concert
Manufacturer: Harmonia Mundi Fr.
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

DuetsDuets | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music
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All Works by BiberAll Works by Biber | Biber, Heinrich Ignaz | ( B ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music
All Works by SchmelzerAll Works by Schmelzer | Schmelzer, Johann H. | ( S ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music
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Similar Items:
  1. Cecilia Bartoli ~ Opera Proibita (Handel · Scarlatti · Caldara) / Les Musiciens du Louvre · Minkowski
  2. Biber: Unam Ceylum /Holloway * Assenbaum * Mortensen
  3. Vivaldi: Concertos for the Emperor
  4. Biber: The Rosary Sonatas
  5. Rameau: Une Symphonie Imaginaire

ASIN: B000A1JRY4
Release Date: 2005-09-13

Tracks:

  1. Fanfare No.4
  2. Sonata
  3. Kyrie
  4. Gloria
  5. Sonata A 6
  6. Credo
  7. Sonata XII
  8. Sanctus
  9. Sonata XI
  10. Sgnus Dei
  11. Fanfare No.1
  12. Sonata I
  13. Sonata V
  14. Sonata III
  15. Sonata VII

Customer Reviews:

5 out of 5 stars Enjoyable Satisfacation .......2007-07-22

I had listenned a few Biber's music, some are instrumnetal, ex mystery sonatas, die rosenkranz-sonaten, battalia,harmonia artificioso . some are vocal, requiem. Seldom I didn't like it. This time I try this Manze and the English Concert cooperate the Missa Christi Resurgentis, it is very impressive, and full colorful on instrument using, ex stringed and brass alternate with. You shouldn't treat it as a choir music.
Besides, manze served as both director and violin, he showed me another his skill. That's not what I saw in his playing on former CDs. It's worth trying, purchaing and collecting.

5 out of 5 stars A splendid achievement.......2006-04-22

Andrew Manze has done much in recent years to popularize Biber's "other" music, i.e., pieces other than the justly-renowned Rosary Sonatas, and he scores another victory with this disc of a recently-rediscovered Mass setting.

When performed in a reverberant space, antiphonal music (like Biber's) can sometimes sound muddied or confused, as group clashes with group and line with line. Manze and his band avoid this pitfall, and keep the music intelligible while still using the spacious acoustic of London's Temple Church to create excitement at the climaxes. The instrumentalists are excellent; the singers are likewise, and blend nicely.

In addition to the Mass itself (tracks 2-4, 6, 8, 10) Manze gives us instrumental music that might have been used at an Easter Mass in Biber's Salzburg. I am particularly fond of the framing trumpet fanfares, and also of the sonata by Biber's contemporary Johann Heinrich Schmelzer, which has all the excitement of a piece by the Gabrielis with a delicious Austrian flavor.

Highly recommended.
Bartók: Sonata for Solo Violin, Sz 117; 44 Duos for Two Violins
Average customer rating: 4 out of 5 stars
  • Simply Scintillating
  • A bone to pick
  • Superb Bartokian fiddling
 Bartók: Sonata for Solo Violin, Sz 117; 44 Duos for Two Violins

Manufacturer: Naxos
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Similar Items:
  1. Bartók: Rhapsodies Nos. 1 & 2; Piano Quintet
  2. Bartok: Viola Concertos
  3. Bartók: Violin Sonatas Nos. 1 & 2; Contrasts
  4. Bartok: Complete Solo Piano Music
  5. Bartók: Concerto for Orchestra; Music for Strings, Percussion and Celesta; Hungarian Sketches

ASIN: B0000013ZM
Release Date: 1995-11-21

Tracks:

  1. Tempo Di Ciacona
  2. Fuga
  3. Melodia
  4. Presto
  5. Parosfto (Teasing Song)
  6. Kalamajko (Maypole Dance)
  7. Menuetto
  8. Szentivaneji (Midsummer Night Song)
  9. Tot Nota (1) (Slovakian Song)
  10. Magyar Nota (1) (Hungarian Song)
  11. Olah Nota (Walachian Song)
  12. Tot Nota (2) (Slovakian Song)
  13. Jatek (Play Song)
  14. Ruten Nota (Ruthenian Song)
  15. Gyermekrengeteskor (Cradle Song)
  16. Szenagyujteskor (Hay Song)
  17. Lakodalmas (Wedding Song)
  18. Parnas Tanc (Pillow Dance)
  19. Katonanota (Soldiers Song)
  20. Burleszk (Burlesque)
  21. Menetelo Nota (1) (Hungarian March)
  22. Menetelo Nota (2) (Hungarian March)
  23. Mese (Fairy Tale)
  24. Dal (A Rhythm Song)
  25. Ujevkoszonto (1) (New Year's Song)
  26. Szunyogtanc (Mosquito Dance)
  27. Mennyasszonybucsuztato (Bride's Farewell)
  28. Trefas Nota (Comic Song)
  29. Magyar Nota (2) (Hungarian Song)
  30. `Ugyan Edes Komamasszony..' (Teasing Song)
  31. Santa-Tanc (Limping Song)
  32. Bankodas (Sorrow)
  33. Ujevkoszonto (2) (New Year's Greeting)
  34. Ujevkoszonto (3) (New Year's Greeting)
  35. Ujevkoszonto (4) (New Year's Greeting)
  36. MaramarosiTanc (Dance From Maramaros)
  37. Ara Taskor (Harvest Song)
  38. Szamlalo Nota (Enumerating Song)
  39. Ruten Kolomejka (Ruthenian Kolomejka)
  40. Szol A Duda (Bagpipes)
  41. Preludium Es Kanon (Prelude And Canon)
  42. Forgatos (Rumanian Whirling Song)
  43. Szerb Tanc (Serbian Dance)
  44. Olah Tanc (Walachian Dance)
  45. Scherzo
  46. Arab Dal (Arabian Song)
  47. Pizzicato
  48. `Erdelyi' Tanc (Transylvanian Dance)

Customer Reviews:

5 out of 5 stars Simply Scintillating.......2001-08-16

I found the sound quality superb on this recording of the 44 duos, which I find poignant and pungent whether listened to in sequence or shuffled. The two artists give sensitive and articulate versions of the Bartok pieces. I found some of the bowing particularly evocative and haunting on the sonata for solo violin, with which I was hitherto unfamiliar.

The moods of joy, contemplation, sadness, anger, etc. to the duos, as well as their diversity in form and complexity, make them endlessly listenable for me. I love this recording.

2 out of 5 stars A bone to pick.......2001-07-31

The Sonata and the 44 Duos are wonderful pieces to be sure, and Pauk's interpretation is good. However, the sound quality on this and every other Naxos recording I have ever heard is bad. Do Bartok the courtesy of listening to a good recording of this fantastic music.

5 out of 5 stars Superb Bartokian fiddling.......2000-09-13

Bartok's solo violin sonata is one of his most haunting masterpieces, and Gyorgy Pauk's performance equals or surpasses any of the half dozen or so I have heard. The Duos are also given a wonderfully lively and accomplished rendition, and the sound on this CD leaves nothing to be desired. A genuine bargain, as are Pauk's other Bartok recordings on Naxos. I like to put my CD player on random and let this one fill the room for its generous 73 minutes. (Listening to the entire set of duos in order can take the sparkle off them somewhat.)
Duos for Violin & Cello
Average customer rating: 4 out of 5 stars
  • Not quite what I expected but very good.
  • It's sweet
  • Looking for Intensity? Go Here.
 Duos for Violin & Cello

Manufacturer: EMI Classics
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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GeneralGeneral | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music
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Similar Items:
  1. Face à face: Duos for Violin & Cello
  2. Inventions
  3. Kodály: Music for Cello
  4. Starker Plays Kodaly
  5. Music for Cello and Piano

ASIN: B00004LCAO
Release Date: 2000-05-09

Tracks:

  1. Sonata For Violin And Cello: I. Allegro
  2. Sonata For Violin And Cello: II. Tres vif
  3. Sonata For Violin And Cello: III. Lent
  4. Sonata For Violin And Cello: Vif, avec entrain
  5. Passacaglia
  6. DUO for violin and cello Op. 7: I. Allegro serioso, non troppo
  7. DUO for violin and cello Op. 7: II. Adagio-Andante-Tempo I
  8. DUO for violin and cello Op. 7: III. Maestoso e largamente, ma non troppo lento-Presto
  9. Two-Part Invention No. 6 In E BWV777

Amazon.com

The thing with the artist formerly known as Nigel is that his audience never knows what he might do next, and that, we must assume, is the way Kennedy likes it. This release of duos for violin and cello presents music that conventionally wouldn't be found on a single disc, the concise notes stating that the Bach and Handel pieces represent the "very antithesis" of the "linear approach" of Kodály and Ravel. This contrast-and-compare approach offers effective insight into possibly unfamiliar music, a diversity closer to a concert program than a regular CD. Ravel's Sonata for violin and cello is far removed from the composer's lush orchestral sound, a stark anticipation of Bartók's Third Piano Concerto. Kodály's Duo provides warmth, strongly infused with the folk tradition of the composer's native Hungary. Cellist Lynn Harrell clearly has an affinity for such music. (He's simultaneously released a recording of Miklós Rózsa's Cello Concerto.) The Baroque-derived works are much shorter, the Bach being a new transcription of the Two-Part Invention No. 6, the Handel Passacaglia a hybrid adapted by the Norwegian conductor Johan Halvorsen from the Harpsichord Suite No.7. With superb sound and intensely focused playing, this imaginative program offers highly committed music-making. --Gary S. Dalkin

Customer Reviews:

4 out of 5 stars Not quite what I expected but very good........2001-10-09

I got this CD as a "package" along with a baroque CD I was quite familiar with. I have always been partial to the cello, and thought this sounded like a great buy, which it is. I like it..but I have to keep listening to it. Becuase it is only cello and violin, some of the compositions remind me of scores from psychological thrillers or horror movies, which isn't necessarily a bad thing, it's just, a bit heavy. The musicians are amazing however, so it makes this purchase worthwile. Perhaps I just need a bit more maturity for this.

3 out of 5 stars It's sweet.......2000-11-02

This CD reminds me of summer camp . . . we played many of these tunes for fun. It would be wonderful to hear Mr. Harrell play Cole Porter with another cellist. That would be prima!

5 out of 5 stars Looking for Intensity? Go Here........2000-07-29

This is a 57-minute collaboration of inspired string playing by two extraordinary musicians playing at the top of their games. Lynn Harrell shreds his normally buttoned-down approach and matches Kennedy's boiling bow bar for bar in this time-space voyage from French fantasy, to baroque repetition with variation, to Hungarian folk, and back to Bach. In the opening sonata duo, the pair move seamlessly from cool and lyrical to spitfire hot and back in a take-no-prisoners interpretation of Ravel at his bizarre best. The two transport their intensity back 200 years in Halvorsen's adaptation of Handel's minor key harpsicord passacaglia. They then pass from passacaglia to Bartok's gypsy passion, taking it to the limit and beyond. Harrell and Kennedy go from seething to soothing in closing with Bach's sweet E major two-part invention. What a ride!

Who says classical music is boring?

Music Review:

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  2. El Dorado/Black gondola
  3. Electronic Works, Vol. 2
  4. Elgar, Walton: Cello Concertos
  5. Franck: Sonata for violin in A; Elgar: Sonata for violin in Em
  6. Fritz Wunderlich sings Beethoven, Haydn, R. Strauss
  7. George Crumb 70th Birthday Album
  8. Gershwin: Rhapsody in Blue; Falla: Nights in the Gardens of Spain; Franck: Symphonic Variations
  9. Ginastera: Variaciones concertantes
  10. Glassworks

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Brigadoon (1991 London Studio Cast) [Cast Recording] [Cast Recording]

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