Plays Bach & Beethoven

1. Fantasia and Fugue for keyboard in A minor, BWV 904
Composed by Johann Sebastian Bach
with Edwin Fischer

2. Fantasia and Fugue for keyboard in C minor, BWV 906
Composed by Johann Sebastian Bach
with Edwin Fischer

3. Piano Sonata No. 8 in C minor ("Pathétique") Op. 13
Composed by Ludwig van Beethoven
with Edwin Fischer

4. Piano Sonata No. 23 in F minor ("Appassionata") Op. 57
Composed by Ludwig van Beethoven
with Edwin Fischer

5. Piano Sonata No. 31 in A flat major, Op. 110
Composed by Ludwig van Beethoven
with Edwin Fischer

Plays Bach & Beethoven,Edwin Fischer,Enterprise,Classical,Classical Music

Average customer rating: Gabriela Montero CDs Non-professional Review Absolutely Magnificent! Improvisations Unbelievable! A beautiful breath of fresh air!

Gabriela Montero plays Chopin, Falla, Ginestera, etc. [Includes Bonus CD] Manufacturer: EMI Classics ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD Waltzes | Ballets & Dances | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Chopin | Chopin, Frédéric | ( C ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Falla | Falla, Manuel de | ( F ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Ginastera | Ginastera, Alberto | ( G ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music Granados, Enrique | ( G ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Liszt | Liszt, Franz | ( L ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music Scriabin, Alexander | ( S ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Rachmaninov | Rachmaninov, Sergei | ( R ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music Etudes | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music Fantasies | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music Preludes | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music General | Scriabin, Alexander | Composers | Modern, 20th, & 21st Century | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music General | Keyboard | Instruments | Classical | Styles | Music Piano | Keyboard | Instruments | Classical | Styles | Music General | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music General | Classical | Styles | Music General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music More Titles at Least 20% Off | Classical Music Blowout | Stores | Music All Classical Music Blowout | Classical Music Blowout | Stores | Music Chopin, Frédéric | ( C ) | Composers, A-Z | Classical Music Blowout | Stores | Music Falla, Manuel de | ( F ) | Composers, A-Z | Classical Music Blowout | Stores | Music Ginastera, Alberto | ( G ) | Composers, A-Z | Classical Music Blowout | Stores | Music Granados, Enrique | ( G ) | Composers, A-Z | Classical Music Blowout | Stores | Music Liszt, Franz | ( L ) | Composers, A-Z | Classical Music Blowout | Stores | Music Rachmaninov, Sergei | ( R ) | Composers, A-Z | Classical Music Blowout | Stores | Music Scriabin, Alexander | ( S ) | Composers, A-Z | Classical Music Blowout | Stores | Music Opera & Vocal | Classical Music Blowout | Stores | Music Similar Items: Bach & Beyond - Gabriela Montero Gabriela Montero en Concert à Montréal Bach & Beyond [United Kingdom] The Carnegie Hall Concert Martha Argerich Plays Chopin: The Legendary 1965 Recording ASIN: B0009VK0LO Release Date: 2005-09-13

Tracks:

1. Moment Musical In E Mino Op. 12 No. 4
2. Prelude In G Op.32 No.5
3. Etude-Tableau In D Op.39 No.9
4. Prelude in D Flat Op.17 No.3
5. Prelude In E Flat Minor Op.16 No.4
6. Prelude In G Op.13 No.3
7. Etude in C Sharp Minor Op.42 No.5
8. La Vida Breve: First Spanish Dance - Manuel De Falla
9. Goyescas: Quejas O La Maya Y El Ruisenor
10. Danza Del Viejo Boyero
11. Danza De La Moza Donosa
12. Danza Del Gaucho Matrero
13. Nocturne In D Flat Op.27 No.2
14. Fantaisie-Impromptu In C Sharp Minor Op.66
15. Mephisto Waltz No.1

Tracks:

1. On Rachmaniov: Vocalise
2. On The Theme From Bach 'Goldberg Variations'
3. On Chopin: Nocturne In D Flat
4. On Rachmaninov: Piano Concerto No.2
5. Inspired By Scriabin
6. On Duermete Mi Nino
7. In The Style Of Tango
8. On Granados: 'Quejas O La Maya El Ruisenor'
9. In The Style Of Bach
10. On Chopin: Prelude In A
11. 'Improvisation in Blue (Gabriela Montero)'
12. 'Song for Natalia and Isabella (Gabriela Montero)'

Customer Reviews:

Gabriela Montero CDs.......2007-06-12

Excellent service -- speedy, just as described, well-packaged. I'd definitely buy from this seller again.

Non-professional Review.......2007-03-27

Okay, I listen almost exclusively to classical music, but I do so simply for the pleasure and nothing more. I cannot tell you about Gabriela Montero's technique, and, when she improvises, I have no ability to judge the music's intrinsic value, authenticity, or whatever. I can only tell you this: while I own many dozens of albums, running the full spectrum of the classical genre, I value none of them above Montero's Bach and Beyond and her Piano Recital. Pure listening joy!

Absolutely Magnificent!.......2007-03-09

I first saw Gabriela Montero on 60 Minutes a few months ago and was taken by her playing ability as well as her ability to improvise on the classics. Ms. Montero's fingers fly over the keyboard, playing Rachmaninoff more dramatically and key-perfect than I've heard in a long time. I decided to purchase this CD and have not been disappointed.

Improvisations Unbelievable!.......2007-01-26

Gabriela Montero is a tremendous talent, both in standard classical repertoire, and improvisation. I have know her since she was a young girl, and she was by far the best pianist around, even then. She is an undersung pianist of our age, and should rise to the top very soon!

A beautiful breath of fresh air!.......2007-01-20

What a sheer delight hearing her play. I've never heard anyone quite like her. A phenomenally gifted player, and it's a rare treat to hear someone who defies pigeonholing. I had heard her on the radio, and knew I was onto something when her improvisation on a very simple theme gave me the chills. I love both CD's in this collection.

It's interesting hearing the negative response coming from some classical musicians and fans. At times it can seem to roughly follow the stages of grief as proposed by Kubler-Ross. I'm a professional guitarist, and it's funny because it's almost identical to how guitarists react to hearing another guitarist, but with an big class-conscious overlay (all very civilized, of course). Think of the "guitarist screwing in a lightbulb" joke. To paraphrase and extrapolate on what someone might say upon hearing her improvisation:

1. Shock: Wow, he's good. Oh, and it's a woman!? And you say it's improvisation??

2. Denial: That can't possibly be improvisation. Classical musicians don't engage in that untidy process. What she's playing must be written out, and I can tell! Don't ask, I just know it.

3. Anger: This stuff is no good. Only permanent music is of value through the ages, and that's why classical music (and only the European kind) is better than any other music. Besides, I can't improvise, so I reject it - and only THOSE people engage in improvisation.

4. Depression: She can play all the classical music, and seemingly can improvise, or at least pass her stuff off as such. Not only that, she's getting attention and money, and we're not. Why is the world unfair?

5. Acceptance: (sort of) Well, I guess she's selling CD's, and is becoming successful. She is, I hate to admit it, a great player. Even if she is a faker. Of course, they're begging my Muffy to become artist-in-residence in Spoleto....

The other reviewer has a point when he says that she may be viewed as a curiosity. Because she's crossing genres, people may not know what to make of it, and this often causes reflexive hostility. As an improvisor, I would agree that it's hard to say that something is 100% improvised - players tend to have pet phrases and favorite general ideas they return to. But to me, Gabriela's playing is at the highest level of skill, beauty, and feeling, whether improvising or playing written pieces.

Average customer rating: Instruments of the Orchestra - Great Reference Material! Beginner or Expert Very Informative and Enjoyable Frank's view Excellent Intro for Those Not Familiar with the Orchestra

Instruments of the Orchestra Various Artists Manufacturer: Naxos ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD General | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music General | Classical | Styles | Music Hungarian National Philharmonic Orchestra | ( H ) | Featured Performers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music London Philharmonic Orchestra | ( L ) | Featured Performers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music Moscow Philharmonic Orchestra | ( M ) | Featured Performers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music National Philharmonic Orchestra London | ( N ) | Featured Performers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music General | Rap & Hip-Hop | Styles | Music General | Soundtracks | Styles | Music General | Instructional | Miscellaneous | Styles | Music Blowout Box Sets | Classical Music Blowout | Stores | Music More Titles at Least 20% Off | Classical Music Blowout | Stores | Music All Classical Music Blowout | Classical Music Blowout | Stores | Music Hungarian National Philharmonic Orchestra | ( H ) | Performers, A-Z | Classical Music Blowout | Stores | Music London Philharmonic Orchestra | ( L ) | Performers, A-Z | Classical Music Blowout | Stores | Music Moscow Philharmonic Orchestra | ( M ) | Performers, A-Z | Classical Music Blowout | Stores | Music National Philharmonic Orchestra London | ( N ) | Performers, A-Z | Classical Music Blowout | Stores | Music Instrumental | Classical Music Blowout | Stores | Music Similar Items: Britten: Young Person's Guide to the Orchestra Op34; Simple Symphony Op4 What to Listen for in Music Study of Orchestration, Third Edition The Life and Works of Ludwig van Beethoven The Life and Works of Frédéric Chopin 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:

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!

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!

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!

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.

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.

Average customer rating: Good but too literal and too classical French Brubeck BACH & JAZZ LOVERS Treat yourself nice with Loussier's music... An authentic masterpiece

Jacques Loussier Plays Bach Manufacturer: Telarc 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 Organ | Keyboard | Instruments | Classical | Styles | Music General | Classical | Styles | Music Bebop General | Bebop | Jazz | Styles | Music General | Jazz | Styles | Music Swing General | Swing Jazz | Jazz | Styles | Music Similar Items: Baroque Favorites Plays Debussy Jacques Loussier Trio: Bach's Goldberg Variations Solo Piano: Impressions on Chopin's Nocturnes The Four Seasons ASIN: B000003D5Q Release Date: 1996-08-27

Tracks:

1. Fugue No.5 In D Major
2. Italian Conerto: Allegro
3. Italian Concerto: Andante
4. Italian Concerto: Presto
5. Pastorale In C Minor
6. Air On A G String
7. Toccata & Fugue In D Minor
8. Gavotte In D Major
9. Concerto In D Minor: Allegro
10. Concerto In D Minor: Adagio
11. Concerto In D Minor: Allegro

Customer Reviews:

Good but too literal and too classical.......2007-02-24

This, when you boil it down to its essence, pretty much sounds like classical music played with a jazz beat rather than any extended jazz improvisations on classical pieces akin to the Wayne Shorter band's interpretation of "Valse Triste" on the "Soothsayer" album. In fact, this sounds less jazzy than Brubeck's 1950s classical themed album "Jazz Impressions of Eurasia" or Stan Getz's interpretation of Michel Legrand's "Back to Bach" on "Communications '72."

This is more like a jazz version of what Emerson, Lake & Palmer do with rock music. Loussier's technique is formidable and his band are total virtuosos on their instruments and the album as a whole is impressive and fun to hear when you're in a more upbeat and non-introspective mood but the deepness of the Bach pieces are definitely trivialized by doing it in the jazz idiom this straight. Jazz gets deep through improvisation. I think Loussier needed to give himself freer rein to express himself and improvise. If I want straight Bach I can go listen to the original pieces done by the best classical players of all time.

Threfore, this is a higher-than-average recommendation only if you don't mind some high-energy classical-light with overtones of cool-jazz hipness but if you want something state-of-the-art that really digs deep go listen to Brad Mehldau's trio offerings.

French Brubeck.......2005-09-25

If you like the fusion of classical with jazz(Forinstance"Jazz impressions of eurasia"you will love this disc.

BACH & JAZZ LOVERS.......2000-12-31

Being a huge fan of Bach's (I could honestly listen to his piano and vocal music all day long!) this album was a natural for me. After reading the other reviews online and hearing two friends rave about it, I decided to buy this CD and am awfully glad I did. What wonderful arrangements! This is definitely an album for both Bach lovers and jazz lovers. The source music is, of course, powerful and innovative; Loussier takes Bach and doesn't so much "transform" him as he does take the music to another level...keeping all the beauty. My personal favorite would be the very familiar "Air On A G String." Not better, mind you. Simply wonderful!

Treat yourself nice with Loussier's music..........2000-10-27

My best friend introduced this CD to me, the very first time for me to explore how fantastic someone can make for classic music! I am a lover for both classic and jazz music. Loussier is the master for this beautiful combination! Treat yourself nice every now and then, and enjoy this CD with friends or along with a good bottle of wine! I can't help it but fall in love with his music, eventually become a collector of Loussier's work. And I am glad to tell you that friends around me start to appreciate classic music because of the Loussier... You will love him too!

An authentic masterpiece.......2000-05-21

If Bach himself could listen Loissier version of his music, he would say "he understood the escence". I'really enjoyed this cd, and I recommend it to every Bach lover, and to every good jazz lover.

Average customer rating: more wonderous with each passing year Pinnacle The Perfect Storm Parkening Play Bach and Plays Him Stunningly! Masterpiece

Christopher Parkening plays Bach Manufacturer: EMI Classics ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD All Works by J.S. Bach | Bach, Johann Sebastian | ( B ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music General | Couperin, François | ( C ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Handel | Handel, George Frideric | ( H ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Alessandro Scarlatti | Scarlatti, Alessandro | ( S ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music Fugues | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music General | Baroque (c.1600-1750) | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music Lute | Instruments | Early Music | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music General Modern | Modern, 20th, & 21st Century | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music Cello | Strings | Instruments | Classical | Styles | Music Guitar | Strings | Instruments | Classical | Styles | Music Lute | Strings | Instruments | Classical | Styles | Music General | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music General | Classical | Styles | Music General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music Cantatas | Classical (c.1770-1830) | Historical Periods | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Oratorios | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Cantatas | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Oratorios | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Similar Items: Simple Gifts: Christopher Parkening In the Spanish Style / Christopher Parkening Christopher Parkening - The Great Recordings ~ By America's Preeminent Guitar Virtuoso Christopher Parkening - A Tribute to Segovia Christopher Parkening Plays Vivaldi Guitar Concertos & Warlock Capriol Suite ASIN: B000002RNJ Release Date: 1990-10-25

Tracks:

1. Canata 147: Jesu, Joy Of Man's Desiring
2. Sonata VI For Violin, E Major Partita: Gavotte
3. The Well-Tempered Clavier: Prelude I
4. The Well-Tempered Clavier: Prelude VI
5. The Well-Tempered Clavier: Prelude IX
6. Cantata 208: Sheep May Safely Graze
7. Prelude, Fugue And Allegro In E Flat Major For Clavier, Original For Lute): Prelude and Allegro
8. Cello Suite V: Gavotte I And II
9. Cello Suite VI: Gavotte I And II
10. Cantata 140: Sleepers, Awake
11. Parkening Plays Bach And Music Of Handel, Scarlatti, Couperin And Others: Sarabande And Variations
12. Samson: Minuet in D
13. Parkening Plays Bach And Music Of Handel, Scarlatti, Couperin And Others: Giga
14. Parkening Plays Bach And Music Of Handel, Scarlatti, Couperin And Others: Passacaglia
15. Ordres, Book II: Les Barricades mysterieuses
16. Parkening Plays Bach And Music Of Handel, Scarlatti, Couperin And Others: Preambulo And Allegro vivo

Customer Reviews:

more wonderous with each passing year.......2006-11-13

Most of the reviewers have said (and better than I can) what makes this album so special. I remember having this on cassette and wearing it out. People who have no interest (and sometimes I can't blame them...) in classical music might grow fond of this if they give it a try. You don't need any kind of background or knowledge, just a willingness to open your heart and ears to something so sublime it is beyond words. Bach is our true musical spiritual leader!

Pinnacle.......2005-10-24

I can't over-exaggerate the impact this album had on me when my Dad played it for me when I was about 6. It encouraged me to become a guitarist, and hearing it was my first truly profound musical experience that I can remember.

I love all kinds of music, but nothing has touched me like this album in the 19 years since then. Parkening's reading of Bach arranged for the classical guitar is flawless on this recording; no one, not even his mentor has matched it.

"Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring", "Sheep May Safely Graze" and especially "Sleepers Awake" are the best renditions of these songs that I've heard, regardless of the arrangement. His control and dynamics are just staggering.

I can't explain where this album or music came from. It's my absolute favourite album. It's part of human evolution and the continually unfolding Great Work.

The Perfect Storm.......2005-04-07

The are times when the musician, the composer, and the instrument just match perfectly; this disc is an example of that.

Nevermind that Bach never wrote a single note for the guitar, many of his pieces actually work better on the guitar than they would the clavier. The guitar provides much more opportunity for the musician to impart emotion by varying volume and tone. And Parkening capitalizes on that opportunity beautifully.

His playing is clean, thoughtful, and competent. This is, in my opinion, clearly Parkening's best recording. I highly recommend it. (I also recommend his In the Spanish Style, another of my favorites).

Parkening Play Bach and Plays Him Stunningly!.......2005-02-18

I have loved this recording for over 20 years. I had it on vinyl and was thrilled when it was released in 1985 onto CD along with 6 extra cuts. Originally a Bach interpretive LP of 10 tracks, the CD release added 6 compositions from Couperin, Handel, Weiss, Scarlatti and Visee.

This is now a rare recording, so get it while you can. It's peaceful, highly skilled and simply Christopher Parkening, playing bare and alone, and shining like the sterling musician he is!

Masterpiece.......2003-09-24

The music of J. S. Bach seems to bring out the best in Christopher Parkening. Mr. Parkening understands Bach, and plays his music with grace, intelligence and sensitivity. He displays those qualities magnificently on this collection.

The selections here represent a wide variety of Bach pieces: portions of cantatas, solo cello works, and pieces from the Well-Tempered Clavier. All of the pieces are transcribed skillfully for solo guitar, and every track flows naturally into the next. Standouts among the Bach pieces include "Sheep May Safely Graze" and "Sleepers Awake"--two meditative cantata selections which were so brilliantly arranged and performed that you'd almost think they were originally written for guitar.

And the additional baroque works presented here are not just "filler." Mr. Parkening gives stunning performances of great pieces composed by baroque giants like Handel, and he closes the recording in great style, with a passionate performance of Scarlatti.

Music doesn't get more enjoyable than this.

Average customer rating: For Gould's fans Be warned there are shortcomings, but also be prepared for brilliance! An universal patrimony ! Perfection BWV 974

Glenn Gould Plays Bach & Scarlatti Manufacturer: Sony ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD All Works by Carl Philipp Emman. Bach | Bach, Carl Philipp Emman. | ( B ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by J.S. Bach | Bach, Johann Sebastian | ( B ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Domenico Scarlatti | Scarlatti, Domenico | ( S ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music Fantasies | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music Fugues | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music General | Sonatas | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music Sonatinas | Sonatas | Forms & Genres | 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 (c.1770-1830) | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music General Modern | Modern, 20th, & 21st Century | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music Organ | Keyboard | Instruments | Classical | Styles | Music Gould, Glenn | ( G ) | Featured Performers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music General | Classical | Styles | Music Classical Music | The Sony BMG Masterworks Store | Amazon.com Label Stores | Stores | Music Classical Instrumental Music | The Sony BMG Masterworks Store | Amazon.com Label Stores | Stores | Music Similar Items: Glenn Gould Edition: Schumann & Brahms Gould Meets Menuhin Consort of Musicke by William Byrd & Orlando Gibbons; Sweelinck: Fantasia in D (The Glenn Gould Edition) Glenn Gould Edition: Berg, Krenek, Webern, Debussy & Ravel Art of the Fugue - 70th Anniversary Edition ASIN: B0000028NP Release Date: 1997-02-25

Tracks:

1. Concerto In D Minor After Alessandro Marcello, BWV 974: I. Without Tempo Indication
2. Concerto In D Minor After Alessandro Marcello, BWV 974: II. Adagio
3. Concerto In D Minor After Alessandro Marcello, BWV 974: III. Presto
4. Fugue In B Minor On A Theme By Tomaso Albinoni, BWV 951
5. Fugue In A Major On A Theme By Tomaso Albinoni, BWV 950
6. Sonata In D Major, K. 430 (L.463): Non presto ma a tempo di ballo
7. Sonata In D Minor, K. 9 (L. 413): Allegro
8. Sonata In G Major, K. 13 (L. 486): Presto
9. Sonata In A Minor 'Wurttembergische Sonate': I. Moderato
10. Sonata In A Minor 'Wurttembergische Sonate': II. Andante
11. Sonata In A Minor 'Wurttembergische Sonate': III. Allegro assai
12. 'Aria variata alla maniera italiana' In A Minor, BWV 989
13. 'Italian Concerto' In F Major, BWV 971': I. Without Tempo Indication
14. 'Italian Concerto' In F Major, BWV 971': II. Andante
15. 'Italian Concerto' In F Major, BWV 971': III. Presto
16. Chromatic Fantasy In D Minor, BWV 903
17. Fantasy In G Minor, BWV 917
18. Fantasy In C Minor, BWV 919
19. Fantasy (And Fugue) In C Minor, BWV 906

Customer Reviews:

For Gould's fans.......2007-01-10

Glenn Gould was a great Bach interpreter. On this CD there are some less known recordings of Bach' music, like the transcription of Marcello's Oboe concerto. I boght this CD because of this piece, that is very beautiful and well played by Gould. The other pieces recorded here are not as good, including the Italian Concerto. But it is interesting for Gould's fans.

Be warned there are shortcomings, but also be prepared for brilliance!.......2006-05-03

There are some shortcomings to this album and they are pointed out by other reviewers. However, there are gems present here that continue to dazzle long after Glenn Gould's untimely death.

I was particularly moved by BWV 974, especially the second movement. I would happily pay the entire price of this album just to have this particular recording.

As everyone knows, Glenn Gould was eccentric and some of his interpretations of Bach are very unconventional. However, his intensity jumps out at the listener and he is often as dazzling as he is eccentric.

Considering that much of this music was not recorded on piano very often before Glenn Gould came around, I have to acknowledge his contribution to grabbing people's attention. He still continues to do this long after his death, which I think is a testimony to his brilliance.

If you are not a Glenn Gould fan or you are looking for more standard interpretations, this may not be for you. However, if you are looking for a fascinating musical odyssey that is at times quite unconventional, then you might be very happy with this album.

You can certainly get a feel for the music from the samples above. If you listen to them and are still intrigued, I don't think you will be disappointed even with the Chromatic Fantasy. It's an unusual interpretation, but what can you expect from guy who wears winter gloves on the cover of the album and didn't even want to record this piece in the first place - EVER!

An universal patrimony !.......2006-04-12

The huge and significant loss that for the musical world represented the disappearance of Glenn Gould resides in the simple fact that even twenty four years after his sensible departure, there has not been another pianist able to fill his place. His legacy seems to enhance proportionally through the years. His powerful cantabile line, his profound conviction still deserves him this status ?clat, that certainly have guaranteed a well wrought name in the immortality.

This enraptured anima state is not a mere product of the casualty or a mass media phenomena; he restored to music that divine majesty, sensitive effluvium and introspective gaze, far away from the delirious crowds, deeply focused on the meaning of the sound, and not in the beauty of the sound.

That `s why his legend has been increasing, in spite of his well known aversion to the advertising flashes. He never cultivated the public relationships, but the elevated rank of his musical partners, such Yehudi Menuhin, Jaime Laredo, Leonard Rose, Leonard Bernstein, Vladimir Golschman would seem to confirm that far beyond his countless irreverent behavior, his musical heritage eclipses all the previous misbehaved statements, opinions or his well commented and questioned attitude in the sense of deny to make future public appearances since 1964.

Perfection.......2005-08-02

There neither is, nor has been (am may likley never be), anyone who can interpret Bach like Glenn Gould.

BWV 974.......2001-10-18

When you look at the pieces that are in this CD, you might think that these were leftovers. Yet, this CD has one of the most stunning pieces that I think Glenn Gould has ever recorded.

The Concerto in d after A. Marcello, BWV 974 is not one of Bach's more popular and well-known keyboard works. Yet in the hands of Glenn Gould, it is played with a sincerity that is completely profound. Listening to the second movement of this "concerto" has to be one of the moving experiences that I ever had. It is undoubtedly one of the best in the Glenn Gould discography.

Also, after hearing the three Scarlatti sonatas, you'll wonder why he didn't record more of them. It's played with a childish glee that is a joy to listen to. The L. 413 sonata is piece that you'll listen to repeatedly.

Alas, the "infamous" version of the Chromatic Fantasy is in this CD as well. It's not a horrible interpretation like what most people tend to say, but you wonder what in the world Glenn Gould was doing with his left hand.

Overall, the BWV 974 alone makes this CD worth the purchase. It is a stunning recording.

Average customer rating: A day in the life of a piece of cd Wonderfully bright, clear and simple interpretation {~~}==# HILARY HAHN simply WONDERFUL... the "Big Bang" of Hilary's "Violinistical Universe" The Virtue of Youth Awfully good, masterful in fact.

Hilary Hahn Plays Bach Manufacturer: Sbme Import ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD All Works by J.S. Bach | Bach, Johann Sebastian | ( B ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music General | Baroque (c.1600-1750) | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music Chamber Music | Forms & Genres | Classical (c.1770-1830) | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music Violin | Strings | Instruments | Classical | Styles | Music Hahn, Hilary | ( H ) | Featured Performers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music General | Classical | Styles | Music General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music Classical | Imports | Stores | Music Classical Music | The Sony BMG Masterworks Store | Amazon.com Label Stores | Stores | Music Classical Instrumental Music | The Sony BMG Masterworks Store | Amazon.com Label Stores | Stores | Music Similar Items: Bach Concertos Mozart: Violin Sonatas K. 301, 304, 376 & 526 Hilary Hahn ~ Brahms · Stravinsky - Violin Concertos Paganini: Violin Concerto No. 1; Spohr: Violin Concerto No. 8 Hilary Hahn ~ Beethoven - Violin Concerto · Bernstein - Serenade ASIN: B000025JNV Release Date: 2001-05-21

Tracks:

1. Partita No. 3 In E Major- I. Preludio
2. Ii. Loure
3. Iii. Gavotte En Rondeau
4. Iv. Menuet I
5. V. Menuet Ii
6. Vi. Bourr
7. Vii. Gigue
8. Partita No. 2 In D Minor- I. Allemande
9. Ii. Courante
10. Iii. Sarabande
11. Iv. Gigue
12. V. Ciaccona
13. Sonata No. 3 In C Major- I. Adagio
14. Ii. Fuga
15. Iii. Largo
16. Iv. Allegro Assai

Customer Reviews:

A day in the life of a piece of cd.......2007-07-15

I was just reminded of something I did a few months ago, while reading another review of Hilary Hahn Plays Bach. In another review it was pointed out that every new performance of this music stands in the shadows of violin masters past.
While saving several CDs to my PC for future transfer to MP3 player I found a Heifetz CD with the Ciaconna of Partita #2 on it. So I tossed (gently placed?) it into my pc & let it play. Thirty seconds into the Heifetz performance I had to stop it. It took me awhile to realize just how much i hated just hearing the notes being played without any feeling.
I immediately played Hilary Hahn's performance of the piece, and when calm was restored I realized how angry I had become.
I was having a "two short planks" moment. Perhaps you'll understand if I say it was one of those moments where you question what has happened to your brains (not wanting to insult light haired folk). I didn't get it! All this was over one note.
So if it is true that all performances of this music must stand in the shadow of violin masters past, then I say that ALL performances of the past, present & future must stand in the considerable shadow of one Hilary Hahn.
Happy to note that the Heifetz CDs found the trash.

Wonderfully bright, clear and simple interpretation.......2007-06-22

The Bach solo string music is, of course, one of the landmarks of classical music. These are some of the greatest pieces of music ever written. They are the musical equivalent of the plays of Shakespeare.

Which means it is not easy to do them in a new way. First, these are very difficult pieces to play. Only a master can play them well. Second, every top violinist has recorded a version of them, so any new version of them is played in the shadow of giants.

Hahn deals fabulously with both problems. She plays these pieces as if they had been written yesterday. She brings to this music a wonderful simplicity, directness and joy. Her Bach is filled with light. She shows her mastery by making this music seem simple. A wonderful, wonderful talent.

{~~}==# HILARY HAHN simply WONDERFUL... the "Big Bang" of Hilary's "Violinistical Universe".......2007-02-10

Many congratulations for such a GREAT and WONDERFUL Johann Sebastian Bach Debut album!! There are so many recordings of these Bach sonatas and partitas for solo violin, but this one stands out as one of a really extraordinarily superb quality. Besides the superb quality of this recording, this recording is so particular since Hilary Hahn recorded these very difficult pieces for solo violin when she was still a "teenaged girl" aged 17 - and with this 1997 recording Hilary Hahn proved her extra class at this very young age by such a mature and remarkable as well as intelligent interpretation which can be heard in the same quality only from few other remarkable violinists. With her Debut album Hilary Hahn showed what a serious and mature violin virtuoso she is. This recording makes you immediately recognise how intensely and profoundly Hilary Hahn approaches the Bach sonata as well as the two partitas, how she explores and immerses them and so discovers and brings out for all to hear the spirit of them and gets out what is deeply inside them and inside their literature. And in doing so, Hilary Hahn knows exactly how to play each note and she manages to play these pieces technically without mistakes and provides a superb intonation and interpretation of them. Hilary performs these pieces for solo violin with much energy and spirit, but well under control and straightforwardly, she transfers all the excitement and vibrations of these wonderful pieces in an almost frightening precision and cleanliness of intonation and so she establishes a true communication between her and us, the listeners and her audiences. Hilary Hahn (even back then) avoides any unnecessary over-emphasising and flourish - and false notes could already not be heard from her even in this, her Debut recording! So, for me this a FIVE STARS RECORDING, not only but also due to the fact that Hilary Hahn was so brave to record these very difficult pieces at such a young age, so early in her career - and of such tremendous quality and precision -, while other violin virtuosos normally take more time to record them!

This way this Debut album of Hilary Hahn in some way can be considered kind of a "Big Bang of Hilary Hahn's Violinistical Universe" which has been expanding since then - and now has been doing so for ten years! -, and Hilary Hahn once a year releases to our great delight new interpretations from her yearly published CD recordings! From then on it has been clearly obvious and visible how Hilary Hahn's "Violinistical Universe" has been expanding so continuedly, e. g. from her recordings made in 2005 as well as from her latest ones made last year, in "Mozart Year" 2006. With these recordings made by Hilary Hahn of the Mozart violin sonatas (2005) as well as of the Paganini & Spohr violin concerti (2006) Hilary Hahn once again succeeded in making her fans and audiences enthusiastic about the magic and spirit that come from her violin play and which inspire us, her fans and audiences, and bring us to great excitement! Like in her latest recordings of the both extremely difficult Paganini and Spohr violin concerti, even in her Bach solo recordings there is not the slightest touch of difficulty to be heard or recognised in her violin play, but which are without doubt included in a great amount in the pieces for solo violin chosen by her. Hilary Hahn's violin play was in this early recording (Bach) the same light, easy and lively and mature one that she has kept until today (Paganini & Spohr), Hilary's recordings always sound completely effortless/unforced and she somehow manages to cover all difficulties contained in these pieces and to "hide" these with her gentle and smooth as well as very serious violin play.

So, there remains hope that Hilary Hahn will soon also record the remaining two sonatas as well as the remaining partita! At least the Presto from sonata No. 1 by Johann Sebastian Bach can be heard and seen on Hilary Hahn's DVD "The Last Night of the Proms" - at least we have that one from her, which will, as I hope, be completed sometime in the future! Hopefully, we don't have to wait for too long for Hilary Hahn's recordings of these remaining Bach pieces for solo violin, so that we will be able to listen to and enjoy the interpretation of these Bach works for solo violin by Hilary Hahn!

My VERY BEST RECOMMENDATIONS for this tremendous and wonderful Bach CD by Hilary Hahn!

The Virtue of Youth.......2006-07-24

I do a lot of writing in my work, so I don't hesitate to write book reviews but my musical abilities are so limited and little used that I do hesitate to discuss the work of anyone who clearly had more talent in their little finger than I have in total. That being said, I remain entranced by this recording and play it frequently. Ms Hahn brings what I belive to be great technique and incredible enthusiasm, drive and energy to these pieces. The sheer joy of accomplishement shines through these performances. Another descriptor I might use for this encounter of player and part is fearless. With all that there is profound respect shown for the emotional range found in these two partitas. Yet it is the music that is shining through not the musician. No doubt Ms Hahn will play these tunes differently in 30 years. Let's hope so. But she won't play them any better. She and Bach are helped along by very clear and highly defined sound. If these recordings don't make JS Bach smile up in heaven then none will.

Awfully good, masterful in fact........2004-07-18

Ms. Hahn has a phenominal talent. Her knowing interpretation of the Partitas 2 and 3 goes to the spirit of Bach in a spine-tingling, joyous way. The famous Chaconne from Partita no. 2 can be played over and over always with fresh impressions. Superb.

Average customer rating: Ear- and Nerve-Grating transcends the years Vengerov's butching of ysaye a happy medium.. A triumphant release in every way

Vengerov Plays Bach, Shchedrin, Ysaye Eugene Ysaye , and Maxim Vengerov Manufacturer: EMI Classics ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD Chamber Music | Forms & Genres | Classical (c.1770-1830) | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music General | Classical | Styles | Music General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music Similar Items: Lalo: Symphonie Espagnole; Saint-Saens: Violin Concerto; Ravel: Tzigane; Maxim Vengerov Vengerov and Virtuosi Vengerov Maxim Vengerov - The Road I Travel Brahms: Violin Concerto; Sonata No. 3 ASIN: B00006H1EI Release Date: 2002-11-05

Tracks:

1. I. Obsession: Prelude (Poco Vivace - Meno Mosso - Tempo Vivo)
2. II. Mainconia: Poco Lento
3. III. Danse Des Ombres: Sarabande (Lento, Pizzicato) - Var.1 (Dolce E Semplice) - Var.2 Musette - Var.3 Minore - Var.4 (Tranquillo) - Var.5 (Semplice Non Piu Vivo) - Var.6 (Forte) - Sarabande (Lento, Arco)
4. IV. Les Furies: Allegro Furioso
5. Ballade: Lento Molto Sostenuto (In Modo Di Recitativo) - Molto Moderato Quasi Lento - Allegro In Tempo Giusto E Con Bravura - Tempo Piu Vivo E Ben Marcato
6. I. Allemanda: Lento Maestoso
7. II. Sarabande: Quasi Lento
8. III. Finale: Presto Ma Non Troppo
9. Allegro Giusto Non Troppo Vivo - Allegretto Poco Scherzando (Habanera) - Tempo I
10. Echo Sonata, Op.69
11. Preludio - Fuga - Recitativo
12. Balalaika, Op.100 (To Maxim Vengerov)

Amazon.com

Eugene Ysae's six unaccompanied violin sonatas, composed when his own playing days were over and dedicated to colleagues he admired, occupy a special niche in the repertoire. Though inspired by Bach's sonatas and partitas and peppered with quotes from them, they are unequalled for sheer virtuosity and romantic sensuousness; only a great violinist intimately familiar with the resources of his instrument could have written them. On this disc, Maxim Vengerov plays Nos. 2, 3, 4, and 6, along with a transcription by Bruce Fox-Lefriche of Bach's famous Toccata and Fugue in D minor for organ, which he claims was originally conceived for violin. He also performs Shchedrin's "Echo" Sonata, op. 69. Written in 1984 in a mixture of styles from conventional to abrasively dissonant, it outdoes Ysae's in hair-raising pyrotechnics and also honors Bach by quoting from his works. Vengerov's playing is spectacular and makes this disc a must for violin aficionados.

One of the sensational prodigies who emerged from Siberia, Vengerov is young enough to revel in his own virtuosity with relish and abandon. His technical command is unlimited, and he seems incapable of producing a bad sound, except for a strange habit of tearing off last notes with a crescendo and accent like a bad tenor. Tossing off the acrobatics--scales and runs in thirds, fingered octaves and tenths at top speed, leaps and jumps, bravura bowings, chords, pizzicato, ponticello--with effortless ease and infectious enjoyment, he captures the styles of Ysae's dedicatees and gives the pieces shape, character, and expression. For the Bach, he uses a baroque bow and a violin tuned a half-tone down, playing with little or no vibrato but in basically the same intense style. His encore, a pizzicato piece called "Balalaika," written for him by Shchedrin, was recorded live complete with applause and laughter. --Edith Eisler

Customer Reviews:

Ear- and Nerve-Grating.......2007-05-29

Vengerov's technical proficiency in these extremely challenging pieces is beyond question. What are lacking in his performances are beauty of tone, euphony, and logical flow. In fast passages such as the last movement of Sonata no. 3, Vengerov's approach seems to be flashiness and velocity above substance. At times, as at the beginning of Sonata 6, he produces a tone that is downright ugly and harsh. The tendency, mentioned in the critical review above, to crescendo steeply to a sforzando on long notes is pervasive and irritating. Another serious downside of this recording is that it is not a complete set of the Ysaye sonatas - it is missing the first and fifth.

The performance of the Bach Toccata and Fugue transcription is an interesting case in itself. Vengerov here uses a baroque bow - in itself a commendable action, one that few "mainstream" violinists would do. The problem is that no one appears to have taught Vengerov how to use it; his bowstrokes are little different from the heavy manner of a modern bow. Although he uses a lower pitch, he makes no attempt at meantone intonation. And other aspects of the performance - such as his manner of spreading chords - show no knowledge of baroque style. What was the point of this semi-authentic experiment?

This is the only recording I have heard thus far of Ysaye's sonatas. It left me very unsatisfied, to the degree that I do not feel that I really know the works. Although the Ysaye sonatas are virtuoso pieces, they are also serious compositions informed by Bach, which puts them on a higher level than whiz-bang encore pieces by Paganini or Sarasate. As far as I can see, all Vengerov's version has going for it is technical wizardry - and that can be got with a number of other violinists with the added ingredient of musicality.

transcends the years.......2004-07-18

Vengerov knocks it out of the park. The Ysaye is stunning, especially 2 and 3. The most interesting feature is the tonality and feelings of the pieces, which are markedly similar, across composers. The Ysaye, Shchedrin, and Bach all capture a more ancient and common tonality and feel, and have an almost primitive and rustic feel. A must.

Vengerov's butching of ysaye.......2004-05-26

Vengerov has some interesting thoughts on music, i must say, but when he picks up the violin, he goes overboard. Just listen to the intro of Obsession. its sloppy, uneven, and just horendous...the rest of the pieces aren't much different. PLEASE do yourself a favor and save 7 dollars and gain infinite musical joy by getting Ilya Kaler's Ysaye sonatas...

a happy medium.........2002-11-29

You get the feeling Vengerov doesn't play the Ysaye, he channels it! This is stupefying music making, and the Ysaye Sonatas especially, hardly known, are musically brilliant pieces. Even apart from the Fox-Lefriche transcription, Bach is all over this disc. The secret metaphysic of Bach appears like a fragrance in whatever Vengerov plays; a violinist's musical construct must be endowed with Bach's rhythmic consciousness or it won't endure, and Vengerov loves the Master almost more in Ysaye than in Bach! A rich Bachian rhythmic core in this Russian master's violin playing is the beauty of this recording. It's curiously an effect even more accessible in his live performances, the physical dimensions of his playing are perfectly aligned, &all you get is freedom and joy in the music he makes. Reminiscent of Oistrakh in that way. This is one of Vengerov's best recordings musically, and the sonics are play-it-AGAIN captivating. Get it to hear the Ysaye sonatas, but the rest of the program also rewards. The Shchedrin sonata is shocking and pure, and Vengerov extracts all the juice, delivering a major performance of it. I agree it's interesting how much the live encore doesnt jar or intrude, it's a heady reminder of the art of the stage, and leaves a musical imprint too. While he's got a strapping pop star kind of personal charm, Vengerov is a musician of tremendous intellect and heart, distilling sheer music and refining an extraordinary art, qualities rampant hereabout.. check it for yourself.

A triumphant release in every way.......2002-11-06

Inspired by Bach's sonatas and partitas for solo violin, Eugene Ysaye wrote his six sonatas for solo violin in 1924. Not only are these pieces brilliantly constructed and hugely effective for the instrument (Ysaye was, after all, one of the great violinists of his age), they do indeed develop out of Bach's magnum opus, only that in writing his own set Ysaye has pushed the technical limits of the instrument to previously undreamt-of heights. Besides, they are also obviously products of a more romantic age, as there is often an air of improvisation and romantic passion in the writing.

Four of these sonatas, Nos. 2, 3, 4 and 6, are included in this new EMI recording. They are originally dedicated by the composer to such eminent violinists as Jacques Thibaud, Georges Enesco, Fritz Kreisler and Manuel Quiroga respectively. Here these technically spectacular and spiritually imposing masterpieces have found a magnificent modern advocate in Maxim Vengerov, whose playing, though perhaps different in style to those luminous dedicatees of these works, is technically immaculate and shiningly stylish. The ranges of dynamics and tone colour that the young Russian violinist commands are nothing short of staggering, and when these are put to the service of an intellectually probing, individualistic and yet spontaneous mind, we are hearing something that is really quite exceptional. There is also a sort of intensity and ardour in the performances that is literally breath-taking. More or less the same can be said for the performance of the Sonata in A minor, which actually is a transcription (by Bruce Fox-Lefriche) of the famous D minor Toccata and Fugue for organ, on which some scholars have expressed doubted as to whether the piece indeed came from the hands of JS Bach. Some are of the view that the piece actually began its life as a sonata in A minor for solo violin and Vengerov here plays this re-construction with panache, expression as well as a keen sense of proportion, even though I personally prefer him doing the piece on a modern violin rather than the (stylistically more accurate) baroque instrument that he employs specifically for this track.

Two works by the contemporary Russian composer Rodion Shchedrin are included here. The more substantial one is the Echo Sonata, which Shchedrin wrote in 1985 as a commemorative showpiece for Bach's tercentenary. It is a fiendishly difficult but mostly reflective modern piece with some eerie-sounding soft passages and quotes from Bach's solo pieces. The 15 minute work is not easy to bring off at all, but it is here effortlessly conquered through Vengerov's sovereign bowing and awesome musicianship. The violinist not only negotiates each and every technical hurdle with consummate ease, he also tosses off the notes with great elan and conviction and invests the contrasting sections with much light and shade, which renders the piece even more interesting than it may seem on paper. The recording ends (very appropriately) with the only "live" recording included in this release, a performance of Shchedrin's Balalaika taped from a recital at London's Barbican Hall in 2000. Vengerov delivers this pizzicato piece, dedicated to him by the composer, with aplomb and a disarming sense of humour, which draws much laughter from the audience as well as thunderous applause at the end. In fact, such applause is not out of place at all even in the context of the entire album, for it is difficult to resist from voicing one's strong approval after hearing 66 minutes of such scintillating and supremely musical performances on the solo violin.

These treasurable performances are further enhanced by a good recording quality ¡V Vengerov's violin tone sounds fuller and more beautiful than ever. A triumphant release in every way.

Average customer rating:

Leigh Howard Stevens plays Bach on Marimba Manufacturer: Resonator Records ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD All Works by J.S. Bach | Bach, Johann Sebastian | ( B ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music Fugues | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music Inventions | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music Preludes | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music General | Baroque (c.1600-1750) | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music Violin | Strings | Instruments | Classical | Styles | Music General | Sacred & Religious | Classical | Styles | Music General | Classical | Styles | Music General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music Classical | Indie Music | Stores | Music Bargain Box Sets | Classical General | Classical | Today's Deals in Music | Formats | Music All Bargain Titles | Classical General | Classical | Today's Deals in Music | Formats | Music Similar Items: Marimba When...Leigh Howard Stevens plays the great Albums for the Young The Marimba Festival Orchestra Marimba Dance Marimba Spiritual Four-Mallet Marimba Playing: A Musical Approach for All Levels ASIN: B0001B4XKQ Release Date: 1999-01-01

Tracks:

1. Prelude and Fugue in B-flat Major (WTC I, No. 21)
2. Two-Part Inventions
3. C Major
4. D Minor
5. B-flat Major
6. F Major
7. Prelude in G Minor
8. Chorale: Christ lag in Todesbanden
9. Adagio
10. Fugue
11. Siciliano
12. Presto
13. Grave
14. Fuga
15. Andante
16. Allegro

Album Description

There are several aspects of this Bach recording that make it special, the most obvious of which of course, is the instrument on which it is being performed. While the marimba was probably ot known in Europe at the time that J.S. Bach was composing the works represented on this album, there are severl facets of the marimba's tone and Steven's manner of playing that make it an ideal "neo-baroque" instrument. In particular, the ring time of the bars and the clarity of articulation make it so.

Average customer rating: Warmth Likely to Become Bach Favorite for Guitar

Sharon Isbin Plays Baroque Favorites for Guitar Manufacturer: Warner Classics ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD Trios | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Albinoni | Albinoni, Tomaso | ( A ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by J.S. Bach | Bach, Johann Sebastian | ( B ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music All Works by Vivaldi | Vivaldi, Antonio | ( V ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music General | Concertos | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music General | Sonatas | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music Trio Sonatas | Sonatas | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music General | Baroque (c.1600-1750) | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music Chamber Music | Forms & Genres | Classical (c.1770-1830) | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music Lute | Instruments | Early Music | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music General | Keyboard | Instruments | Classical | Styles | Music Guitar | Strings | Instruments | Classical | Styles | Music Lute | Strings | Instruments | Classical | Styles | Music Violin | Strings | Instruments | Classical | Styles | Music Isbin, Sharon | ( I ) | Featured Performers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music General | Classical | Styles | Music Cantatas | Classical (c.1770-1830) | Historical Periods | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music Cantatas | Vocal Non-Opera | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music More Titles at Least 20% Off | Classical Music Blowout | Stores | Music All Classical Music Blowout | Classical Music Blowout | Stores | Music Albinoni, Tomaso | ( A ) | Composers, A-Z | Classical Music Blowout | Stores | Music Bach, Johann Sebastian | ( B ) | Composers, A-Z | Classical Music Blowout | Stores | Music Vivaldi, Antonio | ( V ) | Composers, A-Z | Classical Music Blowout | Stores | Music Isbin, Sharon | ( I ) | Performers, A-Z | Classical Music Blowout | Stores | Music Opera & Vocal | Classical Music Blowout | Stores | Music Similar Items: Rodrigo: Concierto de Aranjuez; Villa-Lobos: Concerto for guitar; Ponce: Concierto del sur Journey to the Amazon Dreams of a World Greatest Hits Latin Romances for Guitar ASIN: B00008CLIT Release Date: 2003-04-22

Tracks:

1. Allegro
2. Largo
3. Allegro
4. Allegro
5. Andante
6. Allegro Assai
7. Adagio
8. Allegro Non Molto (Quasi Andante)
9. Larghetto
10. Allegro
11. Adagio
12. Prelude For Lute In D Minor BWV 999
13. Jesu, Joy Of Man's Desiring

Customer Reviews:

Warmth.......2005-08-16

Kudo's to Ms. Isbin, her masterful playing brings warmth to the classical pieces thus removing the pretense and stiffness generally assoicated with classical music

Likely to Become Bach Favorite for Guitar.......2003-04-29

I've always enjoyed Parkening and others who do Bach on the guitar. Here, noted classic guitarist Isbin provides a beautifully crafted and performed set of baroque favs on guitar.

She plays with controlled passion and clarity, and to my ear her Bach is even more clean and phrased superior to Parkening's.

The selection is well chosen, with great addition to instrument's reportoire of Vivaldi's Concerto in A major.

I find her Albioni's Adagio very well done! The dynamics are well done as well as tempo in this spirited rendiiton.

Ms. Isbin certainly is one of the premiere performers of this instrument, and here is a well done collection from the baroque era, which many of us consider to be one of the best.

Average customer rating: Dazzling technique, she's grown up as a musician since {~~}==# HILARY HAHN simply WONDERFUL... the "Big Bang" of Hilary's "Violinistical Universe" good, but needs improvement AmAZING! Absolutely FANTASTIC! - And Refreshing

Hilary Hahn plays Bach Manufacturer: Sony ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD All Works by J.S. Bach | Bach, Johann Sebastian | ( B ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music General | Baroque (c.1600-1750) | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music Violin | Strings | Instruments | Classical | Styles | Music Hahn, Hilary | ( H ) | Featured Performers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music General | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music General | Classical | Styles | Music General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music Classical Music | The Sony BMG Masterworks Store | Amazon.com Label Stores | Stores | Music Classical Instrumental Music | The Sony BMG Masterworks Store | Amazon.com Label Stores | Stores | Music Similar Items: Mozart: Violin Sonatas K. 301, 304, 376 & 526 Bach Concertos Hilary Hahn ~ Beethoven - Violin Concerto · Bernstein - Serenade Elgar: Violin Concerto / Lark Ascending Violin Concertos ASIN: B0000029UH Release Date: 1997-10-21

Tracks:

1. Partita No. 3 In E Major: I Preludio
2. Partita No. 3 In E Major: II Loure
3. Partita No. 3 In E Major: III Gavotte en Rondeau
4. Partita No. 3 In E Major: IV Menuet I
5. Partita No. 3 In E Major: V Menuet II
6. Partita No. 3 In E Major: VI Bourr
7. Partita No. 3 In E Major: VII Gigue
8. Partita No. 2 In D Minor: I Allemande
9. Partita No. 2 In D Minor: II Courante
10. Partita No. 2 In D Minor: III Sarabande
11. Partita No. 2 In D Minor: IV Gigue
12. Partita No. 2 In D Minor: V Ciaccona
13. Sonata No. 3 In C Major: I Adagio
14. Sonata No. 3 In C Major: II Fuga
15. Sonata No. 3 In C Major: III Largo
16. Sonata No. 3 In C Major: IV Allegro assai

Customer Reviews:

Dazzling technique, she's grown up as a musician since.......2007-07-21

It's an interesting recording for fiddle afficionadi. She has a wonderful left hand. Her vibrato in the double-stop passages is unusually rich. But she was a kid when she made this recording; the one to buy is after she turns 40 and has lived a little.

If you love the Sonatas and Partitas, I can say without reservation that the recording to own is the Milstein made when he was 70, in the last year or two of his life (a two-CD set from DG). I cannot conceive of how he could be so technically perfect at that age -- intonation, rhythm, everything is flawless. But the reason to own these is that Milstein had lived them for nearly all his life and poured so many ideas into them.

{~~}==# HILARY HAHN simply WONDERFUL... the "Big Bang" of Hilary's "Violinistical Universe".......2007-04-29

Many congratulations for such a GREAT and WONDERFUL Johann Sebastian Bach Debut album!! There are so many recordings of these Bach sonatas and partitas for solo violin, but this one stands out as one of a really extraordinarily superb quality. Besides the superb quality of this recording, this recording is so particular since Hilary Hahn recorded these very difficult pieces for solo violin when she was still a "teenaged girl" aged 17 - and with this 1997 recording Hilary Hahn proved her extra class at this very young age by such a mature and remarkable as well as intelligent interpretation which can be heard in the same quality only from few other remarkable violinists. With her Debut album Hilary Hahn showed what a serious and mature violin virtuoso she is. This recording makes you immediately recognise how intensely and profoundly Hilary Hahn approaches the Bach sonata as well as the two partitas, how she explores and immerses them and so discovers and brings out for all to hear the spirit of them and gets out what is deeply inside them and inside their literature. And in doing so, Hilary Hahn knows exactly how to play each note and she manages to play these pieces technically without mistakes and provides a superb intonation and interpretation of them. Hilary performs these pieces for solo violin with much energy and spirit, but well under control and straightforwardly, she transfers all the excitement and vibrations of these wonderful pieces in an almost frightening precision and cleanliness of intonation and so she establishes a true communication between her and us, the listeners and her audiences. Hilary Hahn (even back then) avoides any unnecessary over-emphasising and flourish - and false notes could already not be heard from her even in this, her Debut recording! So, for me this a FIVE STARS RECORDING, not only but also due to the fact that Hilary Hahn was so brave to record these very difficult pieces at such a young age, so early in her career - and of such tremendous quality and precision -, while other violin virtuosos normally take more time to record them!

This way this Debut album of Hilary Hahn in some way can be considered kind of a "Big Bang of Hilary Hahn's Violinistical Universe" which has been expanding since then - and now has been doing so for ten years! -, and Hilary Hahn once a year releases to our great delight new interpretations from her yearly published CD recordings! From then on it has been clearly obvious and visible how Hilary Hahn's "Violinistical Universe" has been expanding so continuedly, e. g. from her recordings made in 2005 as well as from her latest ones made last year, in "Mozart Year" 2006. With these recordings made by Hilary Hahn of the Mozart violin sonatas (2005) as well as of the Paganini & Spohr violin concerti (2006) Hilary Hahn once again succeeded in making her fans and audiences enthusiastic about the magic and spirit that come from her violin play and which inspire us, her fans and audiences, and bring us to great excitement! Like in her latest recordings of the both extremely difficult Paganini and Spohr violin concerti, even in her Bach solo recordings there is not the slightest touch of difficulty to be heard or recognised in her violin play, but which are without doubt included in a great amount in the pieces for solo violin chosen by her. Hilary Hahn's violin play was in this early recording (Bach) the same light, easy and lively and mature one that she has kept until today (Paganini & Spohr), Hilary's recordings always sound completely effortless/unforced and she somehow manages to cover all difficulties contained in these pieces and to "hide" these with her gentle and smooth as well as very serious violin play.

So, there remains hope that Hilary Hahn will soon also record the remaining two sonatas as well as the remaining partita! At least the Presto from sonata No. 1 by Johann Sebastian Bach can be heard and seen on Hilary Hahn's DVD "The Last Night of the Proms" - at least we have that one from her, which will, as I hope, be completed sometime in the future! Hopefully, we don't have to wait for too long for Hilary Hahn's recordings of these remaining Bach pieces for solo violin, so that we will be able to listen to and enjoy the interpretation of these Bach works for solo violin by Hilary Hahn!

My VERY BEST RECOMMENDATIONS for this tremendous and wonderful Bach CD by Hilary Hahn!

good, but needs improvement.......2006-12-06

I agree with Reviewer Liz that solo Bach piece take a certain amount of artistic skills as well as personal maturity in order to be interpreted in its grandeur. This young violinist certainly has very fine technical skills, however, the 1/2 notes and 1/4 notes are lacking in confidence, consistency and a musical abandonment sort to speak; which leaves the listeners wanting. I think Hilary should re-record it 10 years from now for comparison as she acquires more depth and understanding of her own appreciation.

I first heard the Sonata 3 played live by Midori, and have since learned that she will come out with her own recording of Bach in the next while. If you want to hear Bach in its full sustaining power and beauty, I suggest you wait for Midori's recording and not settle for something amateur.

AmAZING!.......2006-02-19

Ok...keep in mind that Hilary Hahn was 17 when she recorded these.

Think of that again...

No I didn't say 170...

Ok, in all seriousness...this is an amazing recording of the bach. Her articulation is so clean it's scary, her intonation is perfect, and her expression is very impressive. I don't know what that