Tzigane

1. Danse de la Mariee - Les Yeux Noirs

2. Al Routchiok - Les Yeux Noirs

3. Cavo

4. O Lesto Kurko

5. Tut Hi Ci, Man Hi Ci

6. Que Son

7. Camarero

8. Romano Baschepen - Angelo Debarre,

9. Gosses de la Rue - Angelo Debarre,

10. Alouette - Ferenc Sánta & His Gypsy Band, Tziganes De Budapest

11. Doina - Ferenc Sánta & His Gypsy Band, Tziganes De Budapest

12. Foule

13. Danza de Fuoco - Alexian Group

14. Abriglie Sciolte - Alexian Group

15. Laurence Suni - Moreno

16. Place Parodie - Moreno

17. Din Dorbrogea

18. Figuri - Nedim Nalbantoglu,

19. Chaj Zibede

20. Desenia Bresengo

See all 21 tracks on this disc

Tracks:

Overture To 'Tannhauser'
Domna, Pos Vos Ay Chausida
We Don't Merely Use Instruments, We Play On Them. And They Play On Us.
Hungarian Dance No.7
The Violin Is One Of The Most Tender And Beautiful Instruments Ever Invented.
Violin Concerto In D Major (Adagio)
But For A Long Time It Was Seen As The Instrument Of The Devil.
The Soldier's Tale: Triumphal March Of The Devil
The Manipulative Seductiveness Of The Gypsy Violin.
Csardas Music
The Violin And The Initiation Of Nature
The Four Seasons (Spring, Mvt 1)
Birds Are Again Evoked In The Second Concerto, Especially Music's Natural Favourite.
The Four Seasons (Summer, Mvt 1)
Like The Devil, The Violin Is A Master Of Disguise.
Old Viennese Dance No.3 'Schon Rosmarin'
The Menacing Sensuality Of Ravel's Tzigane: A Very Different Side Of The Violin:
Tzigane
Do We Now Have The True Measure Of This Instrument? Not Just Yet.
Caprice No.24
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.
Variations On A Theme Of Frank Bridge (No.7)
Prokofiev's Tremolo In Romeo And Juliet Should Not Be Heard Just Before Bedtime.
Romeo And Juliet: Act IV
Vivaldi Use It To Illustrate The Shivering Of Travellers Crossing The Ice.
The Four Seasons (Winter, Mvt 1)
The Violin Muted
Clair De Lune
The Gentleness Of Muted Strings Persists Even When A Whole Orchestra Plays.
Piano Concerto No.21 In C Major, K.467 (Slow Mvt)
The Pizzicato Violin
Pizzicato Polka
In Prokofiev's Second Violin Concerto, The Accompaniment Is Pizzicato.
Violin Concerto No.2 In G Minor (Slow Mvt)
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...
The Planets (Mars - The Bringer Of War)
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
Hungarian Dance No.4
Double-Stopping Is A Standard Feature Of A Lot Of Folk Music.
The Four Seasons (Autumn, Mvt 1)
Now The Same Technique, But The Sound Might Have Come From Another World.
Bolero
Double-Stopping Can Only Approximate The Sound Of A Real Violin Duet.
Cadenza To The Violin Concerto By Brahms
Now Compare That With A Real Violin Duet.
Forty-Four Duos (No. 1: Teasing Song)
Another Duo By Bartok, Demonstrating The Violin's Rich Lower Register
Forty-Four Duos (No.2: Maypole Dance)
And Now What May Be The Most Beautiful Accompanied Violin Duet In History
Concerto In D Minor For Two Violins (Largo)
The Soul Of The Violin Is In Song; But What About This Weird Passage?
Violin Concerto No.1 In D Major (Mvt 2)
The Use Of Harmonies In The Orchestra Can Be Both Magical And Unsettling.
Symphony No.1 'Titan' (Mvt 1, Opening)
Tchaikovsky's Use Of Harmonics In The Sleeping Beauty Is Both Strange And Darling.
The Sleeping Beauty (Act II, No.15: Entr'Acte)
Ravel's Harmonics In Mother Goose Effect A Magical Transformation.
Ma Mere L'Oye - Mother Goose (Beauty And The Beast)
Stravinsky's Harmonics In The Firebird Transport Us Almost Into Another World./The Firebird (Introduction)
The Natural Upper Notes Of The Violins Have A Unique Emotional 'Grab'.
Also Sprach Zarathustra (Of The Afterworldsmen)
Still In Their Upper Register, The Violins Unleash The Energy Of A Young Colt.
Variations On A Theme Of Frank Bridge (No. 4)
Elsewhere, Britten Uses The Same High Register To Create A Very Different Mood.
Four Sea Interludes (Dawn) From 'Peter Grimes'
To End This Outing With The Violins, A Charming Little Elfin Dance
Elfenreigen

Tracks:

Introduction To The Viola
Viola Concerto (Mvt 1)
Khatchaturian Gets A Very Different Sound From It: Fuller, Fruitier, More Exotic.
Gayane Suite No.1 (Armen's Solo)
Very Nearly The Whole Of The Violin's Upper Register Is Also Available To The Viola.
Passacaglia, Op.33b From 'Peter Grimes'
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.
Harold In Italy (Mvt 4)
The Muted Viola: Intimate, Gentle, Poignant In Dvork
Cypresses (No.9)
The Massed Violas Of The Modern Symphony Orchestra In Mahler
Symphony No.4 (Mvt 3)
The 'Period' Viola In Bach
Brandenburg Concerto No.6 (Last Mvt)
The Cello: A Voice Of Unique Nobility
Suite No.1 For Unaccompanied Cello (Prelude)
Brahms And The 'Soul' Of The Cello
Piano Concerto No.2 In B Flat Major (Mvt 3)
Most Orchestral Composers Tend To Emphasize The Cello's Lower Register.
Cantata 'Herz Und Mund Und Tat Und Leben', BWV 147 (Soprana Aria: Bereite Dir, Jesu)
In The Time Of Beethoven The Cello Remained As Fundamental As Ever.
Symphony No.3 'Eroica' (Finale)
But The Cello Is Not Condemned To Spend Its Life In The Basement.
Elfentanz, Op.39
Not Only In Recital Showpieces Like That Is The Cello Is Used In Its Highest Register.
The Protecting Veil (Opening)
A Cello With An Identity-Crisis: The Pizzicato Flamencan
Flamenco
Double-Stopping In The Lower Reaches Of The Cello's Range
Solo Suiet For Cello And Piano (Sardana)
It's In The Middle Register That The Cello Really Comes Into Its Own.
Oriental Dance, Op.2 No.2
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.
Symphony No.9 (Finale)
Introduction To The Double-Bass
The Carnival Of The Animals (The Elephant)
But The Double-Bass Can Be Intensely Expressive And Graceful.
Elegy No.1 In D Major
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.
Capriccio Di Bravura
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)
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....
Symphony No.5 (Mvt 3)/So Much For The Strings/On Now To The Winds

Tracks:

The Antiquity And Magic Of The Flute
Prelude A L'Apres-Midi D'Un Faune
The Versatility And Agility Of The Flute
Orchestral Suite No.2 In B Minor (Badinerie)
The Flute In Fifteenth-Century Spain
Sa'Dawi
Other Flutes: The Bass And Alto
Chamber Music No.II
The Piccolo - Aptly Named
La Naissance D'Osiris (Mvt 6)
From A Piccolo Of The Eighteenth Century To One Of Its Descendants In The Twentieth
Suite No.1 For Small Orchestra (Valse)
A Variety Of Techniques
Chamber Music No.II
Flutter-Tonguing. But Tchaikovsky Got There Eighty Years Before.
The Nutcracker (Act II, No.2: Scene)
From The Transverse To The Vertical: The Baroque Recorder
Recorded Suite In A Minor (Menuet II)
An Unfamiliar, Early Vision Of The Instrument
Naelden, Naelden
The Bachian Oboe
Cantata 'Ein Feste Burg Ist Unser Gott', BWV 80 (No.7: Duetto)
Introduction To The Cor Anglais Or 'English Born'
Symphony No.9 'From The New World' (Mvt 2)
The Loneliness Of The Cor Anglais
The Swan Of Tuonela
The Cor Anglais Joins The French Horn In Haydn.
Symphony No.22 'The Philosopher' (Opening)
Introduction To The Oboe D'Amore, Beloved Of Bach - But Also Of Ravel
Bolero
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...
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)
As The High Clarinets Tend To Be Loud, So The Bass Tends To Be Soft:
Gayane Suite No. 1 (Mvt 5)
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).
The Range Of The Normal Clarinet Parts Goes Quite High...
The Snow Maiden (Scene 5: Melodrama)
...And Quite Low.
Peter And The Wolf (The Cat)
The Clarinet As Concerto Soloist
Clarinet Concerto In A Major (Rondo)
But That's Not The Instrument Mozart Wrote It For; This Is:
Clarinet Concerto In A Major (Rondo)
Introduction To The Saxophone
Hary Janos Suite (Mvt 4)
The Soprano Saxophone Has Quite A Different Feel To It.
L'Arlesienne Suite No.1 (Minuet)
The Little Sopranino Sax Goes Even Higher.
Bolero
The Most Famous Use Of The Saxophone Is In An Orchestration By Ravel.
Pictures At An Exhibition (The Old Castle)
The Saxophone Can Be Quite Contagiously Good-Humoured.
Sax-O-Phun
The Puffa-Puffa Image Of The Bassoon
Peter And The Wolf (Grandfather)
The Bachian Bassoon, In Accompanimental Mode
Cantata 'Weichet Nur, Betrubte Schatten' ('Wedding Cantata'), BWV 202 (Aria No.1)
Bizet Leaves The Puffa-Puffa Image Out, Allowing The Bassoon To Sing./Carmen Suite No.1 (Les Dragons D'Alcala)
And Ravel, Also In Spanish Mode, Does Likewise.
Bolero
The Bassoon As A Voice Of High Seriousness, Indeed Desolate Loneliness
Symphony No.3 (Opening)
The Eerie Bassoon In Its Highest Register
The Rite Of Spring (Opening)
Stravinsky Now Draws On Its Lowest Register, Lonely And Melancholy.
The Firebird Suite (1919, Berceuse)
The Bassoon As Concerto Soloist, Avoiding All Exaggeration
Bassoon Concerto In G Minor (Finale)
The Deep-Voiced Contra-Bassoon, As A Fairy-Tale Beast
Ma Mere L'Oye - Mother Goose (Beauty And The Beast)
The French Horn Under Its Woodwind Hat
Wind Quintet, Op.43 (Last Mvt)
Now A More Prominent Role, In A Woodwind Quintet From An Earlier Era
Wind Quintet In A Minor, Op.100 No.5 (Mvt 2)
The Horn In Harmonious Blend With Strings In Another Quintet
Horn Quintet, K.407 (Finale)

Tracks:

The Trumpet As Virtuoso Soloist
Brandenburg Concerto No.2 (Last Mvt)
The Special Brillance Of Paired Trumpets
Concerto In C For Two Trumpets, RV537 (Mvt 1)
The Ceremonial Trumpet
Fanfare For The Common Man
Trumpets And Drums - An Incomparable Alliance
Messiah (The Trumpet Shall Sound)
The Versatility Of The Trumpet, From The Most Public To The Most Lonely
Piano Concerto In F (Slow Mvt)
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
Carmen Suite No.2 (Habanera)
The Trumpet As The Voice Of Strength And Courage
Carmet Suite No.2 (Toreador's Song)
The Trumpet Muted/Petrushka (No.4: The Blackamoor)/Lieutenant Kije Suite (Opening)/The Trumpet As The Voice Of Weariness
Billy The Kid
The Trumpet As Character Actor
Pictures At An Exhibition (No.6)
The Trumpet As The Voice Of God
Mass In B Minor ('Et Exspecto')
The Birth Of The Trombone
Aenmerckt Nu Hier
The Birth Of The Brass As A Family
Canzon 12 In Double Echo
The Trombone In The Eighteenth Century
Trombone Concerto In B Flat Major (Finale)
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.
Hosannah
The Trombones Become Part Of The Orchestra.
Symphony No.5 (Finale)
The Wagnerian Trombone:/Overture To 'Tannhauser'
The Trombone As Caricaturist
Pulcinella (No.19: Vivo)
The Trombone As Raspberry/Concerto For Orchestra (Intermezzo)
The Horn And The Hunt
Horn Concerto No.4 In E Flat, K.495 (Finale)
The Challenging Horn Of The Baroque
Abaris Ou Les Boreades (Menuet)
The Scarcity Of First-Rate Players In Handel's Time
Walter Music (Minuet 1)
The Horn As Magician/The Firebird Suite (1919, Finale)
Horns And The Sound Of Nobility
Overture To 'Tannhauser' (Opening)
The Special Sound Of The Horn In Its Higher Register
Mass In B Minor ('Quoniam Tu Solus Sanctus')
The Trumpet-Like Sound Of Massed Horns
Symphony No.3 (Mvt 1, Opening)
The Tuba - Unfairly Maligned?
Symphony No.6 (Mvt 3)
The Tuba Perfectly Cast By Ravel
Pictures At An Exhibition (Bydlo)

Tracks:

Introduction. And We Begin With A Bang.
Fanfare For The Common Man/The Bass Drum On The Battlefields/Wellington's Victory, Op.91 (Opening)
At The Opposite Extreme Is The Triangle.
Piano Concerto No.1 In E Flat (Scherzo)
Categories Of Percussion: Tuned And Untuned. The Side Drum
Overture To 'La Gazza Ladra' - The Thieving Magpie (Opening)
The Side Drum In An Effective But Unexpected Role/Clarinet Concerto (Mvt 1)
The Tambourine. One Of The Oldest Instruments In The World
Den Hoboecken Dans
Even Older Is The Originally Oriental Gong.
Ma Mere L'Oye - Mother Goose (Laideronette)
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.
Gymnopedie No.2
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...
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)
More Versatile Than The Whip Are The Wood Blocks.../Studio Example/...Which Crop Up All Over The Place In Twentieth-Century American Music.
Rodeo (Hoe-Down)
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.
Scherzi Musicali (Damigella Tutta Belle)
A Still Earlier Example From Fifteenth-Century Spain
Yo M'Enamori D'Un Aire
The Birth Of The Bongo
Symphonic Dances From 'West Side Story'
From The Streets Of New York To The Blacksmith's Shop/Il Trovatore ('Anvil Chorus')
Desert-Island Decibels: Grand Canyon Suite (On The Trail)/Arcana
From One Vegetable To Another: The Humble Squash, Or Marrow/Huapango
Onwards To The Tuned Percussion. First, The Timpani
Also Sprach Zarathustra (Introduction)
But The Drum Roll Can Be More Effectively Frightening Than The Big Bang.: Symphony No.2 'Resurrection' (Mvt 3)
Not One Drum Roll, But Many/Grand Canyon Suite (Sunrise)/Symphonie Fantastique (Last Mvt)
Taking Advantage Of Tunability
Music For Strings, Percussion And Celeste (Mvt 2)
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.
Introducing The Glockenspiel/Carmen Suite (Carmen's Entrance And Habanera)
Saint-Saens And The Xylophone
The Carnival Of The Animals (Fossils)
Ravel And The Xylophone
Ma Mere L'Oye - Mother Goose (Laideronette)
Introducing The Marimba/Carmen Suite (First Intermezzo)
Introducing The Vibraphone
The Treasure Of The Sierra Madre (Narange Dolce)
The Vibraphone Goes Russian.../Carmen Suite (Carmen's Entrance And Habanera)/...And Is Joined By The Marimba./Carmen Suite (Carmen's Entrance And Habanera)
Introducing The Hungarian Cimbalom
Folk Dances
The Cimbalom And The Symphony Orchestra
Hary Janos Suite (Mvt 3)
Introducing The Tubular Bells
Hary Janos Suite (Viennese Musical Clock)
A More 'Up-Front' Approach From Rodion Shchedrin
Carmen Suite (Introduction)
But The Bells Can Also Make The Sinister Even More Sinister./Symphony No.7 'Sinfonia Antartica' (Mvt 1)
Introducing The Celeste
The Nutcracker (Dance Of The Sugar Plum Fairy)
Magic, In The Use Of Collective Percussion
Miroirs (La Vallee Des Cloches)
Plucked Instruments: The 'Undercover Percussion'/Carmen Suite (Scene)
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
The Traditionally Subservient Role Of The Harpsichord In The Baroque Orchestra
Brandenburg Concerto No.2 (Slow Mvt)
The Piano: King Of The Tuned Percussion/Symphony No.3 'Organ' (Mvt 3)/And A Quarter Of A Century After That:
Petrushka (Russian Dance)
The Anti-Romantic Piano As An Integral Part Of The Orchestra
Music For Strings, Percussion And Celeste (Last Mvt)

Tracks:

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

Tracks:

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

Tracks:

Introduction And Rondo Capriccioso For Violin And Orchestra - Itzhak Perlman
Violin Concerto No.2 In D Minor, Op.22: Romance (Andante) - Gil Shaham
Zigeunerweisen, Op.20 - Ruggiero Ricci
Violin Concerto No.2 In B Minor, Op.7: Rondo A La Clochete 'La Campanella' - Salvatore Accardo
Thais: Meditation - Joshua Bell
Partita No.3 In E, BWV 1006: Preludio - Nathan Milstein
Partita No.3 In E, BWV 1006: Gavote And Rondo - Gidon Kremer
The Four Seasons: Concerto No.2 In G Minor, RV 269 'Summer': Presto - Pinchas Zukerman
Sonata No.4 In G Minor, Op.1 'The Devil's Trill' - Gil Shaham
Violin Sonata No.3 In D, Op.9 No.3: Tambourin (Presto) - Henryk Szeryng
Minuet In G, WoO 10 No.2 - Arthur Grumiaux
Songs Without Words: Spring Song, Op.62 No.6 - Christian Ferras
24 Caprices For Solo Violin: Caprice No.9 In E Major - Shlomo Mintz
24 Caprices For Solo Violin: Caprice No.17 In E-Flat Major - Ruggiero Ricci
24 Caprices For Solo Violin: Caprice No.24 In A Minor 'Tema Quas' - Salvatore Accardo

Tracks:

Violin Concerto In D, Op.35: Canzonetta (Andante) - Nathan Milstein
Polonaise No.1 In D, Op.4 - Leila Josefowicz
Ave Maria, D 839 - Christian Ferras
Hungarian Dance No.1 In G Minor - Samuel Sanders
Humoresque, Op.101 No.7 - Arthur Grumiaux
The Legend Of Tsar Saltan: Flight Of The Bumblebee - Henryk Szeryng
Hebrew Melody, Op.33 - Ruggiero Ricci
Salut D'amour, Op.12 - Phillip Moll
Waltz 'La Plus Que Lente' - Henryk Szeryng
Three Old Viennese Dances: Liebesfreud - Joshua Bell
Three Old Viennese Dances: Liebesleid - Phillip Moll
Baal Shem: Nigun - Arthur Grumiaux
Berceuse, Op.16 - Anne-Sophie Mutter
Tzigane - Concert Rhapsody For Violin And Piano - Gerhard Oppitz
Danzas Espanola, Op.37: Andaluza (Dance No.5) - Arthur Grumiaux
Hora Staccato - Christian Ferras
Six Romanian Folk Dances, Op.Sz 56 - Henryk Szeryng

Customer Reviews:

Perfect.......2005-02-15

I love classical music but I dont own very much of it, so I thought I would start my collection with Masters of the Bow. What a beautiful selection it was. I just love the sound of a Violin, Joshua Bell is my favorite,I would love to hear more from him. This collection really helps you get to know the masters. Lovely Lovely!

Outstanding.......2004-08-17

I love the violin and this collection is one of my favorites. A great choice for someone like me who doesn't know enough about music and never knows what to buy. It has introduced me to some artists and pieces that I knew nothing about and will help me know what to look for in violin music in the future. This is my favorite but I would also recommend The Cello and Voice CDs in the "Masters of" series. I can't wait for more in this series.

Average customer rating:

Fire and Ice? Fire, yes. But ? Brava Sarah! Theresa NY
I'm impressed . . .
Chang v. Perlman
Great Sarasate
Wow!

Fire & Ice
Sarah Chang , and Placido Domingo
Manufacturer: EMI Classics
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Suites | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music

$9.99 and Under | Classical Music Blowout | Stores | Music

All Classical Music Blowout | Classical Music Blowout | Stores | Music

Instrumental | Classical Music Blowout | Stores | Music
Similar Items:

Simply Sarah
Sweet Sorrow
Shostakovich: Violin Concerto No. 1; Prokofiev: Violin Concerto No. 1
Debut
Sarah Chang - Paganini: Violin Concerto No. 1 ~ Saint-Saëns: Havanaise / Sawallisch

ASIN: B00005O83N
Release Date: 2002-01-08

Tracks:

Con Fant On 'Carmen', Op.25: Intro: Allegro Moderato
Con Fant On 'Carmen', Op.25: I. Moderato
Con Fant On 'Carmen', Op.25: II. Lento Assai
Con Fant On 'Carmen', Op.25: III. Allegro Moderato
Con Fant On 'Carmen', Op.25: IV. Moderato
Meditation
Tzigane, Rapsodie De Con
Romance in f, Op.11
Romance in F, Op.50
Ste No.3 in D, BWV 1068: Air
Zigeunerweisen, Op.20

Amazon.com

Here's a handy collection of popular works for violin and orchestra. The title apparently refers to the mix of warmly romantic music, like the Massenet Méditation, and flashy virtuoso stuff, like the Sarasate Carmen Fantasy and Zigeunerweisen. Sarah Chang excels in both areas. Her Dvorák and Beethoven Romances are sweetly sung, while the insanely virtuosic Tzigane by Ravel, with its wild staccato and chordal effects, she tosses off without breaking a sweat. Except for the romanticized Bach Air from the Suite No. 3, there are no stylistic transgressions, and the mix of fiery virtuoso fare and romantic slower beauties keeps interest alive throughout. Conductor Placido Domingo's proficient accompaniments don't get in her way. All the selections are familiar. Such violin virtuosi as Suk, Oistrakh, Grumiaux, Vengerov, and Perlman have recorded most of them, often coming closer to capturing the inner glow of the music. But Chang's exciting performances can't fail to please, especially if you want all these favorites on one disc. --Dan Davis

Customer Reviews:

Fire and Ice? Fire, yes. But ? Brava Sarah! Theresa NY.......2005-04-22

After listening to this CD by Sarah Chang I can see the Fire in all of the selections, even the "Meditiation" by Massenet. But where the Ice comes in I cannot tell. Sarah plays with such vibrance and zeal and even if you've never heard the selection before it doesn't matter. Her interpretation of "Zigeunerweisen" is the best I have ever heard. And I think Placido Domingo also does a fabulous job of conducting. All in all, this is one of the most entertaining and enjoyable CD's I own. I urge you to buy it. You won't be sorry.

I'm impressed . . ........2004-10-22

I put the CD in CD player, turned up the volume, and went about the house doing domestic things. I had to stop doing the dishes, dry my hands, and run upstairs (and I do not like the stairs, have major issues with the stairs!) just to check the disc information. The playing was that good, jaw-droppingly so. I'm impressed.

Chang v. Perlman.......2004-10-03

This album has almost the same repertoire as one by Perlman. Some days I prefer the Perlman version, other days I prefer Sarah's version. Sarah has been a perfect technical virtuoso since she was 13. At age 19, she has matured in her artistic interpretation to rival the best in the world. (I consider Itzak Perlman to be the best, but Sarah is nearly his equal, and she is yet quite young.) I eagerly await each new album she publishes. I wish she would come to town so I could hear her live. I also wish she would record occasionally on analog LP, especially direct disc. I find CDs much less faithful to the sound of live music than LPs, though at least todays CD players are somewhat listenable, instead of making the dreadful sounds they did when the medium was new.

Great Sarasate.......2002-12-25

This recording of Carmen and Zigeunerweisen is hard to do any better. Simply great fiddle playing! Chang's vibrato and virtuosity suits this style perfectly and not many can play the page full of thirds in Carmen as well as she did it! Least successful was Beethoven and Bach. I rather prefer a more poetic mood (slower tempo) and a slightly less expansive vibrato for this kind of music. Sarah has a sometimes very broad vibrato well suited for fiery stuff but not so well suited for music that demands a certain level of sophistication. Anyway that is just my personal opinion as a violin freak. I guess the broader audience would not mind since the sound is very nice even if the vibrato is a bit out of control at times.

Thanks Sarah for yet another great recording!

Wow!.......2002-11-16

I think there's only two words to describe her playing --- Absolutely Awesome!

Average customer rating:

Best I've heard so far
Buy this, you'll love it!
Heart's Delicacy
.....not impressive
Mixed Reaction

Carmen-Fantasie
Pablo de Sarasate , Jules Massenet , Gabriel Fauré , Maurice Ravel , Henryk Wieniawski , Giuseppe Tartini , James Levine , Anne-Sophie Mutter , and Wiener Philharmoniker
Manufacturer: Deutsche Grammophon
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

French | Languages | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Deutsche Grammophon: Music | Specialty Stores | Music
Similar Items:

Vivaldi: The Four Seasons/Tartini: The Devil's Trill
Tango Song & Dance
Tchaikovsky, Korngold: Violin Concertos
Jean Sibelius: Violinkonzert/Serenaden/Humoreske
Anne-Sophie Mutter: The Berlin Recital

ASIN: B000001GII
Release Date: 1993-10-12

Tracks:

Zigeunenrweisen, Op. 20 - Airs bohemiens - Zingaresca: Moderato - Lento - Un peu plus lent - Allegro molto vivace
Legende en sol mineur, Op. 17 - g-moll - In G Minor - in sol minore- in sol minore: Andante - Allegro - Tempo I
Larghetto affettuoso - Allegro moderato (Tempo giusto della scuola Tartiniana) - Andante (Sogni dell'Autore) - Allegro assai - Andante - Allegro assai - Andante - Allegro assai - Adagio
Tzigane
Thais - Meditation
Fantaisie De Concert Sur Des Motis De L'opera Carmen
Fantaisie De Concert Sur Des Motifs De L'opera Carmen
Fantaisie De Concert Sur Des Motifs De L'opera Carmen
Fantaisie De Concert Sur Des Motifs De L'opera Carmen
Fantaisie De Concert Sur Des Motifs De L'opera Carmen
Berceuse En Re Majeur

Amazon.com essential recording

Anne-SophieMutter obviously had fun making this disc. In the quiet pieces (Massenet, Ysaÿe, Fauré) which serve as interludes, she plays with her usual exquisite taste. In the showpieces, though, she goes to town, sliding, scooping, exaggerating, and letting all the stops out. The gypsy inflection she uses in Ravel's Tzigane and Sarasate's Zigeunerweisen is delicious. Even a ridiculous orchestral arrangement of Tartini's Devil's Trill Sonata is more amusing than offensive. With James Levine and the Berlin Philharmonic providing uncommonly alert and powerful support, and Deutsche Grammophon's realistic sound, this disc is a real treat for violin lovers. --Leslie Gerber

Customer Reviews:

Best I've heard so far.......2005-05-03

Many musicians play with with brains, only few do with hearts - And even fewer pour their hearts out with consistency are legends. Mutter had seemingly rewritten the arrangement and absorbed it so solidly which led to a performance that blooms with such great passion and distinct personality aided by her transcendental techniques. I had felt an instant connection with her the very first time I heard it. It's also sonically pleasing even to the audiophiles. It's a recording for music fans who truely understand and appreciate music on a very sophisticated level...

Buy this, you'll love it!.......2005-03-31

If you have never heard Anne-Sophie this is the CD you should buy first. Its fun! Its exciting! Its dynamic! Anne-Sophie brings this music to life in the way only she can. I'm not a technical expert when it comes to music, I just know that I like this CD.

Note: The first time I played this CD in my office (I'm very noisy in my office) I had people run in to ask who was the violinist. They wanted to buy this CD. You should buy it too.

Heart's Delicacy.......2004-06-25

I got this CD a long time ago & i remember the first time I heard the 1st song i knew I was into something different. Mutter is very expressive & the sound is crystal clear U could hear every note retaining in its originality. The Show stopper for me is & will alwayz be compositions by Pablo De Sarasate.(I also like Fritz Kreisler) I like his compositions because they sound so fun his music was not as serious as that of Bruch but very similar. Pablo had a different style & teases the mind & heart to such an extent I thought my heart could not take any more of these simple magnifique delicacys of the soul. Sophie Anne Mutter knows exactly how to bring that style that captures the ear & mind. "carmen fantasy" will make u love violin guaranteed.This is a MUST HAVE in your collection.DO NOT BE ALAYED BY THE BAD REVIEWS IN THIS CD THEY ARE SIMPLE PEOPLE WHO DO NOT APPRECIATE CLASS.

.....not impressive.......2003-10-21

I love Ms. Mutter and how she plays, but I have to say this was one of her worst albums. I thought that the Tzigane was very good and different from all the other recordings of it and it kept me listening but the Sarasate......was not that impressive. The Zigeunenrweisen was very just there. It wasn't great or junk it was just....there...The Carmen Fantasy though was horrible, i think she shoulda redone the last movement where she coulda practiced her shifts...I think that Pearlman and Sarah Chang played the fantasy with the Zigeunenrweisen much better. SO i think u shoulda waste ur time on this album, buy Chang's Fire and Ice was much better than this album...

Mixed Reaction.......2001-07-15

I heard a lot about Ms. Mutter and heard her performances on radio a few times, but this was the first time I got one of her recordings and listened carefully into her performances. I must say that my reaction is mixed.

First, on negatives... I was amazed that at a few places, she was simply and glaringly out of pitch. For example, in 'Meditation', she played the high F# of the first section way sharp. The orchestra and the soloist were off-pace at times. On expressive slow phrases, the tone wasn't warm enough. Rather, it was coarse and felt artificially suppressed.

Tracks:

I. Allegro Non Troppo
II. Scherzando: Allegro Molto
III. Intermezzo: Allegretto Non Troppo
IV. Andante
V. Rondo: Allegro - Poco Piu Lento - Tempo I
I. Allegro Non Troppo
II. Andantino, Quasi Allegretto
III. Molto Moderato - Allegro Non Troppo
Tzigane, Rapsodie De Concert

Amazon.com

Maxim Vengerov's virtuosity is so spectacular, his tonal palette so varied, that even those who normally don't go for the colorful showpieces recorded here might be won over. His technique is secure enough for us not to notice it--we're never distracted from the music--and while the razzle-dazzle inherent in each of these pieces continue to amaze, it's the effect of the work itself we're left with. Even with Ravel's Tzigane, here certainly receiving one of the most forceful performances ever, it's the evocation of Gypsy abandon that remains in the forefront. The Lalo is pure electricity, with the glowing malaguena and seguidilla and vigorous Habanera almost inviting us to dance, and Pappano and the Philharmonia have just the right surge to keep the entire performance solid. The Saint-Saëns Third Violin Concerto is a wonderful work (the most substantial on the disc), with its combination of two zippy, showy movements sandwiching an andantino of sheer loveliness, and Vengerov's playing is stunning. The outer movements are so full of energy that the oasis in the center is positively heavenly. These may not be the best readings of these works available, but there's not a misplaced note, a moment to take issue with, or a dull spot. If this was Vengerov's only recording, he would forever be known as a great violinist. --Robert Levine

Customer Reviews:

promising but soloist doesn't stand up to his own hype.......2007-01-10

I ordered this CD for my dad at his request, solely for the Saint-Saens Violin Concerto, which turned ut to be in three parts. The middle section of 1-2 minutes was indeed interesting, but the other two showed a lack of virtuosity and a lackluster interpretation that was underlined even more in the Lalo and Ravel solo standards. Vengarov MIGHT show promise, but I think the particular section that caught my dad's ear was him at his best, and it just isn't enough to hold together even that particular piece. And the other two major pieces were, frankly, disappointing in quality of the musicianship. Vengarov's looks may bring him fandom among the young and European, but my dad was disappointed and I was underwhelmed. I wanted to return the CD, but it would have made dad feel more badly, since it was "his" first Amazon purchase and his choice. Give him another 20 years. We'll give it away. Also, there are many other stellar violinists out there who are going to stand the test of time much better; they're his age, more or elss, and have undeniably possess and use the full range of gifts and training.Chun Hee, and even Joshua Bell (of whom I've never been a fan) for example. But to me, no one compares to Perlman and others who have created universal, eternal history. They set an unimaginable standard that leaves Vengarov firmly on the pavement--and in this CD, flat on his feet. I should have known by the "stardard" list of contents.

Beautiful Music.......2006-11-06

The CD came quickly and was in perfect shape. It was a gift for my daughter who has enjoyed it over and over again, as have the rest of us. I am very well pleased with the product and service! Thank you!

Good readings lacking fire and imagination.......2005-12-22

Like a lot of recordings by Vengerov, this one mates a couple of well known concertos from the Romantic era to a high profile orchestra and conductor, in this case Anthony Pappano and the Philharmonia Orchestra. And, like a lot of Vengerov recordings, these are good readings that lack the kind of fire and imagination that make them stand out from the crowd.

This isn't to say it's bad work; far from it. Indeed, Pappano begins the Lalo "Symphonie espanole" all fire and brimstone, as if it is his initiation rite for entry to the League of Fiery Italians. His hard charge soon cools, however, and he continues throughout the CD as a thoughtful mercenary supporter of the soloist.

Vengerov plays this music with a thinner tone than I've heard from his before, one that seems to demarcate him from the school of Oistrakh and other humanists. His tone in the big minor key items in so lean he can't pass for Perlman, whose recording of the same pieces led by Barenboim has set critics atwitter for some years. Vengerov displays little virtuosity, as well, seeming content to follow the score markings.

The bottom heavy, bass thumping recording probably does something to magnify the thinness of Vengerov's tone, but so does the companionship or lack of same between the partners.

Where Pappano wants to plow ahead with fire and brimstone, Vengerov's entries are almost always antithetical, as if the partners never discussed how they were going to begin the concertos. Once Vengerov makes his entry, Pappano is always the appropriate supporter, gently leading the Philharmonia along so as not to show up or cover up the big time soloist. His work in this regard is exemplary throughout as is the Philharmonia playing.

The tubby recording -- which is also exceptionally wide ranging -- does not always let you hear everything the way it probably sounds in a concert hall. I can't tell if engineering, the recording venue (Lyndhurst Hall, Air Studios, London), or the partners are responsible for this but the recording cannot be considered top flight for its era.

This CD is not likely to topple your old or new favorites in this repertoire. I continue to enjoy Alfredo Campoli's version of the Saint Saens 3rd Concerto more than others even though it has never shown up on CD. I don't have a favorite version of the Lalo and not much going on here converted me to this recording.

Splendid Lalo et al. from Vengerov and Pappano.......2004-12-01

I have hesitated acquiring this CD since I own already a spellbinding account of Lalo's "Symphonie Espagnole" performed by Vadim Repin with Kent Nagano conducting the London Symphony Orchestra. But frankly, once again, Vengerov's performance of this piece and of the others, is the one to acquire. All three have very demanding solo passages, which Vengerov handles adroitly, with ample warmth and polish. I was stunned with how well he plays all three works, which are among the most difficult I have heard for a solo violin accompanied by an orchestra. Somehow this young Siberian manages to play all with more than a hint of Gypsy soul, as though he was familiar with the traditional Gypsy melodies which inspired undoubtedly Lalo, Saint-Saens, and especially, Ravel, in composing these works. Vengerov's riveting performances of all three works is accompanied by superb playing from the Philharmonia Orchestra under the baton of Italian-American conductor Antonio Pappano. Without question, this is yet another exceptional CD from Vengerov which should please his fans and other admirers.

Drama, virtuosity and sweetness from Vengerov and Pappano.......2004-02-09

Edouard Lalo's 'Symphonie Espagnole' and Camille Saint-Saens' Violin Concerto #3 were comissioned by violin virtuoso and composer Pablo Sarasate, known for the beauty and sweetness of his tone, the ease with which he played even the highest notes on his instrument, and his stunning technique. Since the great young Russian violinist Maxim Vengerov not only shares these qualities, but adds to them both heart and superb imagination, he is an obvious choice to record these French masterpieces. However, largely because I am well aware of just how much competition Vengerov has from just about every other great violinist who ever lived and recorded, I have balked at buying many of his CDs, especially of very standard works, because I wanted to 'shop around' to find my favorite renditions and not have the many duplicates I do of operas and operatic recitals. I'm sure many classical music lovers have the same problem. Vengerov's jaw-dropping Britten/Walton album earlier this year, however, made me decide to at least listen to, if not actually buy, every CD he records in the future, and if necessary replace them if I like another violinist's rendition better. The other major factor in my decision to buy this CD was my eagerness to hear the great Antonio Pappano conduct purely orchestral as opposed to the operatic and vocal repertory he is more famous for. The partnership of these two brilliant, passionate and charismatic artists was just too good an opportunity to pass up.

And it truly is a partnership. In this expressive, dramatic, perhaps truly `operatic' music, Pappano proves to be just as supportive to instrumental soloists as he is to singers; he and the Philharmonia hang on Vengerov's every note. Considering just how many liberties a violinist can take in these works, that can't have been easy! As usual, Pappano is superb in building tension to dramatic climaxes and giving the music real punch and elan. Even more importantly, one of Pappano's specialties is coaxing gorgeous, radiant sound from orchestral strings sections (most noticeable here in the Saint-Saens) - all the more extraordinary considering he is a pianist and not a violinist! Vengerov indicated in recent interviews that he and the conductor have formed a very ardent mutual admiration society, and this is obvious listening to this album.

Throughout the program, Vengerov plays a 1727 Stradivarius that belonged to the legendary violinist Rodolphe Kreutzer (of Beethoven's `Kreutzer Sonata' fame), and he is more than worthy of this magical instrument. Best of all, it is clear that he is having a very good time! Vengerov has played these pieces from his early childhood and as he says in his booklet essay, they evoke strong feelings of nostalgia in him. They also clearly inspire his imagination, his expressivity, and his strong sense of drama.

In the 'Symphonie Espagnole', the violinist becomes a swaggering toreador in the first movement, a sprightly and good-humored seducer in the second, a strong, passionate dancer in the third and a serious, sad man (perhaps in mourning?) in the fourth. The famous final Rondo movement is a triumph of joy and energy, and note also the way Pappano handles the crescendo and decrescendo at its start.

The highlight of the disc, however, is the second movement of the Saint-Saens. This is Vengerov's favorite part of the concerto and he is absolutely sublime, making his violin sing with such purity and sweetness that one may cry. I am reminded of the Largo from the Bach Double Violin Concerto; as Vengerov gets higher and higher and softer and softer, it is as if one is ascending to some higher, ecstatic dimension (as he puts it, 'the music melts little by little, taking us to other planets, stars, spheres'). The contrastingly zingy outer movements of the concerto are played with equal aplomb.

Maurice Ravel wrote 'Tzigane' for the Hungarian violinist Jelly D'Aranyi, who inspired him by her spectacular playing of Gypsy melodies at a party. It is intended as a showpiece and Vengerov more than delivers. From the long, spare, and incredibly difficult solo cadenza (the orchestra doesn't come in for almost four minutes) to the bewildering pyrotechnics that conclude the piece, this Russian violinist obviously feels a strong kinship with the Gypsies this piece evokes, and so does his Italian-British-American conductor.

EMI's sound engineering is at its usual high standard, although some may complain that the violinist is placed too far forward. In addition to Vengerov's comments, the documentation also consists of a fine essay on the three works by Robert Orledge (both in English, French, and German), and portraits of all the composers. It is a pity that EMI provides no biographies of either Vengerov or Pappano.

I am not the expert on violinists and violin repertory that I am the human voice, so unlike some who may review this disc, I cannot say with any degree of authority whether or not it is 'the best'. Nevertheless, Vengerov's (and Pappano's!) renditions of the works recorded here are so superb that they are a perfect introduction for listeners new to the works or those who want them in modern sound, and I imagine that even many who collect violin recordings will find little to fault about them.

Ravel, Debussy, Saint-Saens: Works for Violin and Piano
Average customer rating:

Oh Canada!

Ravel, Debussy, Saint-Saens: Works for Violin and Piano
Maurice Ravel , Claude Debussy , Camille Saint-Saens , Wendy Chen , and James Ehnes
Manufacturer: Musica Viva
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Ravel, Maurice | ( R ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music
General | Saint-Saëns, Camille | ( S ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music
All Works by Debussy | Debussy, Claude | ( D ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music
Chamber Music | Forms & Genres | Classical (c.1770-1830) | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music
Violin | Strings | Instruments | Classical | Styles | Music
General | Classical | Styles | Music
General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music
Similar Items:

Fritz Kreisler: Variations On A Theme By Corelli; Praeludium & Allegro; Sicilienne & Rigaudon

Barber, Korngold, Walton: Violin Concertos

Niccolo Paganini: 24 Caprices For Solo Violin

Wieniawski, Sarasate

Bach: The Six Sonatas & Partitas for Solo Violin

ASIN: B000050I1I
Release Date: 2000-12-26

Tracks:

Tzigane
Berceuse Sur Le Nom De Gabriel Faure
I. Allegretto
II. Blues
III. Perpetuum Mobile
I. Allegro Vivo
II. Intermede
III. Finale
I. Allegro Agitato
Adagio
II. Allegretto Moderato
Allegro Molto

Customer Reviews:

Oh Canada!.......2001-01-30

I'm lucky enough to live just across the river from Canada so that I can listen to the musical programming of CBC radio from Windsor. Canada seems to have a disproportionately high number of outstanding young musicians and their work is often showcased on CBC. That's where I first heard the wonderful young violinist James Ehnes, and have been buying his CDs ever since. The collaboration of Ehnes and pianist Wendy Chen on this CD is a revelation, especially in the three works by Maurice Ravel. The violin and the piano are so well-articulated- in the sense of being jointed together- that at times the sound gives the impression of a single (not yet invented!) ethereal instrument. So often in recordings of works for violin and piano, the role of the pianist seems to be that of an accompanist. That doesn't happen in this CD which is the best thing I've come across in quite a while!

Itzhak Perlman - Greatest Hits ~ "Carmen" Fantasy · Havanaise · Poème · and more

Average customer rating:

A great violinist playing great music.
Obviously a must-have for Perlman fans

Itzhak Perlman - Greatest Hits ~ "Carmen" Fantasy · Havanaise · Poème · and more

Manufacturer: Deutsche Grammophon
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music

Deutsche Grammophon: Music | Specialty Stores | Music
Similar Items:

Itzhak Perlman's Greatest Hits, Vol. 2
Itzhak Perlman's Greatest Hits
Itzhak Perlman - A la carte / Lawrence Foster
Cinema Serenade II: The Golden Age
Ithzak Perlman: Encores

ASIN: B000001GIO
Release Date: 1993-05-11

Tracks:

'Carmen' Fantasy: Introduction: Allegro moderato
'Carmen' Fantasy: I. Moderato
'Carmen' Fantasy: II. Lento assai
'Carmen' Fantasy: III. Allegro moderato
'Carmen' Fantasy: IV. Moderato
Introduction And Rondo Capriccioso
Symphonie Espagnole V. Rondo: Allegro
Havanaise
Poeme
Tzigane
Reverie Et Caprice

Customer Reviews:

A great violinist playing great music........2005-06-01

Itzhak Perlman demonstrates his mastery of the violin while playing Pablo de Saratate's 'Carmen Fantasy' on this CD.

Obviously a must-have for Perlman fans.......1999-02-09

Carmen Fantasy with perfect skills, what else can I say...buy it if you are a true Perlman fan!

Average customer rating:

Technical virtuosity!
GREAT STUFF
A Walk in the Park
A Master shines !!!
Supreme artist and virtuoso playing spellbinding music!

Midori - Live at Carnegie Hall
Ludwig van Beethoven , Richard Strauss , Claude Debussy , Heinrich Wilhelm Ernst , Fryderyk Chopin , Maurice Ravel , Midori (Goto) , and Robert McDonald
Manufacturer: Sony
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Jazz | Styles | Music

Vocal Jazz General | Vocal Jazz | Jazz | Styles | Music

General | Opera & Vocal | 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

Opera & Vocal | The Sony BMG Masterworks Store | Amazon.com Label Stores | Stores | Music

Musicals | The Sony BMG Masterworks Store | Amazon.com Label Stores | Stores | Music
Similar Items:

Midori ~ Encore!
French Violin Sonatas
Midori ~ Sibelius - Violin Concerto · Bruch - Scottish Fantasy / Israel PO · Mehta
Mendelssohn, Bruch: Violin Concertos
Dvorák: Violin Concerto, Op.53

ASIN: B0000027CW
Release Date: 1991-04-19

Tracks:

Sonata for violin & piano No. 8 in G major, Op. 30/3 No.3
Sonata for violin & piano in E flat major, Op. 18
Nocturne for piano No. 21 in C minor, B. 108
Variations on "The Last Rose of Summer" for violin solo
Beau soir ("Lorsque au soleil couchant les rivihres sont roses"), song for voice & piano, L. 6 Transcribed for violin & piano
Tzigane, rhapsodie de concert for violin & piano (or orchestra)

Customer Reviews:

Technical virtuosity!.......2005-11-26

I'll preface this review by saying that I've been disappointed in the past with some of Midori's recordings. She was never lacking in technical skill, and RARELY does she have intonation problems. I did have issues with her musicalty. It is in technically difficult pieces (like the Paganini caprices) that her skills shine.

This recording is a dazzling display of technical ability and artistry. Midori has the audacity to attempt Ernst's 6th polyphonic etude (The Last Rose of Summer) in a LIVE recital. She pulls it off without error except intonation issues on a few notes (easily forgiven!). The CD is worth owning for this one piece alone.

The Beethoven and Strauss sonatas are played with wonderful clarity and.. dare I say... musicality. The sound quality is excellent save a few audible coughs from the audience which come with live recordings.

GREAT STUFF.......2003-11-02

This CD is ample evidence of Midori's virtuosity, coupled with first-rate musicality. However, I have to disagree with one reviewer's assertion that she is non-pareil. Indeed, her Ernst is not perfect, though it comes very close. Careful listening will pick up slight intonation errors.Ricci performed with more facility. It is utterly ridiculous to place her above Heifetz, or even Perlman. And it is even more ridiculous to suggest that those two violinists were afraid to record the Ernst. Midori is great, but not as great as Heifetz or Perlman or Ricci.

A Walk in the Park.......2001-08-07

Not to toot my own horn; I play four instruments for over forty years. So what? Don't just listen to the music. Listen to the notes. Midori miss a note? I rather doubt it. The orchestra may be taking a day off for a walk in the park; but, Midori's persisting drive brings them back time and time again. All of the artists seem to be a bit stiff in their presentation. It's noticeable if you listen. One never knows if their review will be implemented. Mine will always deal with the worlds of difference between hearing the work and listening. This reviewer is not concerned with Midori's ability to equal or surpass another's work. I am interested in what her presentation does for me on it's own merit. Frankly, I am surprised that she doesn't catch her instrument on fire much like the rubing of sticks together until the heat brings forth fire. Midori is fire.

A Master shines !!!.......1999-06-12

What can be said about Midori that a fan doesn't already know ? Again, her unique, beautiful style is on display.

I've listened to this Strauss Sonata many many times and I feel Midori has created a miracle on a CD. Such emotion, timbre, richness of tone... a violin can NOT sound better...

I luv Midori..... !!

Supreme artist and virtuoso playing spellbinding music!.......1998-09-10

Four days before her nineteenth birthday, standing for the first time on the stage of a legendary building, in front of a sellout crowd (3000), Midori delivers an extraordinary 100-minute long program, from memory. Unfortunately, the CD version can only include 75 minutes of it, and thus excluded Mozart's sonata K.301 and a resplendent tour de force of Sarasate's Zapateado. Therefore, I sincerely exhort anyone who's interested in Midori to buy the LD or VHS version.

The second piece of the program is the magnificent, hyper-romantic, yet seldom recorded sonata by the young Richard Strauss. In contrast with the previous piece, this ultra-dramatic sonata is marvellously rich in content and expressive opportunities, and one can scarcely imagine it being played more effectively by someone else. Midori's technical finesse and enchanting tone, governed by a contemplative mind and a feverishly ardent heart, ready to pump out into the rapt audience at any moment, culminate in an immensely moving rendition. The listener must also credit the pianist Robert McDonald's spirited and sensitive playing. One can't help wondering why one so rarely hears this splendid piece.

This enigma is not so confounding after one listens to Heifetz's 1954 studio recording of the same piece. Seasoned critic Henry Roth declares that the Strauss Sonata "belongs" to Heifetz in the sense that few would dispute his supremacy. Indeed, Heifetz championed this work throughout his career, yet apparently to little avail; were Midori in Heifetz's position, she would positively have widely popularized the work.

Midori begins the second half with Beethoven's Sonata No. 8. She captures the gaiety and animation of the outer movements as well as anyone else, yet they are not fully gratifying. In the first movement, the exposition is repeated, later recapitulated, but unbelievably, her interpretations-though individually superb-of these three times are virtually the same, lacking in variety. In the third movement, her pursuit of wanton vivacity in a certain passage sacrifices the tone quality. Yet her slow movement is super-sensitive, particularly in transitional passages; it is the finest rendition of this movement I've ever heard--even superior to Szeryng's.

The following piece--Ernst's Variations on "The Last Rose of Summer"--I consider to be one of the three most technically demanding pieces ever written for the violin, together with Paganini's variations on Nel cor piu non mi sento and God Save the Queen.

The most horrendous part is about halfway through the middle, when the left hand plucks the celebrated theme, and the bow plays legato arpeggios across all four strings as an accompaniment at the same time. Don't forget that the left hand also has to press the swift arpeggio notes! Then the left-hand pizzicato is exchanged for artificial harmonics, singing the melody while the arpeggios still whirl around. The pizzicato returns to repeat the dumbfounding passage, and then she heads into the final variation, designed to exhibit the violin's kaleidoscopic tone colors: Harmonic staccatos-one of the ultimate tests in precision and coordination of both hands-juxtaposed alternately with a blizzard of double-harmonics, huge octave leaps, full-pelt runs up and down a single string, fingered octaves, pizzicato, etc.

Midori audaciously elected to play in her New York debut this terrifying piece which, as far as I know, only Ricci, Kremer and Vengerov to date have recorded in history; Heifetz and Perlman undoubtedly have never dared to take up its stratospheric challenge. Double-harmonics often make a good violinist sound like two bad ones, but Midori, with her exceptionally lengthy, slender, and agile fingers, effortlessly negotiates these intricacies and makes them sound as if they were played by two fine flutists. This will no doubt render multitudes of violinists, such as Heifetz, green with envy. The fiendishly difficult fireworks are all tossed off with lithe gracefulness and seeming ease; the left-hand pizzicatos are articulate, the harmonics pellucid, the octave shifts pure in intonation, and the tone quality immaculate. To be relentlessly critical, in this live concert, there were a paltry two or three fleeting notes that weren't of perfect pitch. See if you can find an edited studio recording closer to perfection.

Midori's prodigious prowess lies not only in her ability to make the most herculean pieces sound easy, but make them sound musical. We can try to forget about all the pyrotechnics; rather than marvel at her unprecedented instrumental mastery, we can immerse ourselves in the wonderfully beautiful music, and savour the bountiful nuances.

Anyone would badly need a respite after performing such a strenuous piece, and Midori gave her hands--but not her mind and heart--a brief relief in Chopin's Nocturne in C-sharp minor. Here's another meticulously thought out and superbly expressive rendition that, complemented with a most sympathetic tone, can hardly fail to melt the attentive listener's heart.

Ravel's Tzigane [gypsy] begins with a long oration of the solo violin, the first part of it entirely on the G string. In some other versions, e.g. by Francescatti, the solo part sounds inert, mundane, and monotonous; certainly that is not what I expect from Midori. Even solely on one string, Midori, by dint of divergent bow pressures, portamentos and vibrato, plus rubato, creates a most colorful, elastic, luscious, bewitching, yet doleful tone. Throughout the piece, she perpetually captivates the audience with her breathtaking technical wizardry, variegated and multi-dimensional tone, boundless array of expressive devices, stark dynamic contrasts, and subtle phrasing.

Due to the limited space here, I cannot pinpoint several startling details of Midori's innovative rendition. To sum up, one can only be awe-struck by her sophisticated mind, natural gypsy spirit, and dazzling virtuosity, which results in a performance that brought the house down.