New Standard for Virtuosity
934446
As one who has been acquainted for several years with Ms. Bartoli's prowess as a technician, I was not surprised to hear on this disc that the selections exhibit that side of her impressive talent. What I was not prepared for, however, was the uniqueness of this unfamiliar repertoire in its extreme demands of range, breath control, drama, and velocity, all of which the performer takes to new heights of convincing excellence, as do her accompanying forces. The tours de force are contrasted at times with exceptionally tender arias intoned with aching beauty. When coupled with the informative liner notes regarding the tragic sacrifices made for a time to produce the occasional castrati capable of performing such marvels of musical performance art, the listener is caught up in the desire to be taken back 250 years for the chance of hearing such voices personally. But to own this CD is to experience with rapture extraordinary music presented in exemplary fashion. Not background music. Revel in it.
3077519
Gorgeous- splendid or sumptuous in appearance, coloring, etc.; magnificent. Characterized by magnificence or virtuosic brilliance.

Gorgeous truly describes this CD by master musician and software engineer Doug Wyatt. Though this is an instrumental piece (though voices are used throughout), the music has a depth and polish that reminds me of the latest Kate Bush production. The sounds are rich and spacious.

The styles of music span a range from soundtrack-ish classical to prog to wonderfully weird electronic. There are themes that reappear throughout the CD in a filmic or symphonic mode, giving the sense of a whole composition, not just a selection of songs.

The layering of acoustic and electronic sounds yields a sonic palette that is both familiar and brand new, classic yet ground-breaking. The Christoffer Lundquist production is sumptuous, and the attention to sonic detail is quite evident.

In short, this is a highly engaging CD that reveals itself in layers. I've enjoyed playing it over and over on my daily commutes.
2518377
That music of such brilliance and quality has remained neglected to our own day is astonishing. The vocal virtuosity on display here reminds me of the instrumental virtuosity of Paganini and Liszt, yet the analogy is not exact because here, while  listening,  the predominant first impression is that of great unforced and natural beauty and only later does one realize that part of the magic is vocal virtuosity.
4878974
This new recording made in 2013 joins a strong audio-video field consisting of fine recordings and performances made, in chronological order, by Rattle and the BPO (2002), Abbado with his Lucerne Festival orchestra (2004) and Gergiev and the World Orchestra for Peace (2010). All of these are strong versions but all with their own distinctive personalities. Only Abbado and Chailly offer the Blu-ray option at present but all four have excellent recordings of High Definition.

In his preparations for this performance Chailly made a detailed study of the recording made by Mengelberg in 1926 as well as Mendelberg's highly detailed and annotated notes on his conducting score. Mendelberg was closely connected to Mahler at this time and this makes him an important source of information and guidance. The most significant point of difference made compared with more modern performances is the faster pacing, especially as regards the slow movement. Mendelberg took just 7 minutes for this movement which is a far cry from some of the more indulgent tempi favoured by some conductors. Chailly takes about 8.5 minutes on this occasion and this is 1.5 minutes quicker than his previous CD recording.

The slow movement is, in fact, closely identified to Alma Mahler with a verse sub-text which rhythmically fits the melodic flow - demonstrated by Chailly in the detailed and engrossing accompanying and musically illustrated documentary. There is reason to view this movement as, in effect, a marriage proposal with all the pace of tempo that one would expect.

Pacing throughout is forward moving with a clear emphasis upon clarity of musical structure. This moves steadily towards an undoubted optimistic conclusion despite the first movement's dramatic and sombre 'Trauermarsch' heading.  As Chailly comments, tempi of all sorts of music tend to slow down with added familiarity and what he does here is to return to the original intentions backed up by historical references, recorded and written.

The playing of the orchestra is beyond peer and the recording is superlative in all respects. The imaging is sharp and engaging and the sound is presented in DTS HD 5.1 as well as stereo.

There is a 27 minute documentary during which Chailly fully justifies his approach with copious illustrations taken from rehearsal sequences as well as historical references. This is an excellent piece of research and a truly valuable bonus feature. The accompanying sleeve notes are also excellently detailed, illuminating and interesting

Chailly therefore provides and excellent alternative to the alternative readings by Rattle, Abbado and Gergiev. Rattle provides a deeply considered reading where detail is highlighted and delivered expertly by the BPO. Abbado provides more of a mystical experience of great clarity where individual members of the orchestra are given latitude to express themselves within his overall concept. Gergiev gives the most openly dramatic and virtuoso reading with emphasis upon the brass contribution especially, the superb solo trumpeter rightly being highlighted for especial applause at the front of the stage.

There is, as always, a case for collectors to acquire all four of these readings which combine to give a greater overall understanding than any one individual performance. However, given just one to choose, this new recording by Chailly  could now be seen as arguably the new leader in a strong audio-video field.

....................................

Further comment that may be of additional interest:

"This is near miraculous in blu-ray surround. The Mengelberg adagietto (1926 not 1928) on Naxos, discussed and faded in by Chailly, arrived and the tears were welling up! Ian Giles, as usual gets it all right in every detail." (UK comment from last version of this review)
351787
This album is likely to make you catch your breath on first hearing. Here is a harpsichord player in full virtuosic flight, just as we imagine Handel to have been (who was after all one of the great performers of his day and prevailed in a contest with Domenico Scarlatti). Just to mention as a highlight his very fast tempo for most of the Blacksmith Variations, which (for the first time for me) at last make perfect sense and explain their enduring popularity. Kipnis is not one of those finicky, small beer artists who cling to paper rules of style - and are all afraid of letting go, in case of their authenticity moguls disapprove. Kipnis lets go, no better illustration can be found than the hair-rising, big-volume Preludes, which under the artist's hand are a spectacle of grandeur, instead of the miaowing we are too often fobbed off with.
In short, Kipnis succeeds in convincing me that Handel was a man of great and powerful imagination; and I suspect that irascible composer would have been the first to kick the authenticity lobby down the staircase with the injunction: Come back when you've learnt what music making is all about!
(I'll add in bracket for those who are interested that authentic instruments are undoubtedly required for Baroque music, and this music would lose half its effectiveness on a piano. But authentic performance practice is a fallacy, a logical self-contradiction. I won't misuse this space for a demonstration, but simply ask yourself if you think it is truly possible for a musician of today to share (in their heart!) the ideas of Handel's time about religion, government, the stratification of society, sex, food, dress, entertainment etc. if in your heart and mind you cannot do this, then the self-contradiction glares you in the face).
Anyway, back to the album: A top recommendation. You will hardly find better Handel playing on the harpsichord than this.
377339
I rarely gush about modern music, especially something based on someone else's work.  As a former professional violist and violinist, I've heard my share of mediocre "pops" music.  What Tolga Kashif has created here is something that is truly greater than its glam-rock basis.  The thematic material of May and Mercury has been reworked, retooled, and reorganized into a symphonic opus that is neo-romanticism at its best.  I loved this album, and am off in search of other Kashif works!
962401
It is rare discovering an instrumentalist capable of blending virtuoso technique with songs that beg for repeated listening. Look no further. This is a true masterpiece of modern acoustic guitar music.
4962290
Ivo Pogorelich is without doubt one of the great virtuosos in the world today, and professional pianists will want to "see what he is up to".  His technical mastery is staggering.  However, I do not think this release is really best for the general musical-loving public, and especially I do not think piano teachers will want their students to see it.  As strange as it may sound, Pogorelich has some "bad habits" (or at least some weird or unusual mannerisms) that piano teachers will not want their students to emulate.

Because his virtuosity is for all intents and purposes unlimited (and I say this with all seriousness), he has no physical upper limit for speed of playing.  And so he can and does play the fast movements VERY fast (and face it, most Bach and Scarlatti are fast movements).  And yes, he can play them cleanly at those extreme tempos--BUT, much of it is faster than the music itself supports.  All those 16th notes should still be 16th notes, but at his tempi some of it sounds like little more than a hailstorm.  Of course, not everything he plays is too fast.  In fact some of it is unexpectedly moderate, and the slower movements can be quite tender and poetic.

The other issue is his hand position.  I know, who the heck am I to give advice to Ivo Pogorelich?  But he generally has his arms coming down so his wrist is below keyboard level, then his hands come up steeply, about 45 degree angle to keyboard level, his fingers arched tightly, and he pecks down with his fingers from this angle.  It is like the old Wanda Landowska video.  Now of course, they are great virtuosos, but, I believe teachers will not want their students to adopt or even try this technique.  The wrist angle alone will cause carpal-tunnel syndrome, this I know.

Miscellaneous details:  He does use pedal, if anyone is keeping track.  His facial expressions are among the most restrained you will find on any piano performer on video.  He has a totally professional appearance and demeanor, and I appreciate that.  The locations are gorgeous and the camera work is excellent.  Audio and visual recording are beautifully well-done.

So in summary, I do not wish to give a negative review, only give a few extra opinions in case someone would like to know.  (I have been helped by reading many others' opinions on Amazon reviews.)

And here is the program listing which I do not see anywhere else on Amazon:

Johann Sebastian Bach
English Suite No. 2 in A minor, BWV 807
English Suite No. 3 in G minor, BWV 808

Domenico Scarlatti
Sonata in C Major, K. 487
Sonata in E Major, K. 20
Sonata in E minor, K. 98
Sonata in G minor, K. 450
Sonata in D minor, K. 1
Sonata in C Major, K. 159

Ludwig van Beethoven
Piano Sonata No. 11 in B Flat Major, Op. 22
Bagatelle in A minor, WoO 59 "Fur Elise"
4556772
Damon Ferrante is more than an outstanding guitar teacher; he is also a conservatory-trained composer of important new music. He brings to this book a deep, lived, knowledge of the theory and practice of Western harmony--he has taken apart and re-assembled musical 'sense' in a thousand ways as performer, teacher, and composer.  The result is this book, a refreshingly clear, uncluttered approach to chords and scales on the guitar.  The topic may sound arid, but all manner of improvisation and thus 'jamming' is built on these basic musical building blocks.  Ferrante makes this connection immediately clear with the eight accompanying (free) Youtube clips.
178009
As so often with Bach, his sonatas for viola da gamba and harpsichord represent the culmination of an epoque: at a time (ca. 1740) when the viola da gamba was going out of fashion and being replaced by the violoncello, Bach wrote two highly modern Italianate pieces for the instrument (BWV 1028 and 1029) that not only wonderfully display its noble, somewhat nasal qualities but also introduce elements of "discourse" between the two instruments such as are to be found in the chamber music of the Classical period. The third sonata (BWV 1027) is a transcription of a flute sonata which itself was probably transcribed from a work for two violins and basso continuo; in it Bach has re-worked his trio sonata texture so as to give the harpsichordist both the bass line and one of the two melody lines. The impression left by the whole is one of intimacy - an impression strengthened by the performance of Jordi Savall and Ton Koopman, who seem here to linger wistfully over every note, at least in the slow movements. This EMI recording was made in 1977 using analogue technology, but the sound is wonderfully close and warm, reflecting the interpretation and enabling the listener to follow every note with ease.

Savall and Koopman are two of Europe's leading period instrument instrumentalists; they seem to have got together again about a quarter of a century after making this recording to produce the same repertoire for Savall's independent label Alia Vox. I haven't heard the new version, but I must confess that I have been more than happy with the old one for many years. Its re-release on Virgin Classics is much more than an exercise in re-cycling and deserves much praise, the only caveat being that the total playing time of less than 44 minutes is extremely short.
2433147
David Zinman's approach to these 9 masterpieces, largely influenced by period performance, is electrifying and completely revelatory. The textures are immensely transparent and let the brilliant orchestration and composition material shine through. With speeds almost always on the fast side, this kind of transparency is even more impressive. The Tonhalle players are put to great challenge here and they come out totally unruffled.

Throughout, Zinman keeps rubato and romantic self-indulgence to a minimum, relying on the clear formal and rhythmic structures already present in the music to drive his performances. The result is fascinating. One senses a coherent and overall comprehensive reading instead of being entertained by minute romantic outbursts, gut-wrenching as they may be. This made me fully appreciate what is lost when Beethoven is performed like later symphonic masters; Tchaikovsky, Dvorak, Mahler, etc. More than half a century separates Beethoven's symphonies from Tchaikovsky's (Beethoven's are actually closer in date to Mozart's!). It is therefore no surprise that a more "classical" performance is so successful.

My only reluctance concerns the 2-3 later symphonies of the set. These are more mature symphonies and, having been composed well into the 19th century, could have afforded a touch more "romanticism". This is especially obvious for the 9th, particularly in the 3rd movement which will shock most listeners whit its extreme speed. Still, even at break-neck speeds, Zinman is capable of remarkable tenderness and finesse in the slow movements.

The acoustics are optimal with vivid and well-balanced orchestral sections. The Tonhalle is on top form with dashing strings and phenomenal woodwind interjections (especially on the oboe). Among the myriads of other fine sets of these symphonies (Karajan, Szell, etc.), this is certainly the one that I would recommend getting, at any price! I would certainly not want to be without it!
518243
If you like modern classical music, here's a wonderful new addition to the instruments that play it. William Barton is a pionerr of bringing the digeridu into modern contexts. Note however that this is not light dancing music!
1642990
I myself prefer the normal key but in this recording they've shifted the notes up 1/16 octave. It makes it sound a lot like Vivaldi, and not like the classical Bach I have come to know and like. It's still appreciable though, and the last concerto on the disc is of superb interpretation. Another kudos to them: the 2nd movement of the Concerto No. 1 in A Minor (track 5) is the best I have ever heard. Fabulous. Overall, a recommended disc if you don't own a Bach violin concerto collection yet. However, for the classically minded, the shift up 1/16 octave can distort how Bach intended for it to sound. For that reason you may want to look into some great performances (there are many) by Itzhak Perlman and Isaac Stern that are a bit less creative but no less spectacular.
3568375
Nicolo Paganini is primarily a virtuoso composer who did not compose anything other than for the violin in the early 19th century. He was a true prodigy of the instrument whose ferocious and innovative style of playing frightened many of the credulent folk into thinking he was the devil. With the increasing popularity of the waltz, he along with other romantics such as Beethoven completely revolutionized the concept of violin concertos that were still then mostly in the antiquated Roccoco menuet formulas of Mozart and Haydn. The caprices are more technical excercises for this new revolutionary style and are the cornerstones of all Romantic traditions of violin including the Romantic German and, to a much lesser extent, the Polish/Klezmer tradition of Joseph Joachim.

Salvatore Accardo is an accomplished violinist who performed many times with the most reputable groups such as I Musici di Roma and the English Chamber Orchestra. He was a long-time mentor of Anne-Sofie Mutter who performed with Karajan. Despite working often with various Baroque styles, Salvatore Accardo is primarily a specialist at Paganini and the Italian Romantic period and this is the main reason this recording is one of the best you can obtain for Paganini. Charles Dutoit is also an accomplished orchestral conductor and generally works very well with Rossini whose light romantic style in his operatic overtures have overlaps with the style in Paganini's contemporary symphonic arrangements for his violin concerti. Accardo and Dutoit were therefore a perfect match in performing Paganini and this ablum is a great example along with their other collaborations for the composer available on single CD. The music is light and joyful in its interpretation while many others tend to be heavy and sluggish. Accardo's performance is filled with vitality as he has complete mastery over the instrument and feels at ease in his performance without ever faltering. His performance brings out the fluidity and full range of Paganini's style very well. Salvatore Accardo's  performance of the caprices is also legendary in which he performs all of the most difficult pieces briliantly without effort: they are truly divine in every respect!

Although it's extremely difficult to make a judgment call between these three undisputed virtuosos of the violin and Paganini, Perlman and Heifetz would not be my first choices because they are not really masters of the Italian Romantic style as that of the German/Polish/Klezmer traditions.  However technical the differences might be, they do make a significant difference and so I prefer Accardo for Paganini as he is simply the foremost expert with this composer and the Italian Romantic style which Heifetz and Perlman are not.  This album is a great buy where you can get all of Paganini's passionate violin concerti and caprices at a good price. There are really few if any performances equal to this one on the market other than those of Perlman and Heifetz.  Such other performances, even by child prodigies, are simply beneath them in every respect to the point that they actually sound amateurish in comparison.  No matter which of the three you choose, you can't really go wrong with any of them but I would really look no further than them as everything else is far beneath their legendary talents.  Enjoy!
3254401
I have this composition performed by Ursula Oppens, Marc-Andr&eacute; Hamelin and by
the composer, Frederic Rzewski. Each cd has its merits. I would not want to be
without Ms. Oppens pioneering effort. This cd provides a track for each of the
variations which the other two don't. I find that useful since I don't have the
score and my untrained ear can't always determine when each new variation
starts (there are 36 of them). The sound is almost as fine as the much newer
recordings. I believe Ms. Oppens performance was the first to appear on cd.
I believe this work is one of the masterpieces of the late Twentieth Century.
It is perhaps the equal of Phrygian Gates (John Adams) and Night Fantasies
(Elliot Carter). Rzewski's work is more approachable for conservative listeners.
Highly recommended.
626082
When it comes to 'revisions' or 'completions' of masterworks of music left 'incomplete' by composers it is usually up for grabs if the audience can tell the original work from the 'contemporary' additions.  Such is not the case with this revision of Mozart's Mass in C by Louis Langr&eacute;e.  If anything this sounds like perfect, pure Mozart.  And that is an astounding achievement.

Of course much of the credit in this performance of the Revised Mass in C must be attributed to the conducting of Louis Langr&eacute;e at the helm of Le Concert D'Astr&eacute;e (the creation of Emmanuelle Ham) and wonderfully airborne Le Choeur d'Astr&eacute;e (David Comtet, director) and one of the finest quartet of soloists ever assembled for this work. The sopranos are Natalie Dessay and V&eacute;ronique Gens (both offering soaringly beautiful musical lines), the superb tenor Topi Lehtipuu, and one of the current 'Barihunks', bass baritone Luca Pisaroni.  It would be difficult to imagine four voices that blend better and complement the work than these four talented artists. The organ aspect of the score is well delivered by Yves Castagnet.  This is a fresh, airy, near operatic work of great sacred presence.

In addition to this splendid Mass the recoding adds Mozart's Masonic Funeral Music in C minor, a perfect way to fill out the CD with a piece that complements the Mass.  The recording benefits from being made in the Notre-Dame du Liban Church, Paris in January and February of 2006.  For this listener this is one of the most satisfying performances of Mozart's Mass in C on record.  Highly recommended.  Grady Harp, January 12
1881416
Written for the performing pianist, Paul and Eva Badura-Skoda's guide to Mozart's musical style and how pianists can recreate it on today's very different keyboard instruments remains a model of its kind, a half-century after its original German-language publication. Translated into very readable English by Leo Black, the book is divided by topic area, with chapters dealing first with broad questions of sound, tempo and articulation succeeded by more specific discussions of ornamentation, editions, and technique. The authors do a tremendous service to the modern musician by distilling the essence of many contemporary treatises on performance practice, and prove surprisingly non-dogmatic--at a few points they even suggest altering Mozart's original notes to better suggest his original sound concepts. Among other valuable features are facsimile and print reproductions of unpublished original cadenzas to various piano concertos by Mozart, suggested cadenzas by the authors, and detailed interpretive discussions on three of the major piano concertos, K. 466 in D minor, K. 488 in A major, and K. 491 in C minor. The influence of the Badura-Skodas' pioneering work is apparent in the increasing popularity and proliferation of Mozart recordings on historical instruments, but their book is addressed to all pianists and musicians who care about Mozart. It is a positive scandal that this wonderful volume is not currently available in print.