Alpe Adria Ensemble - Mahler, Brahms, Beethoven

Advantages: Awesome playing and musicianship. Easy listening.
Disadvantages: Perhaps not for the 'purist' folk music lover.

...In this, their first CD, Roby Lakatos (violin) and his Ensemble (consisting of piano, guitar, cymbalon, double bass, and another violin) take their listeners on an exhilarating journey through a variety of gypsy-inspired musical styles. Their flair, charm and sensitive musicianship are apparent from the first note to the last. Described as the ‘nonconformist of the violin’, Roby Lakatos was born into a family of Hungarian gypsy violin traditions dating back to the time of Beethoven! Being a nonconformist in every sense however, he has taken these traditions and moulded them to achieve his own unique musical voice. The incorporation of a guitar and piano into his gypsy ensemble for instance, are certainly not typical instruments of this genre. This CD, entitled simply ‘Lakatos’, consists of 13 tracks (see below for track listing... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful

Advantages: Embodies some of Mahlers most notable music qualities.
Disadvantages: Unfinished.

...--- OVERVIEW --- There is supersition that Beethoven died before completing his 10th symphony and so too would Mahler. This turned out to be true, at the age of 50 Mahler died from a serious illness. The different movements of his symphony were left unfinished and put aside for many years until in the 1960's a British musicoligist Deryck Cooke recreated them. To what influence Mr Cooke had over the final version I do not know, but nonetheless the music sounds like Mahler and is otherwise enchanting . --- MAHLER --- Nationality: Austrian Musical Period: Late-Romantic Born: 1860 Died: 1911 ' To write a symphony is, for me to construct a world' - Mahler Mahler Symphony No. 10 Tracks 01. Adagio 26:15 02. First scherzo 12:03 03. Purgatorio oder Inferno 04:30 04. Second scherzo 12:15 05. Finale 23:53 --- MUSIC... Read review

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Advantages: Excellent piece - real emotion
Disadvantages: none

...It is hard to believe that Gustav Mahler was so unappreciated and often viewed as a conductor who occasionally wrote "overlong" symphonies. This work is certainly one of the greatest ever written and would certainly not look out-of-place along side works by masters like Beethoven and Mozart. People often do not like this symphony and others by Mahler, simply because they do not understand it. The entire work is a collection of emotions, as they were experienced by the composer. Therefore, to see the music properly, the listener must feel those emotions too. It is therefore impossible to approach the work from a critical and analytical point of view. The emotion that exists in the score alone is incredible. The adagietto, though often considered to be a calm and relaxing piece, is one of the most painful pieces to listen... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average somewhat helpful