Bach; Brahms; Mozart; Reger: Organ Works

Advantages: Two outstanding peices of chamber music for an unusual combination of instruments
Disadvantages: On the surface quite contrasting works, listener must be openminded

...procedures, deriving new and original ideas influenced by the chamber music of old masters such as Mozart, Beethoven, Brahms and Schumann. Ligeti was influenced by the music of fellow Hungarian composer Béla Bartók, who once stated that "Every art has the right to strike its roots in the art of a previous age; it not only has the right to but it must stem from it". This makes the pairing of one of Ligeti's finest works with the Brahms Op.40 Trio a very appropriate one. Both outstanding chamber works in their own rights and certainly the two best pieces composed for this unusual combination invented by Brahms, a good recording is essential, but hard to find. There are not that many recordings in existence of these works due to the technical complexity for performers and even acclaimed recordings such as the CD by Perlman, Ashkenazy... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful

Advantages: Wonderful transcriptions of JS Bach's majestic music; sensitive, tender, vivacious, effortless and fluid playing.
Disadvantages: Nil.

...Her latest CD from EMI Classics, ‘Bach/Works for Trumpet’, already tops zerbine28's list for Classical CD of the Year. (I know, I know, it's only April as I post this, but that's how strongly I feel about this recording.) Readers, if you please, do welcome young British trumpet player Alison Balsom, who now joins the ranks of Mssrs Miles Davis and Herb Alpert in my teeny-tiny list of favourite trumpeters. No, I never heard of her, either, before yesterday, when I first sampled her CD at the local Borders book and music shop. Released just this past January, the CD is an absolute stunner. The title is a little misleading, because Johann Sebastian Bach never wrote pieces specifically for the instrument (discounting the Brandenburg Concerto No. 2, of course). Besides which, the ‘trumpet’ in Bach’s time... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average very helpful

Advantages: World Class Trumpet playing from a Brit!
Disadvantages: Seven tracks of Spanish songs maybe a little to many for some

...Alison Balsom is making quite a name for herself on the international music scene. Her delightful style and majestic sound make this album a top buy. Throughout the CD influences of Hakan Hardenberger are heard (her former teacher). Looking at the track listing on the album you might think a risk has been taken transcribing works which are grounded into the history of other instruments and turning them into trumpet music. As soon as the CD starts spinning in the machine you know that the risk has pulled off. Music of Mozart and Bach sound like they were written for trumpet. Some say that Balsom has only made it to where she is because of her good looks. This is complete and utter nonsense as we here in track 4 'Variations on Casta Diva'. This composition challenges every aspect of trumpet playing yet Balsom takes it in her breeze.... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average somewhat helpful