Bach; Liszt; Reger: Passacaglia BWV582

Advantages: Outstanding playing, interesting repertoire
Disadvantages: Full price disc

...This disc from Murray Perahia on the Sony label is quite simply one of the best solo piano discs to be released in recent years. Containing four Bach/Busoni transcriptions, excerpts from Mendelssohn's Songs Without Words and some of Liszt's transcriptions of Schubert songs, the disc shows off Perahia's astounding technique and musicality simultaneously. I've listened to this disc almost every day for the past two months and I'm STILL not bored with it! It seems to have a piece of music for every mood, from the upbeat, almost jazzy feel of the Bach to the sombre gallop of Schubert's Erl-King. This is the first disc of Perahia's that I've really got into - can't wait for his forthcoming disc of Bach's Goldberg Variations!... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful

Advantages: Excellent modern music
Disadvantages: None

...Karl Jenkins became famous a few years ago with Adiemus. However, he has composed many more modern pieces, including Palladio. Many people will have heard it without knowing, as it has been used on the advert for Scottish Widdows, and a diamond advert. This beautiful piece for string orchestra is a definite must for any serious collection. The CD also features Adiemus variations, Passacaglia and String Quartet No. 2, all of which make interesting listening. The CD is worth buying just for Palladio alone, performed brilliantly by the London Philharmonic Strings. Highly recommended.... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful

Advantages: Great piano playing of a great Bach composition.
Disadvantages: None

...One of Gould's final recordings, this is probably the definitive piano version of Bach's keyboard masterpiece. Gould runs the theme & thirty variations as a unified whole. His playing is characterised by clear fast passages, crisp ornaments and controlled, intense playing of the slow variations (nos.15 & 26). Even his humming along to the music does not detract from a joyous performance. The final section from variation 27 to the slow return to the theme is pianism at its most uplifting. The piano sound is clear without being dry & compares favourably with most up to date piano recordings. This is a disc to convert anyone to Bach & indeed to Gould's pianistic genius.... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful