Bach; Mendelssohn; Panufnik: Violin Concertos

Advantages: Romantic orchestral music
Disadvantages: Only 1 hour - eat quickly for a romantic dinner

...Johann Sebastian Bach, giant among Baroque composers, was a prolific writer whose versatility and creativity resulted in a wealth of musical works with a diversity ranging from sacred choral works, keyboard music to orchestra music. The CD, Concerto for Two Violins in D minor / Violin Concertos in A minor & E minor, is an orchestral recording conducted by Salvatore Accardo, in which two violins (Anne-Sophie Mutter and Salvatore Accardo) / solo violin (Anne-Sophie Mutter) are contrasted with a larger orchestra (English Chamber Orchestra) of strings and bass continuo instrument the harpsichord. Bach is often criticized for his strict attention to form. Whilst, I greatly admire Bach for his intellectual and methodical approach to composition, what I enjoy most is the harmonious and melodic music that results. This CD is a superb example... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful

Advantages: Everything you could ever want from a classical CD
Disadvantages: none

.... The Nutcracker - Suite Composed by Pyotr Il'yich Tchaikovsky 17. Concerto for Violin and Orchestra in E minor Composed by Felix Mendelssohn 18. Cavalleria rusticana Composed by Pietro Mascagni 19. Gloria in D Composed by Antonio Vivaldi 20. Coronation Anthems Composed by George Frideric Handel 21. Cantata No. 147, 'Herz und Mund und Tat und Leben' Composed by Johann Sebastian Bach 22. Requiem in D minor Composed by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart 23. Ave Maria Composed by Charles Gounod 24. Miserere mei Composed by Gregorio Allegri 25. Requiem Composed by Gabriel Fauré 26. Lakmé Composed by Léo Delibes 27. Les contes d'Hoffmann Composed by Jacques Offenbach 28. Pavane Composed by Gabriel Fauré 29. Gianni Schicchi Composed by Giacomo Puccini 30. Madama Butterfly Composed by Giacomo Puccini 31. Nabucco Composed... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average somewhat helpful

Advantages: Beautiful relaxing music. Rich instrumentation. Played with passion.
Disadvantages: Not all instruments are from the period.

...are best heard (in my opinion) on the period instruments for which they were originally intended. Whilst Menuhin and his Bath Festival orchestra do not entirely use period instruments, the continuo is performed on the harpsichord and Menuhin uses a piccolo violin in the first. Before I go on to say a little about the individual concertos, I think maybe I should just describe what a concerto actually involves. A concerto is a form of music in which a solo instrument or instruments are contrasted with a larger body of instruments. The main body of instruments of the baroque period is the string section and a continuo instrument usually a harpsichord or organ plays the underlying harmony. The usual format for a concerto is three movements (a fast tempo movement followed firstly by a slow movement and then by another fast movement). Bach... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average very helpful