Bach: Violin Sonatas, Nos 4-5

Advantages: Thrilling, daredevil chamber music performances from the legendary Martha Argerich and partner-in-crime Gidon Kremer.
Disadvantages: Violinist Kremer occasionally on the mannered, spastic side; only forty-three minutes of music.

...thorough introduction to Martha Argerich, you may want to read my other post (or you may not!): http://www.ciao.co.uk/BachKeyboardWorksReview5359921 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ CD Notes: LUDWIG VAN BEETHOVEN (1770 - 1827) Sonata for Piano and Violin no. 4 in A minor, op. 23 1. (1) Presto 6’56 2. (2) Andante scherzoso più Allegretto 7’20 3. (3) Allegro molto 5’15 Sonata for Piano and Violin no. 5 in F major, op. 24 "Frühlings-Sonate" ["Spring"] 4. (1) Allegro 9’41 5. (2) Adagio molto espressivo 6’02 6. (3) Scherzo. Allegro molto 1’19 7. (4) Rondo. Allegro ma non troppo 6’34 MARTHA ARGERICH, Piano GIDON KREMER, Violin Deutsche Grammophon (P) 1987 43’23 417 787-2 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ (Performances for comparison:) From: BEETHOVEN The Violin Sonatas ANNE-SOPHIE MUTTER LAMBERT ORKIS Compact Disc 2 Sonatas op. 23 & op. 24 "Spring Sonata... Read review

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Advantages: a new take on a familiar warhorse
Disadvantages: is it worth full price?

...It's unlikely that any music lover who has a good recording of Beethoven's violin concerto on CD (say: Perlman, Grumiaux or Szigeti) would ever say to him or herself: 'boy, I wonder what that sounds like on the clarinet'. In fact, the only people who might would be clarinetists, for they tend to feel (mistakenly, as it happens)that there just isn't enough original repertoire written for their instrument. So here, spanking new, is a Deutsche Grammophon CD offering us an original work in Mozart's Clarinet Concerto and an arrangement of the Beethoven prepared by Russian pianist/conductor Mikhail Pletnev. The soloist is Michael Collins, who plays the familiar Mozart on his basset horn with all the joy and panache we expect. The Beethoven is a different cup of tea. It's difficult to listen to the famous melodies without hearing the fiddle (or... Read review

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

...Balsom has already had her US debut, performing just this January 2006 with the Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra (Milwaukee? Not New York City and Carnegie Hall? How did they get to be so lucky in Wisconsin! Methinks Ms Balsom needs a better agent/promoter, no?!). FINAL VERDICT: I give this disc an unqualified, insanely enthusiastic recommendation with all thumbs and great toes up, for all lovers of Bach and/or the trumpet. Total, absolute must-have recording. [For more complete background info on Alison Balsom, please scroll down the page to the BBC Radio 3 article.] CD DETAILS: BACH: WORKS FOR TRUMPET Alison Balsom EMI Classics 5 58047 2 (CD) / 5 58047 5 Concerto in D Major (after Vivaldi) BWV 972: 1 Allegro 2 Adagio 3 Allegro Assai 4 Sarabande (from Cello Suite No.2 BWV 1008) 5 Gigue (from Cello Suite No.2 BWV 1008) 6 Aria... Read review

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