Bassoon Concertos

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

..., in the main, followed these conventions in his Brandenburg concertos but varied the instrumental arrangements to produce six dazzling and unique compositions. The first concerto has four movements instead of the usual three. However, the additional fourth movement, a stylish dance movement - a minuet, is often omitted from many recordings - not so in Menuhin's, the work remains just as it did when Bach presented his gift. The opening movement has a contagious sense of fun with rousing hunting horn calls carrying anyone and everyone along for the ride. Deep, sonorous bassoons create a wonderful rustic quality (rather than the pretty pastoral quality of many musical works depicting the countryside). The minuet rounding up the concerto creates an overall feeling of dazzling sophistication - how could anyone leave it out!! The second concerto... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average very helpful

Advantages: Highly burnished, engaging, musically intelligent and emotionally mature playing; beautiful tone is never saccharine.
Disadvantages: Nil.

...of Ms Clein performing the Elgar Cello Cto. here (excerpt only): http://www.amazon.co.uk/Elgar-Cello-Concerto-Natalie-Clein/dp/B00 0 UNBQXC CD Notes: Edward ELGAR (1857 - 1934) 1. Cello Concerto In E Minor, Op.85 2. Salut D'amour (Arr. J. Milone) 3. La Capricieuse (Arr. J. Milone) 4. Romance For Bassoon And Orchestra (Arr. J. Milone) 5. In Moonlight (Arr. J. Milone) 6. Chanson De Matin (Arr. J. Milone) 7. Sospiri (Arr. J. Milone) Natalie Clein, cello Vernon Handley Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra Audio CD (24 September 2007) Label: EMI Classics Amazon.co.uk price: £11.98... Read review

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Advantages: Good example of early 20th century French/European music. Cheap price
Disadvantages: Not distinct or ground-breaking enough

...--- INTRODUCTION --- -QUICK FACTS- Nationality: French Born: Paris 1899 Died: Paris 1963 Specialist genres: Stage works, concertos, piano music. Francis Poulenc had a relatively well-supported life, being born into a family of pharmaceutical manufacturers he never had to earn a living. Like many famous composers he began learning his skill at a very young age, at five he started the piano. He specifically tried not to in his learning process to be influenced by other major composers, so to keep his music as much his own as possible as stated by his self-description "I am a musician without a label". Influences which did affect him though were the immediate post-ww1 years which in certain parts of France had created a new atmosphere of hope and vision away from the horrors of war. Additionally the Parisian street life of cafe's, music... Read review

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