Malipiero: Cello and Piano Works

Advantages: Gorgeous music, played with much passion
Disadvantages: None really

..., especially if the potential piece has real quality. How do we know if it is going to capture the audience's imagination if we don't even try?! Fortunately the record company Hyperion have always had a great philosophy about bringing out recordings featuring unusual repertoire, and this CD is a prime example of this. Combined with a soloist, the cellist - Alban Gerhardt - and a conductor - Carlos Kalmar - both passionate proponents of the musical path less travelled, they've produced a fascinating recording which should hopefully achieve a lot in making these works better known. Artists: Cellist Alban Gerhardt is one of the top international cello soloists on the circuit today, with a very wide-ranging repertoire, appearing with such orchestras as the Berlin Philharmonic, BBC Symphony, Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra, BBC Scottish... Read review

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Advantages: Excellent physcological study of character.
Disadvantages: Grim, brutal, shocking scenes of a sexual nature.

...the piano with excellence is evident, and although she trains them to this stage of perfection, she becomes jealous of their hard earned achievement when they have reached their pinnacle. Erica is highly strung and sexually charged, and she is also a bitter and vindictive individual. One day she meets a promising young male pianist at a recital, by the name of Walter (Magimel Kramer). Walter is a handsome,arrogant, and self confident young man, and there is an instantaneous strong mutual bond, a meeting of minds, and a deep physical attraction, and she sees something in him that she seems to have been searching for. They talk and discover they both share the love of the works of Schumann and Schubert. This is a further attraction for Erica, and an unhealthy obsession towards him begins to take shape in her mind. ~ Erica teaches... Read review

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Advantages: Excellent selection and performance of piano works by Frank Bridge
Disadvantages: A few pieces are not very interesting

...Frank Bridge was an early twentieth century English composer. His works are not widely known, but are played increasingly, and more recordings are becoming available. Some of his later works, such as his piano sonata, were influenced by Scriabin. This CD is the second of three, and covers a wide range of styles, but mostly in his earlier style. Most of the pieces on this CD are fairly easy to listen to, and can be enjoyed by the majority of classical music lovers. The opening piece, Etude Rhapsodique, is an etude appropriately played by Jacobs, in the grand manner (of Liszt and other nineteenth century virtuosi), full of late nineteenth century panache, but with Bridge's own distinctive voice. The second piece, Berceuse, is played beautifully, a gentle piece as the name would suggest (a lullaby) but again with Bridge's own... Read review

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