Mozart: String Quartets, K168-72

Advantages: Excellent performances in a perfect setting
Disadvantages: Very minor quibbles

.... Violin geeks will be pleased to know that one can examine Mr Shaham's left and right hand technique in detail and there's lots of opportunities to really learn from this DVD. Music: Mozart - think melodies, think heart-rendingly simple expression of emotions, yet at the same time a love of fun and dance. This is totally approachable music which is joyful, longing, playful and incredibly relaxing to listen to. Having the single minor sonata in the middle of the performance provides a heart-rending intensity and this - K.304 - is probably the finest interpretation on the DVD. There are lots of almost aria like operatic melodies in the slow movements of these sonatas, whilst the joie de vivre of the faster sections is sure to have you tapping your feet and perhaps dancing around the living room doing your housework! It is music to... Read review

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Advantages: The writing, the setting, the music
Disadvantages: The characters are not sow ell defined or likable

...I bought this book, An Equal Music by Vikram Seth, for the grand sum of one penny on the basis of a review written by Floon. I was enchanted by his description of the storyline and the author?s writing style. I was not disappointed. The author, Vikram Seth states, in an author?s note located on the last page of the book, that, ?Music to me is dearer even than speech?. To convey this, he focuses his novel on the world of music and its performance. The central character, Michael Holme, is the second violinist in a London-based string quartet. His life has settled somewhat into a rut. He plays his violin; teaches the violin; makes love to one of his students, Virginie; rings his father; all as a matter of routine. His comfortable lifestyle is suddenly disturbed by a series of events each connected and occurring in parallel... Read review

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Advantages: Beatuful redentions of highly celebrated works
Disadvantages: Would be nicer with a broader selcetion on disc

...Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart is a household name, even among non-classical music lovers - he is - for many - the definition of music. This CD houses 2 works by the genius - Symphony No.40 in G minor and Symphony No.41 - Jupiter. Mozart wrote No.40 after the death of his infant daughter - this is potrayed immediatly through the minor key in which the piece begins in. It later modulates to a major key which denotes his hopefulness of moving on and closing the bereavement door. The piece culminates in a repetition and develoment of the 1st section to reiterate his pain and sorrow. Symphony No. 41 was completed just 1month after no.40, in the summer of 1788. It is nicknamed ' The Jupiter Symphony' due to its power and percieved size, particularly in the finale, where a memorable theme is heard alongside with others that have featured... Read review

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