Rorem: Double Concerto. After Reading Shakespeare

Advantages: Mutter's eloquence and sensitivity in older recording are enhanced here.
Disadvantages: None at all!

...As a fantastically talented eighteen-year-old, Anne-Sophie Mutter already awed me with her sensitive and thoughtful eloquence in her 1981 recording of the Brahms violin concerto (with Herbert von Karajan directing the Berlin Philharmonic). However, there’s an even deeper understanding in Mutter’s reading of the Brahms piece on this newer disc. This performance was taped live at the Lincoln Center’s Alice Tully Hall, New York City, in 1997. Kurt Masur conducts the New York Philharmonic in particularly inspired fashion. A difference of fifteen years separates the two recordings. In the time between, she married, had children, and then was widowed at a very young age. When Mutter returned to her instrument, she would bring a greater strength, emotional depth and insight to her playing, lending a maturity and assuredness to her... Read review

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Advantages: Classic Concertos for Everybody
Disadvantages: Strings only!!!no woodwind...boo!

...The Four Seasons by Vivaldi Made famous by countless car adverts and Nigel Kennedy at the Albert Hall amongst other places. This has got to the piece that all fiddle player long to play and solo in! My first exposure to this came when I was seven, we had a hat making competition at school, the Hat Parade, and dad suggested making a musical hat and came up with the Four Seasons which was a favourite of mine as a youngster. Mum and me made the hat, which turned out to be a master piece in the end (for a 7 year old anyway!) and I won first place! I was fixed with Vivaldi for a long time after! Even a novice in classical music would recognise some of the notation! Vivaldi composed in Vienna, and was born 1678 and died in 1741. In these times, most music was composed and performed by telling a story and acting and dance were very... Read review

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Advantages: Some powerfully exciting music
Disadvantages: Recording can't do it complete justice

...In my previous Philip Glass review (“Bringing The World Together”) I gave all the background to this composer’s life and music that you are likely to need if he’s a new name to you. I would refer you to that review rather than repeat it all here and bore those who did read it. I mentioned in that review that I was eagerly awaiting this new CD’s release. Well, here it is at last and I’m sure you’re bursting with excitement waiting to discover what I think of it – aren’t you? Hello? Hello???? Where’s everyone gone…? *** The Music *** The Cello Concerto was written for the cellist who performs on this disc, Julian Lloyd Webber (that’s right, Andrew’s brother). He’s one of the world’s great performers and was deeply involved in the work’s writing, making various technical suggestions, which Glass, with a complete lack of ego... Read review

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