1 comments about Works For Violin and Orchestra.

1. This is one of the finest recordings of the Bruch Concerto that I have heard. The playing is not overly streamlined and perfected (as one often hears with concert violinists today) to the point of boredom, yet Shapira provides a very technically clean performance. He is very articulate and precise in his phrasing. His tone tends to be on the clear, bright side, for better or for worse. In my opinion, it adds to the clear articulation in the piece and adds a very human aspect, although I have heard it criticised as rough or jagged.
   The dynamics and phrasing are very well thought out and yet reflect enormous feeling and musicality.
   Overall, an excellent CD.

No comments about The Most Popular Classics, Vol.2.

No comments about Classical Surroundings Vol. 4 - Cello & Piano.

No comments about The Most Popular Classics, Vol.3.

No comments about Christmas Meditation, Vol. 5.

1 comments about Romantic Piano Favourites, Vol. 3.

1. In the liner notes, the title of this CD is given as 'Favourite Piano Pieces', which seems to fit much better than anything to do with 'Romantic', for here there are gathered miniatures, transcriptions and excerpts by famous and less-famous composers from four different centuries (from the 17th to the 20th)! In fact, the only thing that seems to unite these most diverse tracks is their ability to show off the piano and the pianist to best advantage. The most difficult pieces here appear to be Rimsky-Korsakov's 'Flight of the Bumble Bee' in a transcription by Rachmaninov, and Dohnanyi's incredibly hard 'Concert Etude in F Minor', a fitting close to the whole recital, in which Balász Szokolay is able to distinguish himself as a very able player. The rest of the programme is generally also well-played, with the faster pieces in particular being delivered with skill and gusto, while the slower ones (Debussy, Kreisler) tend to lack something of this enthusiasm; it is perhaps fortunate that the majority of numbers are faster pieces. My personal favourite is Grieg's 'March of the Trolls', closely followed by Handel's 'Harmonious Blacksmith' (which should, of course, really be played on a harpsichord, but still sounds very good on a concert piano) and Paderewski's 'Menuet'. All in all, an entertaining hour of piano playing and excellently recorded, provided you don't mind taking a guided tour through the last 400 years of composition in such a short time.

1 comments about Love.

1. I first heard the Finzi cut (Eclogue) from this CD while suffering through a miserable plane flight. I clamped on the headphones and listened to the Finzi time and again and was able to drift off into a semi-state of relaxation to make the time sandwiched in that sardine can pass more or less bearably.

   Finzi, a 20th Century British composer who is sadly neglected in the US, wrote this Eclogue for a never-to-be-finished piano concerto. He realized it stood well on its own and it was published as a complete composition. One only regrets that Finzi did not write the entire concerto as this fragment is incredibly beautiful. Close your eyes and you will see rolling, green pastures, bubbling streams, birds floating on warm breezes, fleecy clouds. Anyway, that's what I see whenever I play it. It's heavenly.

   All the music on this CD (which is poorly titled and has boring cheap graphics on the cover) are masterpieces. And the selections are appropriate for one another. But get it for the Finzi and you won't be disappointed. All in all, the whole cd is lovely music and nicely selected.

No comments about Tchaikovsky: Eugene Onegin Op24; Swan Lake Op20.

No comments about Leonid Kogan in Concert.

No comments about The Art of the Flute.