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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
25 of 25 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD
I pressed "PLAY". David Russell's Dammann guitar started to sing the opening bars of the Prelude, Fugue and Allegro and I knew I was in for a rare treat. His playing of this piece - and every piece on this recording - combines a relaxed, flawless technique with the sensitive interpretations that mark him as one of the greatest classical guitarists of all time.
Like many guitar afficianados one of the pieces I most relished hearing was the Chaconne from the second partita. Many have described this as one of the most perfect pieces of music ever written. Certainly, if Bach had written nothing else he would have gone down as one of the greatest composers in history. Whilst written for violin, this is one of those pieces that every great guitarist since Segovia has striven to master. Very few, however play the suite in its entirety and Russell's masterful playing of the whole suite places this wonderful finale in its true setting.
Whilst much of Bach's music transcends association with a particular instrument the Lute suite is as close as he ever got to writing for guitar. Russell's interpretation of this famous dance suite shows that the modern instrument serves this piece well and one is left wondering whether Bach would also have been seduced by the guitar, had he lived two centuries later.
The two much-loved chorales "Wachet auf" and "Jesu, joy" complete this gem of an album. Both are played with great sensitivity, engaging the listener without resorting to sentimentality.
If you love the guitar, Bach, or both, I couldn't recommend this recording more highly. Go out and buy it and enjoy!
Format:MP3 Download|Amazon Verified Purchase
The best Bach on guitar I have heard for decades! The extra bass strings allowing the full range of a theorbo with elegant, minimal ornamentation
Most Helpful Customer Reviews on Amazon.com (beta)
Amazon.com:
17 reviews
13 of 13 people found the following review helpful
First rate Bach!
27 Dec 2004
Format:Audio CD
I've rarely read so many conflicting reviews and reactions to a CD.
As a classical guitarist for many years (over 30), done graduate work in music, and listened to a lot of musicians (most non-guitarists), I can say that 1. everyone is entitled to his/her opinion and 2. I trust my experience and what I hear.
What I hear is a guitarist not only with a superb technique but phrasing that "breathes", that "dances." I've heard better Chaconnes on the guitar, violin and piano but, for me, David Russell overall is a very special guitarist. It is hard to find anyone, on any instrument, with his combination of technique and "feeling;" nobody can sustain that all the time.
The highlights, for me, of the CD are the transcribed Partita no. 2 and the Prelude, Fugue and Allegro. The transcriptions of the Bach Chorales - Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring and Wachet Auf - are good.
Suffice it to say that this was my first time hearing David Russell. That he impressed me so much I went out and bought his Baroque album (excellent), his Barrios album (excellent), and his
Aire Latino album (am not sure what I think of it).
As a friend recently reminded me, with playing of this level, it is a matter of taste. For Bach on the guitar, I suggest Barrueco's recording of the Unaccompanied Sonatas; John Williams's CD of the Lute Suites; Sharon Isbin's CD of the Lute Suites; Segovia's Bach (in general); and Nathan Milstein and Henryk Szeryng's recordings of the Sonatas and Partitas for Unaccompanied Violin (which contain the Partita no. 2 on David's recording). For great Bach playing on the piano, try Rosalyn Tureck, Angela Hewitt and Martha Argerich. And trust your ears and instincts!
As a classical guitarist for many years (over 30), done graduate work in music, and listened to a lot of musicians (most non-guitarists), I can say that 1. everyone is entitled to his/her opinion and 2. I trust my experience and what I hear.
What I hear is a guitarist not only with a superb technique but phrasing that "breathes", that "dances." I've heard better Chaconnes on the guitar, violin and piano but, for me, David Russell overall is a very special guitarist. It is hard to find anyone, on any instrument, with his combination of technique and "feeling;" nobody can sustain that all the time.
The highlights, for me, of the CD are the transcribed Partita no. 2 and the Prelude, Fugue and Allegro. The transcriptions of the Bach Chorales - Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring and Wachet Auf - are good.
Suffice it to say that this was my first time hearing David Russell. That he impressed me so much I went out and bought his Baroque album (excellent), his Barrios album (excellent), and his
Aire Latino album (am not sure what I think of it).
As a friend recently reminded me, with playing of this level, it is a matter of taste. For Bach on the guitar, I suggest Barrueco's recording of the Unaccompanied Sonatas; John Williams's CD of the Lute Suites; Sharon Isbin's CD of the Lute Suites; Segovia's Bach (in general); and Nathan Milstein and Henryk Szeryng's recordings of the Sonatas and Partitas for Unaccompanied Violin (which contain the Partita no. 2 on David's recording). For great Bach playing on the piano, try Rosalyn Tureck, Angela Hewitt and Martha Argerich. And trust your ears and instincts!
12 of 13 people found the following review helpful
Well-done, and rare, Bach on the guitar
14 Jan 2005
Format:Audio CD|Amazon Verified Purchase
Like some other reviewers who rate this recording at 5 stars, I too might prefer some other performances in the Chaconne from Partita No. 2. On the other hand, Russell's playing is so extraordinary, I decided to suspend my prior preferences and attempted to hear that one movement as if for the first time. What I heard was a joyous and brilliant expression of pure freedom and mastery.
Rather than try to build to an intense sound in the climax, as one often hears (certainly from Milstein's or Grumiaux's violin), Russell seems to accept the limitations of his instrument, steps back, and seems to say, "Well, then, how CAN I bring off this beast of a piece on six plucked strings?" The answer is that instead of trying to make his superb, but limited, guitar match the decibel intensity implied by the music, he understates the whole thing, freeing up his monstrous technique, which he then applies toward the subtlest shades of tempo and dynamics, while racing toward the climactic conclusion (which anticipates the actual anti-climactic conclusion of this piece) with utter abandon. The effect is that the "missing" intensity echoes in the very deep respect Russell has for the sheer volume of notes that the music conjures. He deftly and clearly picks out the tune over that subtley sonic verbiage in a way that leaves no doubt of its intent.
I found myself urging Russell forward, but while some who play such music in an understated way leave it hanging, Russell somehow cleans up the loose ends, ties the knot, and truely brings it off--just so.
Rather than try to build to an intense sound in the climax, as one often hears (certainly from Milstein's or Grumiaux's violin), Russell seems to accept the limitations of his instrument, steps back, and seems to say, "Well, then, how CAN I bring off this beast of a piece on six plucked strings?" The answer is that instead of trying to make his superb, but limited, guitar match the decibel intensity implied by the music, he understates the whole thing, freeing up his monstrous technique, which he then applies toward the subtlest shades of tempo and dynamics, while racing toward the climactic conclusion (which anticipates the actual anti-climactic conclusion of this piece) with utter abandon. The effect is that the "missing" intensity echoes in the very deep respect Russell has for the sheer volume of notes that the music conjures. He deftly and clearly picks out the tune over that subtley sonic verbiage in a way that leaves no doubt of its intent.
I found myself urging Russell forward, but while some who play such music in an understated way leave it hanging, Russell somehow cleans up the loose ends, ties the knot, and truely brings it off--just so.
12 of 13 people found the following review helpful
You've got the wrong end of the stick
19 Feb 2004
Format:Audio CD
I find it quite amazing to read about some of the critic's responses to this album. I find it just as relaxing as any other David Russell CD. I am especailly shocked by use of words such as "Sterile"!!! I mean some of you seem to have something against perfectionism! The thing is that David's technique is so clean that it brings out more attention than his heart, but that dosn't mean to say that he lacks any heart in his playing, the problem is that the only thing people like notice is his technique (cause no other guitarist has ever developed a technique like Russell)!!!
Take a look at any score for Classicall Guitar, and you will see that the notes on the pages is what should sound, not squeaks, buzzes, glissandos or nail clatter. Thats just simple respect Russel has for the composer's initial intentions.
I have heard almost all of the top class guitarists and have never found anybody who matches David's playing. Any serious guitar student NEEDS this recording!! Trust me.
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