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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
12 of 13 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
very enjoyable and interesting modern Mozart,
By Mr. Ian A. Macfarlane "almac1975" (Fife, Scotland) - See all my reviews (TOP 50 REVIEWER) (REAL NAME)
This review is from: Violin Concertos 2 & 4 (Audio CD)
I think this is a marvellous CD, for quite a number of reasons, but there are a couple of things about it that are a little eccentric. The Sinfonia Concertante begins with an extraordinarily pompous 'call to attention' opening bar - very slow, very mannered. It's over, and an excellent, characterful performance follows, with beautiful playing from both soloists (Laurence Power is not in any way overshadowed by Vengerov), marvellous ensemble and an excellent accord with the small orchestra. In the two Concerti, Vengerov plays his own cadenzas, and I don't know why I have called this eccentric above, because he is of course fully entitled to do so. They are not Mozartian, but they are certainly not overblown either, and they are intensely violinistic and extremely enjoyable. Elsewhere in the Concerti, Vengerov's playing is quite beautiful and there are many turns of phrase which bring a smile to the listener - but they are perfectly respectful performances, very much so indeed, and they do have character as well. So I would say that this is a very enjoyable and interesting CD, and it certainly offers quite marvellous playing.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews on Amazon.com (beta) Amazon.com:
2.9 out of 5 stars (8 customer reviews) 10 of 11 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
A Breath of Fresh Air,
By M. De Sapio - Published on Amazon.com
This review is from: Violin Concertos 2 & 4 (Audio CD)
Hearing the Sinfonia Concertante from this disc played on the radio a few months ago, I was instantly mesmerized. This is a fresh, contemporary account influenced by historically informed performance, above all in the importance placed on variegated articulation to convey the meaning of a phrase. The Verbier Orchestra is a group of appropriately Mozartean dimensions: the strings use fast bow speeds and minimal vibrato, resulting in fresh, transparent textures and a warm, glowing sound. And they use Just intonation - a balm to the ears! As violinist, Vengerov produces a gossamer tone that is perfect for Mozart. He and violist Lawrence Power achieve an amazing symbiosis: in the andante they sustain a dialogue of lacerating dramatic intensity, and elsewhere they trill in unison and weave ringlets of notes around each other with perfect synergy. As conductor, Vengerov has the orchestra experiment with bold dynamics and accents, bestowing freshness and pungency on every phrase. One notices too the attention given to Mozart's accompanimental figures: they all sound different and meaningful, from the throbbing oboes at the start of the SINFONIA's andante to the burbling strings in the andante of the Second Concerto (that movement, by the way is a standout - magically played by Vengerov and the orchestra). I'm at a loss to understand the negative reviews of this disc; it is nothing less than splendid!(I have to take issue with another customer's remark about the slowness of the first movement of the Sinfonia; considering that the marking is Allegro Maestoso, I think Vengerov's tempo is perfect.) 4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
wonderfully lyrical,
By Matteo Goffriller "Matt" - Published on Amazon.com
This review is from: Violin Concertos 2 & 4 (Audio CD)
One morning my radio alarm awoke me with the Sinfonia Concertante on this CD. It was immediately clear that this was a must buy album. The predominantly lyrical approach was clearly intended by Vengerov. According to the liner notes he looked for stylistic hints from specialists in early Mozart opera. The result is splendidly effective performances that are not quite the current mainstream. For me that is a good thing, since current performance standards seem narrow, mechanical, and self consciously brilliant to a fault. Having been familiar with these pieces for over 40 years, this CD was a refreshment.
7 of 9 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
I'm a musician and I give it 5 stars,
By Ralph Padgug - Published on Amazon.com
This review is from: Violin Concertos 2 & 4 (Audio CD)
I'm writing this review after hearing the Sinfonia Concertante played on NPR (National Public Radio.) I'm a professional musician (flutist) and I have a special love for Mozart -- I already own 3 recordings of this work. As soon as they started playing this recording my ears perked up. This performance is breathtaking! The opening is slower than I've always heard it, but the playing is so full of nuances, the rhythms bouncing playfully, gentle changes in dynamics that match exactly what's going on in the lines of the music... that it didn't feel slow AT ALL. Rather, these musicians take their time to communicate more in each measure of music than any other recording or performance I've heard to date (and I've heard some excellent performances and own some great recordings.)I was especially impressed by the ensemble between the 2 soloists. It literally feels like the same person (or Hindu deity with 4 arms, perhaps) is playing both violin and viola parts -- they are so "in sync" with each other. At the end of the 2nd mvmt cadenza, they do a long trill together. They start the trill slowly, speed it up, sustain it and then slow it back down -- ALL PERFECTLY IN UNISON -- any musician would realize how incredibly difficult that is to do. The effect is stunning. I was so impressed with the performance that I immediately looked it up on Amazon to see what else was on the album. When I checked the customer reviews, out of curiosity, I was dumbfounded by what I read. I skimmed through a few of them, all negative, and decided to write one purely out of a sense of fairness. Everyone has a right to their opinion. Mine is that this is an absolutely wonderful recording of a great work that presents it in a new light -- by musicians with a very strong sense of Mozartean style who illuminate the work brilliantly. I felt so sorry for those poor reviewers who couldn't hear that. They really missed out on something! |
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