Editorial Product Review: :From a pure-pleasure standpoint, the first Beethoven's Wig was nothing to flip over, and the second disc in the series follows suit. However, that is not to say that this is not a valuable and possibly ingenious record. Those unfamiliar with the premise will quickly get the picture: Producer/writer/lead singer/chief clever guy Richard Perlmutter gathers a bundle of important classical works (Paganini's 'Violin Concerto #2,' Strauss' 'Blue Danube Waltz') and makes up silly, catchy lyrics to lay over them, informing the listener about the piece or its composer. Standing out ...
Editorial Product Review: :Manuel Barrueco is one of the best guitarists I've ever heard. Listen to his own arrangement of Albeniz's Suite Española and you'll have trouble believing it's only two hands on one guitar. But Barrueco doesn't use his technique to show off. He's a solid musician, as expressive in Bach as in Villa- Lobos. He also makes transcriptions that respect the origins of the music. This is a wide-ranging guitar collection, but all the music is worth hearing, especially in performances like these. The disc is one of the best bargains ...
Editorial Product Review: :Bela Fleck is one of the greatest five-string banjo players performing today. Beginning in the 1970s, he honed his lightning-fast chops performing bluegrass, then moved on to contemporary jazz and fusion sounds. With this album, he broadens his horizons once again by performing an entire program of classical music transcriptions. Reminiscent of classical guitar albums by John Williams (who makes a guest appearance here), the disc traverses a wide range of repertoire--from Chopin mazurkas to Bach's Two and Three Part Inventions. Throughout, Fleck displays a feathery touch on his banjo, ...
Editorial Product Review: :Bela Fleck is one of the greatest five-string banjo players performing today. Beginning in the 1970s, he honed his lightning-fast chops performing bluegrass, then moved on to contemporary jazz and fusion sounds. With this album, he broadens his horizons once again by performing an entire program of classical music transcriptions. Reminiscent of classical guitar albums by John Williams (who makes a guest appearance here), the disc traverses a wide range of repertoire--from Chopin mazurkas to Bach's Two and Three Part Inventions. Throughout, Fleck displays a feathery touch on his banjo, ...
Editorial Product Review: :Bela Fleck is one of the greatest five-string banjo players performing today. Beginning in the 1970s, he honed his lightning-fast chops performing bluegrass, then moved on to contemporary jazz and fusion sounds. With this album, he broadens his horizons once again by performing an entire program of classical music transcriptions. Reminiscent of classical guitar albums by John Williams (who makes a guest appearance here), the disc traverses a wide range of repertoire--from Chopin mazurkas to Bach's Two and Three Part Inventions. Throughout, Fleck displays a feathery touch on his banjo, ...
Editorial Product Review: :It is only natural that players of instruments with a limited repertoire should resort to transcriptions, citing a long line of arrangers from Bach to Liszt to Heifetz. However, the suitability of the material is as important as the skill of the transcriber, and you don't have to be a 'purist' to object to some of Balsom's choices. Some of the transcriptions are her own, some are by Julian Milone, a violinist, who also provided the orchestrations of the non-orchestral accompaniments. Unfortunately they sound unnatural compared to Mozart's, in an aria ...
Editorial Product Review: :It is only natural that players of instruments with a limited repertoire should resort to transcriptions, citing a long line of arrangers from Bach to Liszt to Heifetz. However, the suitability of the material is as important as the skill of the transcriber, and you don't have to be a 'purist' to object to some of Balsom's choices. Some of the transcriptions are her own, some are by Julian Milone, a violinist, who also provided the orchestrations of the non-orchestral accompaniments. Unfortunately they sound unnatural compared to Mozart's, in an aria ...
Editorial Product Review:Album Description:HILARY HAHN SIMPLY SHINES IN THESE ROMANTIC VIRTUOSO SHOWPIECES Star violinist Hilary Hahn performs violin concertos by two predominant violin virtuosos of the early Romantic era, Italian Niccolo Paganini and German Louis Spohr. Both concertos were composed around 1816 to serve as effective showpieces for their composersÂ’ tour activities and are packed with stunningly virtuosic figures, beautiful cantilenas, and dramatic effects that were intended to leave the audience breathless and helped to establish the violinistsÂ’ legendary status. Hilary Hahn has the superior technique needed to tackle even the most ...
Editorial Product Review:Album Description:HILARY HAHN SIMPLY SHINES IN THESE ROMANTIC VIRTUOSO SHOWPIECES Star violinist Hilary Hahn performs violin concertos by two predominant violin virtuosos of the early Romantic era, Italian Niccolo Paganini and German Louis Spohr. Both concertos were composed around 1816 to serve as effective showpieces for their composersÂ’ tour activities and are packed with stunningly virtuosic figures, beautiful cantilenas, and dramatic effects that were intended to leave the audience breathless and helped to establish the violinistsÂ’ legendary status. Hilary Hahn has the superior technique needed to tackle even the most ...
Editorial Product Review: essential recording:This slam-bang, take-no-prisoners account of the Paganini Caprices is just the thing for a rainy day. Considered the last word in virtuoso violin technique when they were composed--and still quite a challenge today--these delightful miniatures each get played to the hilt by Perlman, reveling in their technical intricacies while also making the most of their lively charm and musicality. This is simply one of the best solo violin recordings available, and it belongs on any Perlman fan's shortlist. --David Hurwitz
Steering clear of many of the pitfalls that sapped past video-on-demand broadband solutions, Vudu delivers the closest thing to "Netflix in a box" that we've seen to date.
It's June 29th and Apple is finally ready to let the public play with the iPhone. The past six months have shaped up to be the highest profile mobile phone launch ever, Apple has conjured up an...
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