Tchaikovsky: Violin Concerto [Hybrid SACD]
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Free Music Notes for Tchaikovsky: Violin Concerto [Hybrid SACD]
Free Music Review: Joshua Bell Reinterprets A Beloved Concerto
Hit: 4 Stars
It used to be easy to dismiss Joshua Bell. True, he has always been a talented musician, but in the early years of his career, his publicists seemed more intent on selling his image rather than his ability. Of course this is nothing new. It happened in past generations, it happens today, and will happen in the future. While many of the young superstars tend to fizzle, Joshua Bell has not and has shifted from being a kid with talent to a young musician who has something significant to contribute to classical music, a musician who cannot be ignored by audiences or critics.
For this recording, Bell has selected one of his favorites, the Tchaikovsky Violin Concerto. This is not his first recording of the work, but he has said in interviews it is one of his favorite pieces and he likes to explore ways of nuancing his interpretations. This is the case in this recording. Bell gives a solid performance of the work and since it is a live recording, there is a certain intensity not always found in studio recordings. There are two studio recorded pieces included on the disc: The Meditation in D Minor and the Russian Dance from SWAN LAKE. The Meditation provides the listener another opportunity to hear Bell's sumptuous playing and the Russian Dance gives him the opportunity to display the musical fireworks he can employ to thrill an audience. The Berlin Philharmonic is under the direction of Michael Tilson Thomas. Thomas' conducting is more subdued than other well known Berlin Philharmonic conductors of the past, namely Karajan and Bohm, but it seems as if he does so to bring out the soloist's gifts. Unfortunately, the orchestral playing does not match the excitement of Bell's playing at some points in the Concerto and in the Russian Dance.
We have no way of knowing if this will become the definitive Bell interpretation of the Tchaikovsky Violin Concerto. He is only in his mid-thirties and is constantly maturing as a musician, but I'm sure this recording will be enjoyed by many and is a worthy addition to any recording collection.
Free Music Review: Tchaikovsky: Violin Concerto [Hybrid SACD]
Hit: 5 Stars
This is a truly superb recording! I can't get enough of it, so I play it over and over. The concerto is fresh and dynamic. I find the long solo in the first movement breath-taking as the notes soar to exquisite heights. Bell's always incredible tonal beauty is virtually intoxicating in this CD. Though I've heard this concerto numerous times and by many artists, I find Bell makes it new and exciting. I'm pleased he recorded the Meditation and the Dance Russe on this CD also, both of which are beautiful pieces but previously unfamiliar to me. However many performances of the concerto you may have heard, you may find this one will blow you away.Free Music Review: Stunning!
Hit: 5 Stars
No one, repeat no one, plays the violin like Joshua Bell. Not to be missed. Just listen to the tone, and the phrasing, and the color, and the interpretation.......I have heard most of them all, beginning with Heifetz when I was a kid, but I have never heard anything like this fellow. Free Music Review: One of Joshua Bell's Finest Recordings
Hit: 5 Stars
Joshua Bell has been capturing the hearts and applause of audiences around the world for a the past several years, striding out on stage with his handsome and elegant appearance and playing a very wide repertoire of violin concerti with involvement and musicality. In this recording of the Tchaikovsky Violin Concerto in D major all of his positive attributes are now enhanced with a lush, even tone and an intimate approach to one of the violin blockbuster pieces. It is a wholly successful venture.
Bell continues to grow as an artist and much of that growth comes in the quality of tone he now produces. It is creamy where called for and crisp and incisive when challenged. His approach to the Tchaikovsky is a passionate one, though without the overplaying that creeps into so many other violinist's readings. He is well supported by the Berlin Philharmonic under the warmly compatible leadership of Michael Tilson Thomas. This is a Tchaikovsky concerto performance to cherish.
Adding to the recording are three well-selected works by Tchaikovsky - the playful 'Danse Russe' from 'Swan Lake', 'Meditation, in D major', and 'Serenade melancolique, for violin & orchestra in B minor'. They are beautifully performed and feel like well-deserved encores to the concerto! Highly recommended. Grady Harp, October 05
Free Music Review: A different interpretation......
Hit: 4 Stars
I was very excited to hear Joshua Bell was rerecording the Tchaikovsky and rushed out to buy a copy of this CD the day it was released. Maybe it's due to my high expectations, but after listening to it I was slightly disappointed. In the cover notes it discusses how Joshua wanted to make a more "intimate" recording. I think he succeeds on that point. The second and third movements are magnificant, and his sound is very full and played with absolute precision. In fact, I would go as far as saying the second movement is as good as I've heard in any recording of the Tchaikovsky.
My main complaint is with the 1st movement (allegro moderato). In an effort to make it more intimate he has slowed it down to the point that it really seems to drag. It's about half a minute longer than the first movement in his 1988 recording, but to be honest it seems much longer. I've always viewed the first movement as being more of an orchestral piece than a violin solo, and because the solo parts are slower, the speed of the orchestra seems ponderous and lacks life. The third movement is a full minute longer than his 1988 recording. However, I don't think it's as noticeable because the third movement is sometimes played too fast anyway, and I think slowing it down allows the audience to hear the notes better. This is not neccessary with the first movement, because it generally has a slower pace and longer notes to begin with.
You can understand how someone like Joshua Bell, who has already recorded most of the standard repertoir, may want to challenge himself and the audience by trying different interpretations of the standard violin fare. He did this with his recent recording of the Beethoven/Mendelssohn concertos, and I think we as the audience should be greatful for this (and it's probably why we rush out to buy his CD's).
All in all though, I recommend this CD. The Meditation and Dance Russe are excellent. I'll only give it 4 out of 5 stars because of my complaints about the first movement of the concerto. However, if you're new to classical music and want a good version of the Tchaikovsky concerto, start out with Joshua's 1988 recording instead.