Bach
By James Manheim
Reactions to this release may well depend on how listeners feel about violinist Joshua Bell's music-making in general. Bell is an heir to the violin idols of the early 20th century, and he grabs attention and doesn't let it go: his tone is startlingly brilliant, his execution flawless, his insights into the music generally well-worn ones. In the two Bach violin concertos that make up the bulk of this Sony release, that's what's here, and he is ideally partnered by the champions in the silvery-strings derby, the Academy of St. Martin-in-the-Fields, under his own direction. He holds the ensemble together with a naturalness that takes the whole enterprise beyond the old-fashioned. But there is a new wrinkle to this release: a pair of arrangements of arrangements. Most daring, and perhaps less successful, is an orchestration of Mendelssohn's version of the Chaconne from the Partita No. 2 for solo violin in D minor, BWV 1004. Bell's idea seems to be that this is something his forerunners of a century ago might have done, and indeed the Mendelssohn arrangement is a work that gives insights into how he and his time experienced Bach. Adding the orchestra to it introduces another level of noise, however, and it's not at all clear that the result is to the good. The situation is similar with the little Gavotte and Rondeau twice filtered through Schumann and the same arranger as with the Mendelssohn, Julian Malone. None of this is going to bother listeners coming to this album already enamored of Bell's flashing tone, however, and it must be said that on that terrain he is in unusually good form here.
By Eric C. Sedensky "late-to-jazz musician"
By now, most music fans and probably all of Joshua Bell's fans will be familiar with the story of how, on a very cold morning in January 2007, Joshua Bell disguised himself as a street musician at a metro station in Washington D.C. during rush hour and played some classical music pieces for about 45 minutes. Included therein was a piece that many consider to be the most beautiful and complicated violin piece in history: Bach's Chaconne from Partita No. 2 in D Minor. He played his heart out on this difficult piece with his multimillion Stradivarius violin, but even this proved ineffective in getting the busy people of our nation's capital to slow down long enough to listen and enjoy.
It's a compelling story and statement, but more amazing to me as a Joshua Bell fan is that despite Mr. Bell's love of Bach's music, his occasional live performances of Bach sonatas and the sensational stunt at the metro station, he has never recorded Bach in the past. (That's not counting the Bach inventions #7 and #15 he did with Bela Fleck on Perpetual Motion.) Probably, just like he spent some time looking for the perfect orchestra he could comfortably play with before recording Vivaldi: The Four Seasons, he must have decided to take his time before recording the Bach pieces. Now being the busy director and conductor of the prestigious British chamber orchestra, Academy of St. Martin in the Fields, there was probably no reason to wait any longer to record some Bach.
As a former church organist who learned Bach before just about everything else, I feel I at least have an inkling of shared feeling with Mr. Bell when he said (in Michael Lawrence's film Bach & Friends) that "Bach's music makes you feel alive and it tells you about life and about the world in a way that nothing else can. Bach manages to take you through the entire range of human emotion..." That's a mouthful, but incredibly, it was this feeling that comes through in Mr. Bell's powerful performances on this CD. And as good as Mr. Bell is with his violin, let's keep in mind two more things. One is that he is being backed by one of the great contemporary orchestras, the aforementioned Academy of St. Martin in the Fields. Their depth of emotion is startling, and the clarity and overall execution of the music to sound as the composer intended puts them on a par with any orchestra anywhere. The second thing to keep in mind is, Mr. Bell also happens to be the conductor of the orchestra, so if anybody would have been able to get the pacing, feel, and flow of the orchestra to match his own vision, it would be him. In the end, all of the tracks sound refreshingly brilliant and show off Mr. Bell's ringing and swirling violin, the orchestra's limitless breadth, and the subtleties, emotions, and triumphs of Bach's music, all in one delightful and imminently listenable package.
Speaking of which, let me just point out, too, that the CD's production is quite crisp, keeping all the movements and pieces lush but even from track to track. The sound mastering and balance is flawless as well, with soft and slow sections leading into and out of the loud and fast sections, and vice versa, in a flowing waltz of quiet and force, majesty and humility, and everything in between. And what can I say about the tough look on the cover photo, a black and white "back at `cha" shot, other than, it's about time Mr. Bell shoved aside his choir boy image and used his good looks to demand attention and focus. (Maybe now that he's spent enough time in England he's gotten a little James Bond-ian on us?) The cover shot is augmented by black and white silhouette photos throughout the booklet and back cover. The overall effect is powerful, and I feel it will go a long way toward attracting people to the musical side and helping this recording gain the respect and attention it deserves.
Joshua Bell rarely (the missus would say "never") puts out a bad recording, but when it comes time to choose a favorite, I think these Bach renditions will be at the top of a lot of fans' lists. Five stars almost seem inadequate, but that's as high as it goes, so that's what this fantastic and imaginative CD gets.
Alisa Weilerstein & Daniel Barenboim
By James Manheim
Reactions to this release may well depend on how listeners feel about violinist Joshua Bell's music-making in general. Bell is an heir to the violin idols of the early 20th century, and he grabs attention and doesn't let it go: his tone is startlingly brilliant, his execution flawless, his insights into the music generally well-worn ones. In the two Bach violin concertos that make up the bulk of this Sony release, that's what's here, and he is ideally partnered by the champions in the silvery-strings derby, the Academy of St. Martin-in-the-Fields, under his own direction. He holds the ensemble together with a naturalness that takes the whole enterprise beyond the old-fashioned. But there is a new wrinkle to this release: a pair of arrangements of arrangements. Most daring, and perhaps less successful, is an orchestration of Mendelssohn's version of the Chaconne from the Partita No. 2 for solo violin in D minor, BWV 1004. Bell's idea seems to be that this is something his forerunners of a century ago might have done, and indeed the Mendelssohn arrangement is a work that gives insights into how he and his time experienced Bach. Adding the orchestra to it introduces another level of noise, however, and it's not at all clear that the result is to the good. The situation is similar with the little Gavotte and Rondeau twice filtered through Schumann and the same arranger as with the Mendelssohn, Julian Malone. None of this is going to bother listeners coming to this album already enamored of Bell's flashing tone, however, and it must be said that on that terrain he is in unusually good form here.
By Eric C. Sedensky "late-to-jazz musician"
By now, most music fans and probably all of Joshua Bell's fans will be familiar with the story of how, on a very cold morning in January 2007, Joshua Bell disguised himself as a street musician at a metro station in Washington D.C. during rush hour and played some classical music pieces for about 45 minutes. Included therein was a piece that many consider to be the most beautiful and complicated violin piece in history: Bach's Chaconne from Partita No. 2 in D Minor. He played his heart out on this difficult piece with his multimillion Stradivarius violin, but even this proved ineffective in getting the busy people of our nation's capital to slow down long enough to listen and enjoy.
It's a compelling story and statement, but more amazing to me as a Joshua Bell fan is that despite Mr. Bell's love of Bach's music, his occasional live performances of Bach sonatas and the sensational stunt at the metro station, he has never recorded Bach in the past. (That's not counting the Bach inventions #7 and #15 he did with Bela Fleck on Perpetual Motion.) Probably, just like he spent some time looking for the perfect orchestra he could comfortably play with before recording Vivaldi: The Four Seasons, he must have decided to take his time before recording the Bach pieces. Now being the busy director and conductor of the prestigious British chamber orchestra, Academy of St. Martin in the Fields, there was probably no reason to wait any longer to record some Bach.
As a former church organist who learned Bach before just about everything else, I feel I at least have an inkling of shared feeling with Mr. Bell when he said (in Michael Lawrence's film Bach & Friends) that "Bach's music makes you feel alive and it tells you about life and about the world in a way that nothing else can. Bach manages to take you through the entire range of human emotion..." That's a mouthful, but incredibly, it was this feeling that comes through in Mr. Bell's powerful performances on this CD. And as good as Mr. Bell is with his violin, let's keep in mind two more things. One is that he is being backed by one of the great contemporary orchestras, the aforementioned Academy of St. Martin in the Fields. Their depth of emotion is startling, and the clarity and overall execution of the music to sound as the composer intended puts them on a par with any orchestra anywhere. The second thing to keep in mind is, Mr. Bell also happens to be the conductor of the orchestra, so if anybody would have been able to get the pacing, feel, and flow of the orchestra to match his own vision, it would be him. In the end, all of the tracks sound refreshingly brilliant and show off Mr. Bell's ringing and swirling violin, the orchestra's limitless breadth, and the subtleties, emotions, and triumphs of Bach's music, all in one delightful and imminently listenable package.
Speaking of which, let me just point out, too, that the CD's production is quite crisp, keeping all the movements and pieces lush but even from track to track. The sound mastering and balance is flawless as well, with soft and slow sections leading into and out of the loud and fast sections, and vice versa, in a flowing waltz of quiet and force, majesty and humility, and everything in between. And what can I say about the tough look on the cover photo, a black and white "back at `cha" shot, other than, it's about time Mr. Bell shoved aside his choir boy image and used his good looks to demand attention and focus. (Maybe now that he's spent enough time in England he's gotten a little James Bond-ian on us?) The cover shot is augmented by black and white silhouette photos throughout the booklet and back cover. The overall effect is powerful, and I feel it will go a long way toward attracting people to the musical side and helping this recording gain the respect and attention it deserves.
Joshua Bell rarely (the missus would say "never") puts out a bad recording, but when it comes time to choose a favorite, I think these Bach renditions will be at the top of a lot of fans' lists. Five stars almost seem inadequate, but that's as high as it goes, so that's what this fantastic and imaginative CD gets.
Alisa Weilerstein & Daniel Barenboim
Elgar Cello Concerto Carter
By Blair Sanderson
Making her debut on Decca, Alisa Weilerstein presents three major works of the cello repertoire with Daniel Barenboim leading the Staatskapelle Berlin. The star vehicle, naturally, is Edward Elgar's Concerto in E minor, which Weilerstein plays with commanding presence, rich tone, and emotional depth. Most listeners will be drawn primarily to this performance because of the piece's familiarity, and Weilerstein's charisma and passionate playing make it the album's main attraction. Yet listeners should give Weilerstein and Barenboim credit for following the Elgar with an important if not instantly recognizable or approachable modernist work, Elliott Carter's powerful Cello Concerto. Weilerstein is quite bold to play this intensely dramatic and angular composition, and while it's unlikely to appeal to the majority of fans who adore the Elgar, it deserves its place on the program for its seriousness and extraordinary displays of solo and orchestral writing. To close, Weilerstein plays Max Bruch's Kol Nidrei, a Romantic work that returns the program to a mellow and melancholy mood and brings the CD to a satisfying close. Decca's reproduction is excellent, putting Weilerstein front and center with full resonance, but not leaving the vibrant accompaniment of the orchestra too far behind her.
By Andrew R. Barnard
Decca wants to turn its debut of Alisa Weilerstein into an occasion. No one has been able to erase memories of Jacqueline du Pre in the Elgar Cello Concerto; no doubt performers feel intimidated. The dominance of du Pre is realized when Amazon's editorial review tries to hype this recording by pointing out that du Pre's husband Daniel Barenboim hasn't touched the piece much without his wife. Could it be that a bit of the du Pre magic has continued with Barenboim?
The problem, of course, is that the magic was never Barenboim's. Weilerstein is left with the same mountain to climb as the rest of du Pre's successors. For Weilerstein, the best way to compete with du Pre is to try a completely different approach. Du Pre pushed forward with searing passion, baring her soul with no attempt to mask her feelings. While Weilerstein showcases Elgarian richness and melancholy, she is considerably more reserved. On the podium, Barenboim places less stress on grandeur, aiming to emphasize the work's dark undercurrent. He makes the Staatskapelle Berlin play from the bottom up. Both conductor and soloist seem to agree that reticence has its place. While they make the concerto have darker hues, the whole event ends up sounding less personal, sometimes mannered. There's little overt excitement. This hurts the 2nd movement the most, as Barenboim unwisely chooses to smooth out the sudden surprises near the opening, erasing all hushed anticipation. The rest of the concerto fares better, thankfully, with both interpreters seeming to understand Elgar's world. (There's not much restlessness, and melancholy doesn't become impatience). While there is much to admire about this recording, I miss the final thrust of inspiration. We hear personality, to be sure, but I feel that the music is being played from a distance, with Weilerstein admiring the concerto instead of completely taking over.
The Carter Concerto is new to me. It's an aggressive work with none of the beauty of the Elgar. For all I can tell, this is a fine reading. I'm sure its fans will be pleased to see it recorded by big names on a major label. If you're willing to get into the austere work, this interpretation beckons, particularly because of the wonderful sound. Weilerstein's tone is dark and biting, as if seeking to find meaning in the midst of chaos. Barenboim's conducting is full of sarcasm, allowing the work's forward-looking scoring (there's significant percussion) to come across clearly.
Weilerstein and Barenboim take Bruch's Kol Nidrei with much darkness, giving it a lonely feel. I appreciate the commitment, even though it can sound idiosyncratic. Again, excitement isn't a big concern, but it's hard to complain in the face of such lovely playing.
For Weilerstein, then, this is a success. These are interesting readings in very good sound. Weilerstein doesn't erase memories of Du Pre, but to be fair, no one has. She does prove, along with sensitive Barenboim, that there are alternative ways to success in the Elgar.
P.S. January 2014: Having just posted a review of Weilerstein's new Dvorak release, I must say that I am now a complete believer in Weilerstein, and find my initial hesitations about this album intangible. I hope to soon get around to fully editing this review.
By Blair Sanderson
Making her debut on Decca, Alisa Weilerstein presents three major works of the cello repertoire with Daniel Barenboim leading the Staatskapelle Berlin. The star vehicle, naturally, is Edward Elgar's Concerto in E minor, which Weilerstein plays with commanding presence, rich tone, and emotional depth. Most listeners will be drawn primarily to this performance because of the piece's familiarity, and Weilerstein's charisma and passionate playing make it the album's main attraction. Yet listeners should give Weilerstein and Barenboim credit for following the Elgar with an important if not instantly recognizable or approachable modernist work, Elliott Carter's powerful Cello Concerto. Weilerstein is quite bold to play this intensely dramatic and angular composition, and while it's unlikely to appeal to the majority of fans who adore the Elgar, it deserves its place on the program for its seriousness and extraordinary displays of solo and orchestral writing. To close, Weilerstein plays Max Bruch's Kol Nidrei, a Romantic work that returns the program to a mellow and melancholy mood and brings the CD to a satisfying close. Decca's reproduction is excellent, putting Weilerstein front and center with full resonance, but not leaving the vibrant accompaniment of the orchestra too far behind her.
By Andrew R. Barnard
Decca wants to turn its debut of Alisa Weilerstein into an occasion. No one has been able to erase memories of Jacqueline du Pre in the Elgar Cello Concerto; no doubt performers feel intimidated. The dominance of du Pre is realized when Amazon's editorial review tries to hype this recording by pointing out that du Pre's husband Daniel Barenboim hasn't touched the piece much without his wife. Could it be that a bit of the du Pre magic has continued with Barenboim?
The problem, of course, is that the magic was never Barenboim's. Weilerstein is left with the same mountain to climb as the rest of du Pre's successors. For Weilerstein, the best way to compete with du Pre is to try a completely different approach. Du Pre pushed forward with searing passion, baring her soul with no attempt to mask her feelings. While Weilerstein showcases Elgarian richness and melancholy, she is considerably more reserved. On the podium, Barenboim places less stress on grandeur, aiming to emphasize the work's dark undercurrent. He makes the Staatskapelle Berlin play from the bottom up. Both conductor and soloist seem to agree that reticence has its place. While they make the concerto have darker hues, the whole event ends up sounding less personal, sometimes mannered. There's little overt excitement. This hurts the 2nd movement the most, as Barenboim unwisely chooses to smooth out the sudden surprises near the opening, erasing all hushed anticipation. The rest of the concerto fares better, thankfully, with both interpreters seeming to understand Elgar's world. (There's not much restlessness, and melancholy doesn't become impatience). While there is much to admire about this recording, I miss the final thrust of inspiration. We hear personality, to be sure, but I feel that the music is being played from a distance, with Weilerstein admiring the concerto instead of completely taking over.
The Carter Concerto is new to me. It's an aggressive work with none of the beauty of the Elgar. For all I can tell, this is a fine reading. I'm sure its fans will be pleased to see it recorded by big names on a major label. If you're willing to get into the austere work, this interpretation beckons, particularly because of the wonderful sound. Weilerstein's tone is dark and biting, as if seeking to find meaning in the midst of chaos. Barenboim's conducting is full of sarcasm, allowing the work's forward-looking scoring (there's significant percussion) to come across clearly.
Weilerstein and Barenboim take Bruch's Kol Nidrei with much darkness, giving it a lonely feel. I appreciate the commitment, even though it can sound idiosyncratic. Again, excitement isn't a big concern, but it's hard to complain in the face of such lovely playing.
For Weilerstein, then, this is a success. These are interesting readings in very good sound. Weilerstein doesn't erase memories of Du Pre, but to be fair, no one has. She does prove, along with sensitive Barenboim, that there are alternative ways to success in the Elgar.
P.S. January 2014: Having just posted a review of Weilerstein's new Dvorak release, I must say that I am now a complete believer in Weilerstein, and find my initial hesitations about this album intangible. I hope to soon get around to fully editing this review.
