A Must-have Debut CD
M. Osada | Tokyo, Japan | 06/29/2005
(5 out of 5 stars)
"This is a superb recording by two excellent young musicians, and I would recommend it to anyone interested in viola music or chamber music in general.
Written in his compositionally mature period, Hindemith's 1939 Sonata is a remarkable work that showcases his unique harmonic language and formal organization skills. The Duo's performance certainly does justice to it, and this alone is worth the price of the CD. The piece opens with an energetic yet somewhat nostalgic movement, which is performed by the two musicians with passion and precision. In the third movement, a mysterious and other-worldly melody is beautifully and enchantingly performed by Mr. Katz . The finale is an ensemble tour de force with a perfectly matched rhythmic interaction between Mr. Katz and Mr. Shteinberg, and a well-thought out linear development plan that drives the music forward. Also, the accuracy and clarity in the piano performance is extraordinary.
Listening to the two transcriptions - Bach's Viola da gamba Sonata and Mozart's KV. 378 Violin Sonata, you will be further convinced that these two musicians make a perfect duo both technically and stylistically. In the Bach, Mr. Katz's rich and majestic tone is supported by Mr. Shteinberg's clear, articulate, and agile performance, which also shows his thoughtful understanding of the composition. The Mozart Violin Sonata transcription works surprisingly well on the viola. Here, the Duo gives a crispy and sparkling yet well-contrasted performance.
This is a must-have debut CD from two very talented young musicians with a bright future. I would like to hear them tackle some contemporary works on their next output since the viola literature has expanded considerably from the twentieth century on.
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Hindemith at His Best
Donald F. Dal Maso | New York, NY USA | 06/16/2005
(4 out of 5 stars)
"Hats off to two young artists for the finest performance of the Hindemith 1939 Sonata that I've ever encountered! This composer too often gets a dry, academic reading when what he really deserves is an impassioned exploration of his musical argument. This recording does exactly that-the listener is completely convinced of the power and courage of a composer who seems so often to be uninterested in pleasing anybody.
Mr. Katz and Mr. Shteinberg are bright young lights in the New York musical scene who seem to be appearing everywhere these days. On this debut CD they also include a Bach da gamba Sonata and the great Mozart KV. 378 Violin Sonata, both in transcriptions that seem completely natural to the timbre of viola and piano. It is hard to praise too highly the technical facility of such young artists.
I wish the engineering of this CD had been a little less cloudy-I don't find the instrumental voices nearly as impressive as they are in person. For the sake of the Hindemith alone, however, this recording is not to be missed.
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