Search - Bach, Graupner, Hargave :: 5 Bassoon Concertos

Charmed by the Cinderella of Instruments

Mel Cooper | Oxford, England | 02/21/2000

(4 out of 5 stars)

"I first ran across this disc because I heard some tracks from it on the radio -- the J.C. Bach concerto to be precise. What struck me most was the mellow, warm sound of the solo instrument. Except for an aria by Mozart in La CLemenza di Tito and the bassoon concerto that Mozart wrote, I have always thought of the bassoon as a non-solo, support instrument. The concertos on this disc and the playing of Daniel Smith convinced me otherwise. In fact, I have sought out and bought just about everything Smith has recorded. He is not only tireless in recording this repertory, he is a superlative advocate for his instrument. To my ears his musicianship is exceptional and he and the forces on this disc are strong advocates for some music that is not that often heard. Hargrave, Graupner and Hertel were all new to me and the disc has given me hours of peaceful,soothing pleasure. I recommend it very highly -- 5 stars for the performances by Smith with the ECO and Ledger; and 4 for music that may be of the second rank but is certainly not second rate."

Technique but no class

cjbassoon | Maine, United States | 12/10/2001

(2 out of 5 stars)

"While technically Daniel Smith is a good bassoonist, his playing lacks musicality. Additionally, I find his tone harsh to the ear, and it lacks the refinement that better bassoonists have. The bassoon is a magnificent solo instrument, and I strongly recommend the solo playing by Milan Turkovic, Otto Eifert, or Klaus Thunneman over that of Smith, if you are looking to learn more about the bassoon's solo repertoire. While there are many solo bassoonists out there, the key is finding one who has the technique, musicalness, and darker tone quality that all bassoonists, myself included, strive for. Unfortunately, Smith does not belong in this elite few."

An Outstanding Performance

David Hirsch | Annandale, VA | 02/17/2000

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I am a musician and an enthusiast of classical music. In this performance, Daniel Smith's bassoon virtuosity is reflected through extraordinary style and technique, and beautiful, melliflous sound. Listening to this performance is like taking a magical musical voyage. I highly recommend it."