Brilliant Bachmann
music lover | new york, ny | 10/19/2007
(5 out of 5 stars)
"This cd is Fantastic!! I saw it in BBC Music Magazine as their CD of the Month in May 2007.
The performances are terrific and the sound of the recording jumps out at you with thrilling immediacy. Bachmann explodes right at the beginning of the disc in 3 short pieces by Pulitzer Prize winner Paul Moravec.
Moravec's 2 fast pieces, Ariel Fantasy and Double Action, are incredble with zillions of notes zooming by....
Bachmann and Klibonoff toss them off with fun and ease. Amazingly virtousic playing from them!
Moravec's slow piece, Evermore, is a beautiful love song played with hearts on their sleeves.
I love the dark sultriness Bachmann brings to the Corigliano Red Violin Chaconne. Her sound is so different in this piece and it suits the music perfectly. The arrangement Corigliano made of the Red Violin for violin and piano is gorgeous, and this work is profound as well as powerful. They play the Ravel Sonata with lots of style and in particular, the Blues movement finally sounds bluesy in a way that I've never heard classical players perform it before. They make the listener "sweat" in that and also in the roller coaster ride of the Ravel Sonata last movement (Perpetual Motion for the violin) which is a tour-de-force for Bachmann and her pianist. WOW! I'm impressed by how these musicians vary their sounds, articulations, and musicality to fit the different characters of the works. They play with incredible energy and are totally engaging throughout the disc. The Gershwin songs are really jazzy and the Copland Ukelele Serenade sizzles with energy.
BBC said this cd is "deliciously earthy...thrilling abandon with absolute technical command....a truly exceptional disc." No wonder BBC gave it their highest rating of 5 stars for Performance and 5 stars for Sound. That's very rare. I give it my highest rating of 5 stars! *****"
Roll out the Red Carpet
John Clare | Harrisburg, PA United States | 12/03/2007
(5 out of 5 stars)
"Maria Bachmann has put together a great collection of masterpieces with enough charm, flair and virtuosity to keep this in your cd player all the time.
Don't miss special arrangements of Gershwin songs, the first ever violin and piano version of John Corigliano's Red Violin Chaconne (you won't believe Jon Klibonoff's amazing performance as he makes the piano as compelling and colorful as the original orchestration!) and works written specifically with Maria in mind by Paul Moravec.
I was lucky enough to hear this program live in NYC in April 2007 for the album release party, which even included another sonata by Enescu! Fortunately you can relive the magic of that recital on this Endeavor Classics release. I can't wait for the next recording - and catch Maria in concert if you can, I've seen this program and know there are new works being written for her all the time."