Search - Robert Kapilow, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Antonio Janigro :: What Makes It Great? Mozart's Eine Kleine Nachtmusik

Interesting and engaging

jcwetc | 12/30/2004

(4 out of 5 stars)

"This CD combines a lecture and musical examples by Ron Kapilow with a recording of Eine Kleine Nachtmusik. Mr. Kapilow's talk is interesting and he is an engaging speaker. He briefly discusses the structure of the movements and points out details that "make it great." Mr. Kapilow also plays short passages of EKN re-written in a correct but more pedestrian style which highlight Mozart's genius. These negative examples are quite interesting and helped me hear this very familiar piece with new ears.



Three problems kept me from giving this 5 stars. First, the lecture is so brief that it is rather superficial. I would have preferred a bit more depth. Second, some sort of written materials would have been helpful. Including a brief written outline of the movements, with timings, and comments by Mr. Kapilow would make the CD more useful and not add much to the cost. Finally, in the actual performance of EKN on the CD, the tracks for the 2nd and 3rd movements (Romanze and Minuetto) are reversed, which is a confusing mistake, especially, I would think, for those not very familiar with the music who try to match up Mr. Kapilow's lecture with the actual performance.



Overall this CD is quite worthwhile and even those who have heard EKN many times will no doubt learn something new."

Rob Kapilow reveals hidden depths

Brian B. | London, England | 07/27/2004

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I have been listening to Eine Kleine Nachtsmusik for five decades now but after listening to Kapilow's analysis of it and his guide to its structures and subtleties, I now feel as if I am hearing it for the first time. These insights not only deepen one's appreciation of glorious music such as this familiar Mozart masterpiece, they also educate the amateur ear to listen to other music with greater understanding of what has gone into it, thus enormously increasing one's musical pleasure. Ideal listening for the classroom, the old folks' home and just about everything and everybody in between!"