Search - Antonio Bazzini, Caspar Frantz :: Antonio Bazzini: Virtuoso Works for Violin and Piano

BAZZINI FURIOSO

Terry J. Lehane | 03/16/2009

(5 out of 5 stars)

"How come among the upcoming batch of young violinists I always favor the ladies? And pretty ones at that. I must be getting old. Perhaps the baton has at last been passed to the distaff side. That's fine with me, for they are fantastic. So how come I am just getting to know MS Hanslip's brilliant work?

I can't say enough good about this CD. ANTONIO BAZZINI (1818-1897) we know from his tour de force "Ronde des Lutins". But he wrote other things. Some just as technical and brilliant, some tender. Chloe Hanslip handles the pyrotechnics with fire and grace. Her phrasing is absolutely lovely--individualistic without bordering on the eccentric. Her "Ronde" is the best I have heard. Her spizzicato bowing, double stops, harmonics and left-hand pizzicato are superb. But I never judge a violinist by pyrotechnics alone. To me it's the largos that count. Too often a violinist will romp impressively over the tough parts only to prove his tone awkward in slower simpler melodies. In a lullaby lovely piece like the Berceuse from the "Calabrese" I was delighted to hear Chloe Hanslip's sure and tender tone. You couldn't ask more from this music than what she brings out of it. I will look for more of her recordings.

Caspar Frantz' accompaniment deserves praise. He actually accompanies rather than tries to outperform. His tone always provides an appropriate backdrop for MS Hanslip's performance.

If all you know is Bazzini's "Ronde", please give this CD a try."