Search - Fritz Kreisler, Niccolo Paganini, Patricia Zander :: Kreisler, Paganini: Works

This is a gem.

K. C. Cheng | Hershey, PA USA | 08/29/2001

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This is vintage Yo-Yo Ma. He not only does miracles with transcribing difficult work to the cello, but also brings his own musical language, to his performances. The aspiring violinist (or any musician, for that matter) will do well to study the nuance of Yo-Yo's phrasing and shaping of notes. Patricia Zander is an ideal partner in the playing of Kreisler - pianists will do well to note her ability to bring out notes where they should shine, and to whisper when only gentle support is needed. This CD is the fruit of some of their work together while Yo-Yo and Patricia were both at Harvard in the early '70's. They spread much musical joy in Cambridge during those magical years. Try listening to this gem with high-quality headphones. You'll be amazed how much there is to hear!"

Good performance

K. C. Cheng | 09/17/2000

(3 out of 5 stars)

"Yo-Yo Ma can play just about anything and play it well, but the selections on this CD are simply not the best. The twenty-four caprices for solo violin do sound wonderful in a lower register, especially when one considers the technical difficulties of playing a violin piece on a cello; and the caprices included here have some fascinating textures and harmonies. However, the Kreisler pieces begin to run together after a while. The recording quality is fair, but the liner notes contain hardly any information on the music. Don't buy this one unless you're really interested in Paganini or Kreisler."