Search - Serge Koussevitzky, Domenico Dragonetti, Niccolo Paganini :: Virtuoso Double-Bass Concertos

Karr plays like an Angel

Marcos Drpic | Punta Arenas, XII Región, Chile | 05/14/2000

(4 out of 5 stars)

"In this album you can tell Gary's excellent tuning and the "colours" of his instrument. The CD was recorded on 1980, it has very low output. So I have to put it a little bit louder than normal db. After doing this, a disgusting buzz appears during the whole album coming from both speakers. I think that it is from the original recording. In the "one of my favourites pieces written for DoubleBass" the Sergei Koussevitsky Concerto, at some passages, the sound of the DoubleBass get lost because of the Orchestra. The Paganini variations, I preffer the version that appears with the London DoubleBass Sound, it's a newer recording, and with superb interpretation. But in general terms, is an excellent CD."

Bass is Beautiful!!!

Daniel | Dallas, TX | 03/04/2003

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Although this CD is much older, this recording of Gary Karr playing these wonderful classical concertos for double bass is the best I've heard. There is so much emotion and intensity in the performance that makes the listener never want the music to end. Karr projects over the orchestra with such ease, which is a problem for most Double Bassists because the sound is so low. I've yet to find a better recording of these Concertos; the Koussevitzky is my favorite and the unique cadenza Karr performs in the Dragonetti Concerto is beautiful. You can't go wrong with this CD."

One of the best

Daniel | 08/26/2002

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I have yet to find a better recording of any of the three pieces on this CD- and I have yet to find a better recording of Gary Karr. His ultra romantic musicality and his rich yet bright tone are perfect for these pieces (unlike, perhaps, his later Bach recordings...)and his technique is as polished as I have ever heard it. The orchestra is more solid than many you will find on bass concerto recordings (with the exception of Meyer's recent Bottesini CD) and it creates the perfect atmosphere in all three pieces. Absolutely a must have for bass players as well as anyone wanting to hear what bass is supposed to sound like."