Customer Reviews

Bach: Sonatas for Viola da Gamba & Harpsichord

5 star:		(3)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

Unfortunately, even though the artists here are of the highest calibre, this CD of Bach's beautiful Sonatas for Viola da Gamba and Harpsichord is not self-recommending. I say unfortunately because these performances are curiously pedestrian, utterly routine and continuously lacking charm, grace and anything close to depth. It's all quite a terribly dull affair at Bach's expense--- and ours. To add insult to injury, the recording itself is heavily weighted in Ma's favor, which is hardly a bonus; Cooper's harpsichord sounds as if it's in another room somewhere in the distance... droning on and on and on. Even at mid-price, these renditions are simply not competitive.

[Running time: 42:24]

This CD is what originally got me into classical music years ago and it continues to inspire me and be my favorite album.

Despite what the other reviewer said, i believe this recording contains huge depth and is interpreted beautifully.

A must have for ANY classical music lover(or non-lover).

I purchased this recording on LP 25 years ago. I loved the music then, and I love it now. The problem with the recording is the lack of balance between the two performers. Ma's playing is emphasized to the point that Cooper is reduced to a mere accompanist rather than being an equal partner. It is as if Ma sits at the very edge of the stage while Cooper and his harpsichord are tucked away in the far rear corner. For this reason, I recommend buying a clean used copy of the CD rather than a new copy.

This music is so pleasing to the ears and heart, it creates an atmosphere of peace and happiness. Yo-Yo Ma has once again taken Bach to a level few can surpass. A wonderful CD to relax or do work by.

These 'Sonatas for Viola da Gamba & Harpsicord' by Yo-Yo Ma (Cello) and Kenneth Cooper (Harpsichord) seem, to my relatively uneducated ear to be of just average quality compared to the great body of recorded Bach available on DVD.

The release is a transfer from an original released on vinyl, so part of the problem may be due to this transfer. I am certain that part of the problem is in the fact that the recording is relatively short as classical DVDs go. A symptom that this is a weakness is the fact that the timings are not even given on the case or the notes.

And, as far as Yo-Yo Ma's performance goes, I was much more moved by a five minute snippet of his performance in the second season of 'The West Wing' than I was by the full recording on this disk.

I can't help shaking the feeling that his heart wasn't in this one.

I found Yo-Yo-Ma's interpretation of Bach's Sonata No.2 to be outright silly and without any depth. If you want to hear how this should be played correctly, listen to how Lev Aronson played it on his 1725 Goffriller back in 1971. Everyone wants to take a piece of music and "make it their own". Just play it like it is written, with passion, with depth, with understanding and with the intent of doing justice to the composer. Anyone can play notes on a page. My advice to Yo-Yo-Ma and others is to stop playing notes and start playing music. We're all getting tired of it.

I must admit that I am a real fan of Maestro Rostropovich for the emotion he puts into his work. Still, I have grown to love Mr. Ma's precise and clean style. This album does not disappoint.

The viola da gamba was the pecursor to the cello, being played between the knees ("gamba" being Italian for legs), and usually by women. The switch to cello is a natural choice, and it comes across flawlessly. I really love this recording.