Customer Reviews

Baroque Music for Trumpets

5 star:		(15)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(3)

 

 

All the reviews here are either love or hate. I am in the middle. I know a bit about the recordings others mention, and know a bit about Baroque ornamentation. Some of these work well, others come across as all florid fluff (which is easy to do, as the music is hardly "great" stuff).

But I find the Telemann in B-flat Major a delightful performance. This was written to be played up and with, not just played, and he does a joyous job. As he does in the Biber (a composer I enjoy greatly, usually for somber string pieces--quite a change). The snap and crisp tone works well, making a charming performance of charming tunes.

But his Vivaldi does not sing, Haydn is a mechanical piece boringly played, and the Pachelbel, a piece that is famously dull requiring exceptional playing to come alive, does not. Tedium.

The ad hominem attacks in these reviews are irrelevant. Can he play? Yes. Does he KNOW Baroque? Well, he has one opinion, but Leppard is no slouch. His recordings of Baroque music were some of my favorite LPs. Sometimes this works, sometimes it does not, and with this CD, you get some of both.

Or at least that's what I think!

As former performing musician (two degrees in music), and a career both as a pianist, and, in high school and college, a trumpet player, I feel I'm qualified to review this recording.

The trumpet playing is clean, crisp, and MUSICAL - despite the bellyachings of other reviewers. The incredible accomplishment of having Marsalis lay down anywhere from two to EIGHT discrete trumpet tracks and have them blended in the recording process is amazing. You cannot help me impressed by reading the liner notes about exactly how this was done. For the first take, the orchestra, conductor, and Marsalis performed the ensemble playing at St. Barnabas Church in North London. Several months later, Marsalis, Raymond Leppard, the conductor, and the recording engineer and producer went back with recording gear, headphones, and a determination to lay the rest of the tracks down synchronously. In the case of the Biber concerto for eight trumpets, this involved recording seven additional different trumpet parts precisely, requiring Marsalis to actually play ahead of where he should be so the sound lag in the large church would coordinate appropriately with the recording. It should be noted that this didn't start out to be a recording "stunt" but ended up with the idea of Marsalis playing all the parts because of lack of ability to coordinate schedules with other contemplated soloists.

The result is fabulous. In contrast to the other reviewers who panned this recording, I must comment that there IS shading, there ARE crescendos and decrescendos - there is even rubato.

The sound is clean and crisp. All in all - a musical and recording triumph. Buy it!!!!!

For me, there is nothing more glorious than Baroque music, and this CD is a perfect example of that! Wynton Marsalis shows off his technical expertise in playing these beautiful works by Vivaldi, Telemann, Pachelbel,Michael Haydn, and Von Biber. This recording again pairs him with conductor Raymond Leppard and the English Chamber Orchestra. It is also a technical feat, in that Marsalis plays ALL of the parts himself. The Von Biber Sonata in A Major calls for 8 trumpets alone!! I have had this recording for years, and everytime I hear it I am amazed by Marsalis' musicianship, and his ability to present the stateliness of the Baroque trumpet repertoire. It is a joy!

Wynton Marsalis does a suprisingly clear and precise work that does Baroque Music justice. All of the pieces on this CD are crisp and fresh, as if you are there in the Church that he recorded these in. Notable recordings on this CD are Pachelbel's "Canon for 3 Trumpets and Strings" and Vivaldi's "Concerto for 2 Trumpets and Strings", as well as Haydn's "Concerto for Trumpet and Orchestra in D major". Highly Recommended.

Every piece on this album is a delight for listening. Pachibel's Canon is astounding. It's a wonderful surprise for an overworked piece. This is wonderful.

Do not be misled by the one star tirades...this is a GREAT recording. I thoroughly enjoyed Wynton's unique approach to baroque music. Quite frankly, it was refreshing to hear new embellishments that added to the enjoyment rather than the same old ones. His Vivaldi was very enjoyable, especially his involvement in the second movement where the trumpets usually are silent. so, forget the negative ratings - if you simply enjoy wonderful trumpet music, then go for it!!!

. . . so I can be sure never to be without one as I travel! Marsalis plays with beauty and emotional impact. As a layman, I am impressed with his virtuosity and inspired by his performances. It is as simple as that.

I have listened to some of the more historically accurate recordings that others mention, but I prefer Marsalis' interpretations as his style has more appeal for me.

Wynton Marsalis' classical recordings are alway a delight. His interpretations are a joy. This CD represents his art at its peak. I agree with the review about his Canon, although my favorite is Telemann's 3 trumpets in D , especially the final movement....awesome.

This is one of Wynton's better Classical recordings and I recommend it wholeheartedly. The selections are well-chosen and diverse and the playing is virtuosic. My only reservation is that all the trumpet parts are overdubbed by Wynton. The liner notes claim that it would have been too difficult to pull together some of the best players in the world to make this recording, but other recording projects show clearly that this is not the case. While the gimmick of overdubbing provides a consistent sound and interpretation, we never get to hear Wynton working collaboratively with other great players to create even better performances than these. This is a wonderful CD, but also an opportunity missed.

Besides the amazing technical part of this CD (Marsalis playing all the parts himself) it is also absolutely gorgeous music, and you don't have to be a trumpet player or musician to enjoy it. A friend who is a trumpet player lent it to me, and I'd never listened to classical trumpet before, I didn't know how beautiful it was. I instantly fell in love- this is definitely something for everyone!