Customer Reviews

Berlioz: Harold en Italie (Harold in Italy), Op. 16; Rob Roy Overture; Le Corsaire (The Corsair) Overture, Op. 21

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Pinchas Zukerman's big, sensual viola sound is perfectly suited to the material here, and the result is a recording of "Harold In Italy" that far outshines the numerous other options on the market. You can say what you want about how Zukerman is really a violinist (not a violist), or that he lays the schmaltz on too thick, or whatever-- but just listen to the viola's entrance in the first movement: For sheer beauty and richness of tone, viola playing doesn't get much better than that, in my opinion.

I love the sound of the viola but I reget that there are so few truly great compositions for this rich-toned instrument. Harold in Italy is not the virtuoso viola concerto which Paganini comissioned Berlioz to write for him (Paganini, like Zuckerman played the viola as well as the violin), but it is such a masterpiece for viola and orchestra that Paganini paid Berlioz the agreed upon fee even though Paganini himself never performed it. There is some debate about violinist Pinchas Zuckerman's insistence on consistently playing works for the viola, but personally I'm glad that he does. I regard Zuckerman as a good violinist but a great violist and am glad that he recorded this outstanding performance of this work which I love so dearly. The two Berlioz overtures are welcome additions to this outstanding CD. If you are not yet a viola fan, please get this outstanding CD and see how beautiful the viola -- and this superb composition -- are.