Customer Reviews

Dvorák For Two: Works For Violin & Piano

5 star:		(7)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

The Shaham siblings play Dvorak's Sonatina, wonderful music with great tones recorded with great clarity!

The piano sound is remarkably clear and sharp sounding and no introduction needs to be said about the incredible violin tone displayed here. DG really did an amazing production on this recording.

The violin is played with incredible warmth and awesome phrasing, every heartfelt note is carefully shaped by a master craftsman: Gil Shaham shows yet again his ability to speak with every note. The piano is played with a great sense of dynamics and effortless technique while never being obtrusive. Orli shows great maturity in how she handles and shapes the music with her great hands. Of course, since the two grew up playing together and were both trained at Julliard, they make a great team playing dynamically as one.

The Sonatina in G maj should be played much more, great melody here. In fact one can argue that it is easily one of the greatest violin piano compositions of all time, full of romantic charm and sincerity. Dvorak was highly influenced by Brahms but had his own sound in a rhythmic sense due to his Czech nationality. It is interesting to think about how the musical environment must have affected the great composers, as most of them admit being influenced by the folk music of European countries.

I encourage all violinists to perform the G maj Sonatina in their recitals because of its' beauty. I like to see recitals where a soloist speaks with every note instead of a display of virtuosity. I also like to see works played that everyone else does not, that is the challenge to keep things fresh and play new things but still hold the attention of the listener. These pieces fill that void for me in every way.

This is a five star recording but so is Perlman's recording of the same works, I give both my highest recommendation.

Very Good CD. Of course it is, the violinist is Gil Shaham one of the best violinist of our time and all pieces of Dvorak are beautiful. You need to have this.
Just for the record, and I think is god to bring this up since the awful error in one of the reviews, Dvorak was born in Nelahozeves nad Vltavou, Czeck Republic in 1841 and died in Prague in 1904. Antonin Dvorak is the best known and world's most-played Czech composer of all times.

These are charming, unpretentious works played with the insight and skill needed to realize all their lyricism and beauty. I bought the CD after hearing a cut on Public Radio, misplaced it, and bought another copy. Gil Shaham is a major talent, and the pairing with his sister, Orli works wonderfully.

Dvorak's violin sonata is surprisingly poorly represented on disc. While perhaps not his greatest work it contains some lovely music and the writing is consistently inspired. The opening movement is very Brahmsian in character, thematically rich but perhaps just a little bit too stately. The slow movement, on the other hand, is wonderful, entirely typical in its melodic wistfulness but formally concentrated, and the buoyant finale is genuinely catchy and spirited. The performance by Gil and Orli Shaham is impeccable, full of color and lyricism, wonderfully phrased and nuanced and with plenty of vigor.

In the Sonatina the competition is of course fiercer, but the Shahams hold their own. Their performance is communicative and sensitive, and the combination of youthful, fresh energy and yearning melancholia is superbly realized here. I am less sure that the Four Romantic Pieces really rise much above salon music, but they are at least melodic and charming, and again the Shahams make as convincing a case for them as I would have thought possible. The recording is superb; perfectly balanced, warm and spacious. In short, this is a disc to be recommended with all possible enthusiasm.

Dvorák For Two: Works For Violin & Piano is a Deutsche Grammophon recording from 1997. On this recording we get to here the talents of Gil Shaham, violin and Orli Shaham on the piano. Tully Potter has written the music notes. Also included are two short biographies of the performers. Highly recommended. 5/5.

Gil and Orli Shaham give new life to these works by Dvorak. A true joy to listen to!

This CD is a must have for Russian music listeners. This CD is actually the first of my Dvorak collection. I love Shostakovitch, and Bartok and I have collected quite a few of their works, and as I was looking to purchase some Dvorak this CD struck me. I often love simplicty, and the piano and violin are two of my all-time favorite instruments. I bought it without ever hearing the pieces or CD. I have been very happy with it. The recording is excelent (as always with Deutsche Grammophon) and the performace is outstanding. And I have also found a love for Dvorak. If you love the piano and strings or are looking for your first Russian classical album this is a great CD.