Customer Reviews

In the Fiddler's House

5 star:		(17)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I love this Itzhak Perlman CD...from the first time I listened to it, I was enchanted! I had never really known about klezmer (Jewish) music before, and this CD was a wonderful introduction to it. Klezmer is very emotional music, and Itzhak and his "friends" certainly bring that into the music. The violin and the other instruments are very mournful and soulful on some pieces-making them sound very haunting and "East European"-almost Persian. Other songs are party or celebration songs, played with wild abandon and zaniness-they really make you want to dance the hora! The instrumental side of "In the Fiddler's House" isn't the only great thing-the singing really adds to the CD. The vocals are in Yiddish (a very neat-sounding language) and go even further to make this CD a real "Jewish experience." The best thing about this CD? You absolutely do not have to be Jewish to enjoy it! I'm not, and I still can't get enough of this unique and soulful music...you'll be hooked once you hear it, too!

I recently rediscovered this CD (my mom had purchased about three years ago) and put it into my stereo just to see what it would be like. Little did I know that I was in for a huge - and pleasant - surprise!

"In the Fiddler's House" is what you might hear if you went to a Jewish person's house. It has that intimate, personal feeling. All the songs are great: some are fast, some are slow, some are a little in between. Overall it's a fantastic CD that can be enjoyed whether you're Jewish or not.

I would have to say that undoubtedly track 4 "Wedding Medley" is the best track on the CD (I'm listening to it as I write this). The combination of songs is not only seamless, but gives the song a feeling of surprise. The voices and instruments on this track are very, very lively and fun.

Buy this CD (or at least listen to some of the audio samples) and you'll discover the hidden surprises of Itzhak Perlman's "In the Fiddler's House"!

Being a big fan of Klezmer, and having many ties to it ethnically, I think that this CD compliments any collection. It is truly an auditory wonder.

This is a fabulous album, full of the most wonderful virtuoso playing. Have bought several copies to give to friends and relatives.

Perlman at his best. If you want to buy just one CD with Perlman performing, this is it.

A fun, uplifting collection of music that makes you wish you really knew Yiddish. Full of "Oy, Oy, Oy"'s (what else do you expect with klezmer?). And full of spirit.

I love Jewish klezmer music, which I forgot to mention in another review of ethnic music, and this one is masterful. I love Itzhak Perlman's violin, both classical, and not. On this one though, he is matched equally with some of the greatest Jewish instrumentalists, and vocalists. Again, like with Greek music, I don't know the language, but that doesn't change my love of this incredibly, soulful, and exciting music. I recommend it as one of my favorites. R. Duane Gibson.

This has become one of my favorites...and my musical tastes are of a fairly wide range.

This is Klezmer music at it's very best and finest!! With Itzhak Pearlman on the violin, we hear the most soulful and enthusiastic renditions and interpretations of Jewish music!! BRAVO!!

If you're only buying the download and not the cds like me, there's a 2-CD version that also includes the "Live in the Fiddler's House" recording which are 18 more songs on top of this for only a few dollars more. I jumped the gun on this one without digging around at all and I wish I had. The title of the one I mentioned is "Perlman plays Klezmer". I bought this one for just under $10 so I felt a little burned that this appears much higher in the listings when the other one contains the same material and then some for only a few $$ more. Fortunately, amazon was good to deal with about making an adjustment so I could get the whole thing minus the price I paid for this download.

IF you're getting the cd version, "Perlman plays Klezmer" also ends up being nearly the same price as this and includes a DVD about Klezmer music in addition to the two audio cd's. I strongly recommend you at least take a look at that version before buying this one.