Han-Na Chang - The Swan

Gabriel Fauré (Artist), Camille Saint-Saëns (Artist), Sergey Rachmaninov (Artist), Ottorino Respighi (Artist), Alexander Glazunov (Artist), Pyotr Il'yich Tchaikovsky (Artist), Antonin Dvorak (Artist), Yun Joon Kim (Artist), Max Bruch (Artist), Leonard Slatkin (Artist), Han-Na Chang (Artist), Aline Brewer (Artist), Daniel Pailthorpe (Artist), Philharmonia Orchestra (Artist) | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (January 9, 2001)
• SPARS Code: DDD
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: EMI Classics
• ASIN: B00004YA0L
• In-Print Editions: MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #137,558 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

16 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Very nice. Surpasses Yo-Yo Ma in brilliance and ability., January 23, 2001

By A Customer

This review is from: Han-Na Chang - The Swan (Audio CD)

Chang is an expressive cellist. When her touch is light, the sound becomes lyrical and even dainty, until she must convey drama, and this she can do with a brilliance and delicacy that I have not heard in recent cellists. Then again, when called upon to be intense, she performs with a fluidity so that the cello sounds like an extension of herself. I'm listening to her Respighi as I write, and not only is the sound on this DVD lovely, but Chang brings the perfect combination of musical exploration, precision, and interpretation. The tunes are a good mix. A few are standards to any cellists repertoire, but these are worth hearing in Chang's hands. She brings a beautiful sound to them that is mature and . . . I don't know how better to put it than that these sound like "love". Love of music, love of her instrument. I have not heard any other cellist so devoted, and at the same time with such a high quality that what is typical becomes transformed. The Kim/Panufnik is stunning. Rachmaninov's Vocalise has a restrained passion that is intriguing at the same time that it takes you drifting off into daydreams. And the title piece, Saint-Saens' The Swan, is majestic. Slatkin conducts the Philharmonia so that the orchestra alternates between the perfect background for display of the cellist and the perfect lead as all the instruments swell. This is a beautiful album, one that you may find yourself listening to repeatedly (as I have) to pick up each nuance and feel for yourself each emotion Chang conveys. She is truly a superb cellist.

12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Mstislav, Yo-Yo, move over, March 15, 2001

By 

Stuart Bloom - See all my reviews

This review is from: Han-Na Chang - The Swan (Audio CD)

How has so much of this incredibly beautiful music escaped my attention for so long? I knew the Saint-Saens and the Rachmaninov and one of the Faure pieces, but the rest were totally unfamiliar. On this disc, Han-Na Chang brings this rarely heard music out into the light of day, and renders both the unfamiliar and the familiar with superb tone coloring and deeply felt interpretations.

This is simply the most beautiful and moving cello playing I have ever heard. It's going to spend a lot of time in my CD player.

14 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Young cellist delivers a great CD., February 14, 2001

By 

"musicnu" (Deerfield, IL) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: Han-Na Chang - The Swan (Audio CD)

Like Sarah on violin, Han-na Chang is a young virtuoso on cello. Although they are not related, both are young and bring a passion to their playing that is hard to beat. "The Swan" is a beautiful collection of classical pieces (longest is 13 minutes) from a smorgasbord of composers. Leonard Slatkin and the Philharmonia Orchestra are superb and provide a wonderful landscape of sound where Han-na glides in and out of with grace and style. This is a wonderful CD.