Customer Reviews

Han-Na Chang - The Swan

5 star:		(6)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

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.

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.

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.

I bought this CD a year ago and still listen to it pretty often. Han-na is able to deliver her sensitive interpretation of the pieces because she has the matching skills. The phrasing and the dynamics throughout the performance is really quite impressive and each piece comes off beautifully. Almost half of the pieces are adpated or arranged for solo cello and the orchestra background, and though I usually have a suspicious attitude towards such stuffs, Han-na's pieces can almost pass. The listeners will almost believe the pieces were actually arranged for such combination (i.e.she's good). A few flaws: the mood of all the pieces is the same (calm, serene, soothing...) and her repertoire doesn't give Han-na much chance to boast other aspects of "virtuoso" playing (i.e.fast motions, more impetuous passages, etc). Although I would certainly listen to more of her previous and future stuffs to judge if she deserves to be labeled a genius, this CD is, at least, worth the money. You won't regret buying it.

I have been a fan of Han-Na Chang since her debut disc came out 5 years ago. Since then I have followed her career intently. I haven't been disappointed so far. She is a cellist of great sensitivity, and no less fire! If her first two discs were previews of things to come, this disc represents full maturity that is evident in Chang's playing. On first sight, this may look like a well-marketed, but just another encores CD. I also thought at first, 'why devote a whole disc to short encores? Surely she could have done something more substantial'. When I listened to it, my doubts vanished completely. Each note she plays, she plays with utter dedication. She really seems to love the music, and instead of just showing off her technique, she finds deep meaning of every piece, even the over-played 'The Swan'. My favourite pieces on the disc are Sicilienne by Fauré, Glazunov's Chant du ménestrel, Respighi's seldom heard Andante con variazioni, and Dvorak's Klid. But all the pieces here, chosen by Han-Na herself, are wonderful. She plays WITH the orchestra, answering them or making a statement to which then the orchestra gives a response. I have seldom heard the Phlharmonia Orchestra so inspired. No doubt Han-Na had something to do with it. Also, Leonard Slatkin conducts with sensitivity, and the sound is first class EMI sound.
Incidentally, this recording, rare for a recital disc of this genre, has been received with great enthusiasm from two of the world's fussiest classical review magazines: The Gramophone, and BBC Music magazine.
Listen to this yourself, and I guarantee you that by the end of this CD, you'll feel like you're on 7th Heaven. A gorgeous disc!

I fell in love with Chang, Ha-Na's playing, upon hearing her at a concert in Seoul, a few years back. I was rather lucky to be passing through and stopped at the Opera house to listen to what my friend had told me was the most eloquent and beautiful classical artist hailing from the Republic of Korea. In this album she has not only played the pieces well, but also she has matured her sound to a point that rivals many of her contemporary peers. A worth while buy at any price.

Very beautiful, moving and soothing. Relaxing and nurturing. I like it b/c she brings humble and quiet serenity rather than trying to boast technical skills (which is considerable by the way).

First off, let me start by saying that i am a young cellist who listens to a lot of recordings and i am normally very open minded as to hearing new artists and repetoire. I bought this cd a couple months ago hoping to hear this so called queen of the cello or so she has been hyped up to be. When i put in the disc and pressed play i was pretty dissapointed. Han-na's playing can be extremely boring. Don't get me wrong, her technique is flawless and the program on the cd is quite good (i have played many of these songs and it's all great music) but her musicality at this point is very inexperienced. I hate being the only reviewer to give less than five stars but i really don't thing she deserves it. Not for this disc. Give her time, i'm sure she'll grow to be a seasoned artist.