The Kreisler Album: Joshua Bell Plays Music By Fritz Kreisler [Import]

Joshua Bell (Artist), Fritz Kreisler (Composer), Paul Coker (Performer) | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Performer: Paul Coker
• Composer: Fritz Kreisler
• Audio CD (February 5, 1996)
• SPARS Code: DDD
• Number of Discs: 1
• Format: Import
• Label: London/Decca
• ASIN: B00000426U
• In-Print Editions: MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (16 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #86,140 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

43 of 44 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Bell plays Kreisler - a perfect combination, February 24, 2001

By 

Brian Foster (Hamburg Germany) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Kreisler Album: Joshua Bell Plays Music By Fritz Kreisler (Audio CD)

Most violinists love Kreisler; somewhere in his many compositions can be found a piece to suit all moods - grandiose, sensuous, playful, sparkling. Furthermore, many are sufficiently easy technically to be played by amateurs of very little talent, such as myself. Bell plays the pieces on this CD superbly; he clearly loves this music. Each piece he turns and inspects thoughtfully so that it shines from all its different facets; and the beautifully balanced selection of pieces illuminates

the essence of Fritz Kreisler's easy-going genius. This CD made me rush to pick up my violin and play again those pieces that I already knew, and to rush out and buy the music for some of the ones I didn't - for example I thought Bell's rendition of "Tempo di minuetto" was a revelation. Bell with this CD further establishes his position as a superb musician and one of the greatest of contemporary violinists, who is equally at home with the most demanding of large-scale concertos as with the most delicate chamber works. I feel sure Kreisler himself would have loved this performance. It is rare that one listens to a CD where one can think of nothing that could have been improved - except of course had it been twice as long! Come on Josh - there's a lot more Kreisler out there - give us Bell plays Kreisler II!

28 of 29 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Light Hearted But Not Light Headed, August 29, 2000

By 

Frank Wortner - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Kreisler Album: Joshua Bell Plays Music By Fritz Kreisler (Audio CD)

Perhaps because Fritz Kreisler was such a great musician himself, many have underestimated the difficulty of playing his music well. It is most definitely "ear candy," but just as candy can be a wonderful or poor, this music can be rendered marvelously or played without the charm, wit, and intelligence it deserves.

Joshua Bell plays it to perfection here. It is light, airy, open. Paul Coker's piano accompaniment is first rate -- in fact, wonderful.

If you like Fritz Kreisler's music, you should have this CD. Next to Kreisler himself, no one has ever played this music so well.

21 of 21 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A connection of passion, February 18, 2004

By 

Craig L. Bowers (Clinton, Ohio) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Kreisler Album: Joshua Bell Plays Music By Fritz Kreisler (Audio CD)

After listening to disc after disc after disc of violin works, one finds oneself thinking, "Where has the passion gone for playing violin?" Yes, absolutely astounding recordings abound, but very few offer the true passion of putting the bow to the strings. Technique and "flawless" fingerings have reduced the modern virtuosi to mere composition puppets. They are all "perfect". It is truly a joy to hear a violinist passionate about his playing and that comes across very elatedly with Mr. Bell playing the pieces from Kreisler. Every track is played as though he honestly enjoys it! A superb recording from the student of Gingold.