Opera Fantasies for Violin

Jeno Hubay (Composer), Joachim Raff (Composer), Igor Stravinsky (Composer), Osvaldo Golijov (Composer), Kurt Weill (Composer), Stephen Prutsman (Composer), Niccolo Paganini (Composer), Georges Bizet (Composer), Edouard Lalo (Composer), Benjamin Loeb (Performer) | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Performer: Benjamin Loeb
• Composer: Jeno Hubay, Joachim Raff, Igor Stravinsky, Osvaldo Golijov, Kurt Weill, et al.
• Audio CD (October 30, 2007)
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Naxos
• ASIN: B000VIFLV4
• In-Print Editions: MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #58,492 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)
  • #35 in Music > Classical > Opera & Vocal > Languages > Russian

Editorial Reviews

Hifiplus.com

This is an exceptionally fine outing which is sure to please. It is most heartily recommended.

UltraAudio.com, Dan Davis, August 2008

Solo violin is always a test of a system's resolution, highlighting the crucial importance of treble accuracy and microdynamics, and again the 306 Pro showed its stuff: the violin and piano were clearly separated in space, the lightning-fast pyrotechnics of Jenö Hubay's Fantasie brillante on Bizet's "Carmen" precisely articulated, the violin harmonics in an arrangement of Weill's "Mack the Knife" crystal clear. At no time did the upper range of the instrument sound hard or edgy.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A virtuoso violin disc that's unusual and refreshing, October 30, 2007

By 

klavierspiel "klavierspiel" (TX, USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: Opera Fantasies for Violin (Audio CD)

The fantasy on themes from an opera is a quintessential product of nineteenth-century virtuosity. Today Franz Liszt is so identified with this genre that it is hard to think of it apart from him, but many composers of the day tried their hand at it, and not all of them were pianists. Livia Sohn has gathered together an album of such pieces for violin, mostly solo violin and piano, but some with a third partner (violin in one, viola in another, both ably played by her husband Geoff Nuttall). Not only are the nineteenth-century representatives almost uniformly unfamiliar, she performs a surprising array of contemporary examples.

The only operatic fantasy for violin from the nineteenth century that really remains in the repertory today is Sarasate's Carmen Fantasy, which nicely balances the two necessities of the genre: to present popular melodies in such a way that their familiarity can be enjoyed, while dressing them up with appropriately flashy but not overbearing virtuosity. Sohn's collection gets off to a somewhat inauspicious start with two examples from the period that are not nearly as successful, Hubay's much weaker take on the Carmen themes and a really lame effort by Joachim Raff on the "Bridal March" and "Elsa's Dream" from Wagner's Lohengrin, which plays its trump card (combining the two) much too early and is left to fill its time with trite decoration.

Things definitely pick up with the next few tracks, presenting modern examples: transcriptions of melodies from Stravinsky's Mavra and a contemporary opera, Ainadamar. I have to say my favorite was Prutsman's recent potpourri on themes from Strauss' Rosenkavalier, which proves that sometimes it's best just to step back and let gorgeous melodies shine. Prutsman knows exactly when to embroider and when to just transcribe. The same goes for Benjamin Loeb's (also the accompanist for Sohn) transcription of Bizet's famous duet from the Pearl Fishers--such a melody would only lose by being decorated.

Sohn plays throughout with sweet tone and accurate intonation. While her virtuoso fireworks are impressive, one senses caution rather than the necessary abandon in some of the most difficult passages. Despite the second-rate nature of some of the music, though, this is a novel and most enjoyable violin CD.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars lovely lesser known gems..., December 11, 2010

By 

T. Kuo (REDWOOD SHORES, CA United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Opera Fantasies For Violin (MP3 Download)

there is virtuosity abound on the Paganini /Hubay show pieces.
I actually prefer just violin and piano for pieces like these; no hiding louder technical passages behind an orchestra
Prutsman Rosenkalavier interpretation was Paganini meets Vienna
yes there are flourishes everywhere where some people may think superflous.. but I love it.
It it's the shorter pieces I am most impressed with.
The Golijov is haunting almost New Age
. The Stravinsky no less so.
the Weill piece was very charming.
I find the Lalo/Szigeti piece to have a rustic jaunty overtones...
the Loeb/Bizet duet is also quite lovely. The string parts are understated and the piano has all the filigree work.

2 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Livia is awesome, October 6, 2008

By 

Eric Cheng (Oakland, CA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Opera Fantasies for Violin (Audio CD)

Livia is a good friend of mine, so I can't be objective. But I love to hear her perform, and I listen to the CD a lot. Definitely recommended.