Customer Reviews

Paganini: Music for Violin and Guitar I

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If you don't know this, Nicolo Paganini was like the Jimi Hendrix of the Violin. Some, back then, thought he was possessed when he played. If we could only venture back in time to hear him, huh? We can't, but these recordings of his compositions are magnificent. The violin and guitar in this recording-and volume two which you should get right away-are stunning. Very tight and crisp sounding, but still the kind of playing that can mellow you out after a miserable day full of stress and tension. Excellent sound production, as with all from the Naxos label. Don't miss out on this one. 5 Star essential rating *****. Cheers!

This repertoire by Paganini was featured most popularly on a Deutsche Gramophon CD entiltled "Paganini for Two," with violinist Gil Shaham. Scott St. John may not be a violinist in Shaham's league, but he is very good on his own terms, with a rich tone and real excitement to his playing. Simon Wynberg is a fine guitarist. I have his excellent Bach CD, and found his playing of Paganini fully representative of his artistry. In the main, these works of Paganini are salon pieces, but full of violin mastery and rhapsodic grace. They are always tuneful, and if the ensemble were more commonplace would certainly be better known. Naxos's engineering is excellent. If you are inclined to investigate this repertoire and do not want to pay full price for Gil Shaham, this CD is an excellent way to begin.

Paganini is the greatest of the greatest, and this is an absolutely fantastic compilation. A pleasure to listen to.