Sasha Plays Romantic Russian Rarities

Henryk Wieniawski (Composer, Performer), Sergey Prokofiev (Composer, Performer), Sergey Rachmaninov (Composer), Fritz Kreisler (Composer), Reinhold Gliere (Composer), Mikhail Glinka (Composer), Efrem Zimbalist (Composer), Olga Sitkovetsky (Performer), Henryk Wieniawski (Artist), Sergei Prokofiev (Artist), Sergei Rachmaninov (Artist) | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Performer: Henryk Wieniawski, Sergey Prokofiev, Olga Sitkovetsky
• Composer: Henryk Wieniawski, Sergey Prokofiev, Sergey Rachmaninov, Fritz Kreisler, Reinhold Gliere, et al.
• Audio CD (September 11, 2001)
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Angel Records
• ASIN: B00005NW0E
• In-Print Editions: MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 3.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #398,336 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Great playing with some beautiful moments., March 4, 2006

By 

Rostislav (USA/GERMANY) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Sasha Plays Romantic Russian Rarities (Audio CD)

I strongly agree with the review by sergey written previously. There are particular tracks which are wonderful including the Zimbalist and many movements from the Cinderella Suite.He has some quality tone production which is a rarity in itself these days. Yes, absolutely, the pianists playing is wooden and I heard both players in concert a year ago and have since found that it is his mother in fact. Sasha's playing was very good with much energy/vigour and coloring but it was a shame he uses the same pianist as she was either again quite boring or at times just un-poised and just painfully amateur. Perhaps he needs to move on from playing with his rehearsal pianist if he wants to devlop into a greater character.
He is a young talent with much to offer. Keep a look out!

5 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Very good for someone his age, April 27, 2004

By 

"sergeyss" (New York) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Sasha Plays Romantic Russian Rarities (Audio CD)

There are some good qualities in this guys playing though at times works sounded 'fake' as if he were playing things because he was told to do so and therefore occasionally did not sound natural. Perhaps at such a young age this is not always possible.
The piano player whom I think is some relation to him was disappointing. In fact, many highly established musicians and colleague's of mine after listening to it have commented on this pianist saying it has ruined the overall CD by its colorless, dull and lifeless playing with an obvious lack of musicianship like a digital machine. I do however think this violinist will mature into something bright. Let's hope he doesn't use that piano player...

2 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars does the soul matter?, January 12, 2003

By A Customer

This review is from: Sasha Plays Romantic Russian Rarities (Audio CD)

This CD was given to me as a sort of joke/gift by a friend because I had found the picture on the cover to be really cute and had commented that I'd almost buy it for the picture. Well, for christmas, my friend bought it for me!

In essence, I find his playing to be unhumanly accurate and clean. However, after two listenings, I come away with no memory of, or attraction to his violinistic soul. He sounds utterly over-trained. I cannot pick out anything 'wrong' with his playing....the tempos are good, intonation is insanely accurate, there isn't anything unmusical. But it is so plain and without passion. Where are the operatic glissandi? Where is the violins ability to display an unmatchable variety of colors, vibratos, rubato? I only feel more respect towards the violin culture of past days (think Kreisler, Elman, young Menuhin, Seidl) where intensity of your personality and your interpretation mattered most and the violin was trying to emulate the most exquisite human operatic voice. Now the violin culture seems intent on emulating the most accurate digital note producing equipment.

IN fact, I think I'd almost get the same effect of this recording if it were recorded with digital equipment and not an acoustic violin.

But, to end on a good note....bravo for his incredible technical achievements.

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