Customer Reviews

Treasures for Trumpet

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

 

 

In NO WAY is Mr. Sullivan's sound on this recording disappointing - It is absolutely amazing! The first reviewer really does not know what he is talking about, this CD is an excellent example of the tone that a trumpet player should want to achieve. And for the second reviewer to try and compare Mr. Sullivan to Doc Severinsen - Doc is a much different trumpet player. If you want Doc, go listen to Doc.

Highlights for me on the album are the Gershwin Preludes, and the Russian Dance (listen for the double high C at the end!). But nothing on the album compares to Mr. Sullivan's very emotional interpretations of Slane and Danny Boy at the end of the album. It is obvious that he poured his soul into those recordings.

If you're looking for some great trumpet playing check out this CD or Robert Sullivan's other recording - Kaleidoscope. They are both absolutely GREAT recordings.

I know of Mr. Sullivan through his work with the N.Y. Phil as assoc. principal to the great Philip Smith. The last reviewer had issues with his tone yet I find his tone to be clear and well focused in all registers. His tone is very classical yet this is essentially a classical recital recording with piano accompaniment. A 2 star review is simply not justified. What I would say is at times I wanted to hear him go for it like Doc Severinsen would, but he just doesn't let it rip when the piece seems to call for it. Everything is just properly and perfectly placed. I would compare his tone to Raymond Mase, an incredible solo and ensemble performer. I would go as far to say that he sounds like Wynton's tone (minus the french vibrato)heard on the recital album On The Twentieth Century (listen to Rustiques to compare). Mr. Sullivan's use of vibrato is tasteful and stylistically appropriate. The previous reviewer is obviously more welcome to a french tone quality (the mention of Maurice Andre) and to compare the two tones is like apples to oranges. In my opinion this is an outstanding debut recording of trumpet and piano literature and I can only hope that Robert Sullivan will get the opportunity to record with a large ensemble so we can hear more of this fine trumpeter.

I had not heard much of Mr. Sullivan's playing before this recording, and upon listening to it, I was rather disappointed. Technically he is excellent, his execution throughout the range and style of all these works is incredible. The varied genre that he covers is also commendable, there is some good recital repetoire that can be found on this disk. However, Mr. Sullivan's sound was what really disappointed me. It just seems so shallow, not very full at all. The end of the beautiful Nessun Dorma was especially disappointing. Listen to this CD for ideas of recital repetoire, but certainly not as an example of trumpet tone. Recordings of Maurice Andre and others are much better and more desirable examples.