JANOS STARKER plays Boccherini, Bach, Vivaldi, Corelli, Locatelli, Valentini

Janos Starker (Performer), Johann Sebastian Bach (Composer), Luigi Boccherini (Composer), Arcangelo Corelli (Composer), Pietro Antonio Locatelli (Composer), Giuseppe Valentini (Composer), Antonio Vivaldi (Composer), György Sebök (Performer), Stephen Swedish (Performer)

Product Details

• Performer: Janos Starker, György Sebök, Stephen Swedish
• Composer: Johann Sebastian Bach, Luigi Boccherini, Arcangelo Corelli, Pietro Antonio Locatelli, Giuseppe Valentini, et al.
• Audio CD (September 20, 1994)
• SPARS Code: ADD
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Mercury Living Presence
• ASIN: B0000057MG
• Average Customer Review: 3.7 out of 5 stars See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #139,421 in Music (See Bestsellers in Music)

  Popular in these categories: (What's this?)

  #8 in	Music > Classical > Featured Performers, A-Z > ( S ) > Starker, János
  #20 in	Music > Classical > Featured Composers, A-Z > ( L ) > Locatelli, Pietro Antonio
  #82 in	Music > Classical > Featured Composers, A-Z > ( C ) > Corelli, Arcangelo

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

29 of 29 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Superb Starker, April 28, 2001

By	Michael B. Richman (Portland, Maine USA) - See all my reviews (TOP 100 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

This collection of Italian Cello Sonatas by the great Janos Starker is one of the most delightful chamber albums I own. The world renowned cellist was joined on this 1966 recording by pianist Stephen Swedish on five of the selections, and by his frequent collaborator Gyorgy Sebok on the Bach Sonata in G minor, which was recorded in 1963 and added to this collection to increase its length (it is a welcome addition musically too). The selections here range from famous composers like Bach, Boccherini and Vivaldi, to the lesser known Corelli, Locatelli and Valentini. For me, the common thread of this recording is the passionate performances of Starker. Whether it is the happy bounce of the Vivaldi Allegro, the sublime rendering of the Boccherini Adagio, or the precise interplay with Sebok on the Bach Sonata, Starker plays masterfully and his cello is captured in rich, full sound by the Mercury Living Presence recording technique. This is an excellent purchase for all cello enthusiasts.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Absolutely Exquisite!, October 5, 2006

By	David Emberson (Santa Cruz, California) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This is a fabulous recording! The music and musicianship are superb. The Vivaldi is soulful and the Locatelli and Valentini sonatas are virtuoso pieces wonderfully played. The third Bach sonata was placed on this CD because it did not fit on the Mercury set with the Bach suites. It is a bit of a change of pace (certainly not an Italian cello sonata!). But Sebok is perhaps the best of Starker's collaborators. Their lifelong friendship and shared musical tastes make this one of the best recordings of this Bach sonata. You have to own this CD if you already own the Mercury edition of the Bach solo suites with the other two Bach sonatas.

I am not sure what the "one star" reviewer was thinking. Perhaps he was expecting Baroque a la Jacqueline DuPre...

5 of 24 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Technique isn't everything, November 26, 2005

By	Jesse Calcat (Rochester, MI USA) - See all my reviews

In this recording, Janos Starker proves what true musicians around the globe already know: technique is definitely not everything. These performances are so bland and dry, but you'll never hear him make a mistake. I'd really rather listen to someone who plays with expression but who makes little errors anyday over Janos. I know he's really highly esteemed in the cello world, but he really oughtta stay away from Baroque. These performances are about as gripping as a Slip-`N-Slide. Add to it that he plays all the music like it's Ravel or Brahms (i like both of them, but way different style); the vibrato machine is constantly on - TURN IT OFF! ARE YOU TRYING TO SOUND LIKE A BEL CANTO OPERA SINGER?, tuning is A440, clanky bright PIANO for accompaniment, no one playing continuo - the guy OBVIOUSLY doesn't give a flying fig about authenticity, or the composer's intentions. To sum it up, if you want a recording that sounds like the Suzuki Cello School tapes with way less expression and an even hokier sounding piano, buy this recording. Everyone else, beware.