Nigel Kennedy

I bought this four years ago when it was first released and didn't like it. I only listened to it once back then - I think I was expecting another Eden or La Luna. I put this cd in my player last month and fell in love with it. This is my favorite Sarah Brightman cd. I actually love it more than Eden and La Luna (both were extremely good). I own all of her cds, but this one is her best. My favorite tracks are 2, 4, 5, 8, 9, 10, 13 and 14. Sarah's voice is so beautiful - she's extremely talented. I'm going to add the DVD to my wish list.

A voice so pure, effortless and flawless. What a gift - this voice.

Brightman turns every song into a seductive love song. She could gargle mouthwash and seduce me. Definitely a CD for cosmopolitan lovers.

First of all, I'm a huge Sarah Brightman fan. I have if not all but most of her CD's but I have to say with all honesty that this is her worst offering. I mean its downright terrible. Very disappointed and will be giving it away.

I'm not a fan of this type of music but I really like Sarah. She has a very sexy and beautiful voice and a beautiful look. My parents play her all the time and I became a fan and own most oif her stuff.

La Luna was one of the best follow-up albums ever because it was different. It maintained one pf the classical moods and this made it her best album ever.

But unfourtanately things don't last forever. I haven't heard the new album but I really just can't get into this album very much.

Take a look at the cover art. The beautiful sunrise, the cool looking title, and the very beautiful Sarah standing amongst the sunrise. Catches the eye, doesn't it?

The album itself isn't. The album starts off with her weakest opener yet, Harem. It starts off good, but then gets into a monotone techno beat that sounds like something that might be good for elevator music. Then What a Wonderful World is a cover, and it sounds awful!!!!!! What was in Sarah's mind?? The next 4 tracks are not bad, but then Arabian Nights is the most boring song she's ever released. The multiple languages thing is cool, but come on, the meaning of the song- if there is any, that is- is complete BS. Plus usally Sarah's albums have an amazing last track, while this one is a joke.

I can't wait to hear Symphony-- My aunt bought it today when we were at the mnall and I will post a review, so keep your eyes open.

So overall, this album is not bad at all, but a big dissapointment, and is very rushed. Harem? More like Scare-'em.

Sarah Brightman continues her incredible career with this CD. I can listen this over and over again. I had the pleasure to actually see her in concert perform the songs from this CD. Amazing experience.

An excellent compilation of folk tunes and violin concerto adagios, played masterfully by some of the world's most revered musicians. Features modern pieces (Korngold, Barber), which are a personal favorite of mine.

My daughter is a violin student of 7 years and she has played 3 or 4 of these pieces for recitals. I bought the CD's so she could become familiar with the pieces as she was learning to play them. Now I find myself listening to the CD's almost every night when I go for my end of the day drive to relax. My favorites are the Mozart Concerto in G, the Mendelssohn Concerto in E minor and Beethoven's Romance in F on disc 2, but all the songs are exquisitely beautiful. I highly recommend it.

These CDs have the most incredible selections of music on them. Listening to the violins has enabled me to complete papers for my doctoral level classes without the usual neck aches. This is soothing, exquistie music for the soul! Lovely!!

Before buying this 2 CD set,I've read Reviews by Chicagodreamer,
who rated it as "Highly, highly recommended." His laudatory recommentation, I must say, is found "well justified."

"Over 2 l/2 hours of the world's most beautiful music." These words on the cover are very close to true. What an incredible value this collection is!! So many of these compilations of this sort are cheaply produced, and those "greatest hits" collections are one trite piece after another -- after a while one runs screaming to the stereo to shut it off. However, this collection is top-notch, and the performers they chose are masterful musicians at the top of their game. Every selection is lovely, each one unfolding after the other in a sublime slide show of exquisite compositions performed by legends. This is TWO CDs of sparkling performances composed and performed by masters. There is not a bad selection or a piece of inferior quality in the entire lot.

The violin is an extraordinary instrument that, when played correctly, can pluck the heartstrings and stir the soul. It is played perfectly by each puppetmaster on each one of these wonderful pieces, and the experience of listening to this collection is an exquisite journey for the heart and spirit. Looking for a fantastic collection of exquisite pieces written and performed by genius? It's here. Highly, highly recommended!!

Sarah Brightman has developed her talent for singing in a grand way. Her video performance is equally great.

She will never probably have any idea how many nights she has sung me to sleep ;).

I look for a performance and a live concert to come near me soon.

I would like to see her, however, embrace the more artistic and less of the skimpy clothing side.

There is a delicate line between flash, art, and trash, and some footage and photos of her cross the line with me.

Nude and semi-nude do not mix with song and expression. Sorry, dear, my beloved Sarah, but I am only in this for your singing talent, not to be made to long for your bod in my arms.

Keep it cleaner. Skimpy or revealing clothing, photos, and videos does not enhance your talent.

This is by far my favorite Sarah Brightman Cd. Although it is probably her most pop oriented cd, it totally rocks! Most of the songs have a Middle Eastern Edge to them and are awesome to blast in the car! Make sure to try to get the version with either the bonus Dvd or the french tracks!

FIVE STARS!

I agree with "music fan" about this CD. Eden is a good album, and she's a good artist. But either this album was poorly produced or something, because this does not show her best. I wouldn't classify this as world music at all, because the instruments aren't used and it's more classical pop; if that's a genre. It seemed rambly to me with many of the songs sounding similar and lacking originality. I love her, she's unique in her genre. But she really shines as a classicist, with Classics, her work by Andrew Lloyd Webber (who she married) and operatic albums. This is what she's best at, so her collaborations on Eden and La Luna, which are classical in nature but still allowed her to branch out musically, turned out good. I have a lot of her albums, but I wouldn't buy this one. It's more something to listen to once. A few of the songs are good, the album isn't terrible, but it's not very good.

This is a very good CD/DVD set, beautiful music and performance.I enjoyed it.

Sarah's voice soars! I love her voice and I'm a new fan. ^^ I've heard her name lots of times before from people I know and when I received some of her CDs and videos as early Christmas present, I was in awe! She definitely has the voice of an angel.

I just continue to rediscover this cd over time; everytime I play it, it feels like a new experience. I bought it for just one song, Track #8, and I'm very happy with the entire cd to say the least. It's brilliant and beautiful work. It feeds my soul to listen to this cd. And I need that from time to time something beautiful to recharge my batteries and this is definitely one of those things for me. Thank you for reading and enjoy to all who choose to buy this cd.

Right now I'm in the opinion that this is the most sublime
and emotionally intense record I have ever heard.

I have owned this CD for some years and it is possibly my most favourite of favourites. Something has happened to one of the tracks so I am buying another copy. I can't bear to have it incomplete. This CD speaks to my soul with every piece. When you think you have heard the best of the CD the next just grabs your heart. The combination of Nigel Kennedy and the Kroke Band is absolutely superb. I can listen to them for hours on end. If you are a Nigel Kennedy fan this one is a must. No, a need.

This record demands a number of listenings. I am not a huge classical violin fan (I admit I cannot even remember why I purchased this disk) and this CD sat on my shelf for years. Once in a while, I'd listen to Ajde Jano, which I liked quite a bit and that was it (BTW, not only is this disk a departure for Kennedy, but Atlas shines on this track in a way lacking in her solo work). But over time, I have come to have such a tremendous respect for this disk--once I listened to it enough to really get into the spirit of it. It is incredible!

That said, this is not really a classical violin disk, per se. Kennedy complements Kroke, but does not impose himself at all--what great modesty and restraint for a player of Kennedy's renown! Bottom line, this is an awesome E. European folk disk accompanied by some of the most inspired and flawless violen playing that I have (in my admittedly limited experience) ever heard.

This is just a wonderful, fun and eclectic disk that has much to offer music lovers of a number of different persuasions. (I must admit that Ajde Jano is still my favorite track.)

I am a big lover of classical music and somehow I got my hands around this music. I can only agree a hundred percent with the other listeners that this music is crowling deep inside your soul, makes you want to smile, and to cry at the same time. You will not forget it! It is beautiful and relaxing in some parts, others simply take away your breath and you feel (finally) something about your own passion (again) with this music. Yes, you can imagine people dancing and you can feel the fire of love and dance, intertwined with an endless feeling of happiness.

I have been to Krakow and with this music in the back of my mind I am looking forward to going back again and to hopefully find folk bands which are similar to this astonishing master piece performed by Nigel Kennedy.

Enjoy!
Uwe

This is a very nice cd to listen to and sip red wine in one's back yard while reading a good book. Well worth to add to your collection.

This CD is one that I think even non-classical music lovers would like. It isn't too "classical" and some of the songs are the kind that keep going though your head until you can't help but play the disc again. It is a two disc set and priced no higher than most singles.

I agree with a previous reviewer on the minor problem
of variations in volume. Beyond that, I find every
piece beautiful. This interpretation of Barber's
Adagio is the most passionate I have ever heard. I also
find the Faure selection very touching. I love the
vocals. I recommend this set to anyone, if for no
other reason than the Barber piece.

The selections and the arrangements are truly excellent. There are some hard to find (on the same CD) pieces and adagios--Spartacus ; Rodrigo's Concierto de Aranjuez; Mascagni's Intermezzo from Cavelleria...
But, better turn up the sound and then get away from the speakers. Parts of the selections are played so very softly that, when you turn up the volume to hear them, you will get blasted by those sections that have cresendos, or just plain louder sections. Too bad!
Very hard to enjoy in a car--or, even at home. if this problem did not exist, this is a 5 star plus!

I was stunned to see only two and a half stars for romantic adagios. I don't know how much you get to know by listening to only one "song" out of so many in this collection, but in my opinion this CD collection deserves a lot of credit. I had heard of Samuel Barber's Adagio for strings many times before and I was impressed but this was the first time that I was completely mesmerized. I highly recommend to any Barber fans to listen to this interpretation by David Zinman which is incredible. There seems to be so much passion and emotion! Also others such as Adagio of Spartacus and Clarinet Concerto just make the collection even better.

Although Tchaikovsky's music is often performed in a wildly romantic vein, it seems important to point out that his musical idol was not Beethoven(like most romantics), but Mozart. Both the pianist and orchestra give refreshing interpretations of these pieces, which are usually performed with a bit too much bombast. Donohoe's touch is light and bell-like, and complements Tchaikovsky's luminous orchestrations. Most excellent is the neglected second piano concerto, in which Donohoe and the Bournemouth Symphony emphasize the piece's more Mozartean character. However, pianist and orchestra still pack plenty of punch for the big openings and climaxes. Donohoe is not seeking to show off; his tempi are quite sprightly, but not as fast as some pianists, and his forte passages (and they are very loud and exciting) retain a rich, full sound rather than a bangy one. The orchestral climaxes are also quite loud, but sound full and never strained. The recording quality is also superb, bringing out every note and orchestral color, while keeping a nice balance between soloist and orchestra. Overall, I found these recordings to be some of the best Tchaikovsky I have ever heard.

I was excited to see that Nigel Kennedy had a jazz album; I have heard his violin chops, and they are very impressive. Kennedy has amassed an incredible backup band for this album, and it is the saving grace of it all. This is not to say that Kennedy does not have jazz chops, but, when you have a band with Ron Carter, Jack DeJohnette, Joe Lovano, Kenny Werner, etc...playing behind you, it is noticeable that you don't play jazz as much as the others.

It is NOT a bad album though, it just lacks energy and drive at times; the little spark that makes the jazz come alive through your speakers. The tunes Kennedy wrote have an old time feel to them, and there is a slight resemblance to Grapelli (only slight). His two originals are mixed with jazz standards by Horace Silver, Kenny Burrell, and compositions of group members. One of the reasons this album is listenable is because of Ron Carter's groovin' bass, Lucky Peterson's funky b-3 organ, Kenny Werner's piano, and of course, Jack DeJohnette's awesome drumming (as always).
Raul Midon sings on "Expansions," and adds a little pop and Latin to the mix with his performance. It is somewhat lackluster performance of the song, and Kennedy uses electronics and delay effects on his violin which give the song an even weirder feel. Kennedy adds an electric violin feel to this album that is reminscent of Jean-Luc Ponty at times, and also has somewhat of a Rock feeling at other times. Quite a difference from his Classical playing!
Overall, this album is enjoyable because of the musicians Kennedy has enlisted. It's probably not an album I'll listen to over and over again, but it is nice to hear a little electrified violin jazz every now and again!

This is an interesting CD, but better jazz is out there. Its interesting to anyone who wants to follow Kennedy's amazing talents. Its interesting to people who enjoy and explore violin jazz. Kennedy has a jazz style - maybe heavy on virtuosity and moderate on swinging and jazz idioms. I found Kennedy's blues tracks to be the most enjoyable. He has a strong sense of drama in the blues. The rest of the band is terrific. Kennedy chose well when assembling the band.

I think that anybody questioning Kennedy's ability should spend a few hours viewing him on YouTube - or better still, in concert. He has quite understandably been hailed as the world's greatest musical performer by some. I admit that the Blue Note Sessions are quite laid-back, but having seen some of the material performed live by Kennedy only five days ago at Ronnie Scott's Jazz club in London, and having purchased this particular album, I can only say that my respect for Kennedy grows almost daily. Nobody should even begin to question Kennedy's genre-crossing abilities. I doubt anybody except Kennedy could pull off the performance at the Brits classics awards that can be viewed on YouTube. His abilities are stunning. Watching him perform the Blue Note and other material live was overwhelming - best live performance I've ever seen.

First of all, it is way too expensive for what it is.
Second of all, it isn't anything new or fresh.
Third of all, musical quality isn't what I expect from the label.

Compositions are dull and (maybe) sounding like some other
tunes I know, sounds out of pitch and can't find any good groove.
Could have sounded better without violin on it.

Maybe next time...

I must admit that when it comes to the violin, I always look for a Kennedy recording first. They say that certain virtuosos of the instrument can interpret the compositions of certain composers - but in my book Kennedy's the exception: he'll enthral you with a Hendrix rock song (or one of his own, sadly underrated, works from "Kafka") or amaze you with a Bach partita. Since his heady days in the wake of the Vivaldi Four seasons, however, it's in live performances where I truly believe Kennedy feels most comfortable and performs the best. So this eagerly anticipated studio album of such well known works had a lot to live up to: and it does. The double violin concerto as presented here is truly outstanding stuff, all credit be due to Daniel Stabrawa. The violin concerto No 2 on the other hand has been so over-done in recent years that its difficult to pass judgement. But the real gems on the album are the concerto No 1 and the concerto for violin and oboe, and it's one of the qualities of this album to see this repertoire brought to the limelight. I have to admit that until this recording I was sadly unfamiliar with the latter of these works. And it was an utter delight to be exposed to it by someone who probably parallels Gould on Bach, with a violin instead of a piano.

You won't expect a fervent intepretation of Bach from Kennedy and probably even from Berlin Philharmonic. Actually, it really isn't. But the music on this CD gives you a refreshing and lively feeling towards Bach's Violin Concertos. Kennedy added some of his own intepretations on the concertos which makes me music more lively. These elements match with the texture and sounds produced by modern musical instruments. I thought of buying a Bach's violin concertos played by ancient instruments, but I didn't feel disappointed neither in this purchase.

Kennedy in Bach?! That's the last thing I expected him to play, but I was wrong. I also doubted whether he would suit Bach's music, but he does. He plays with freedom that almost borders on jazz improvisations, but he does not go overboard, as he often does (as in the Vivaldi Four Seasons, his best selling record). Another thing that I certainly didn't expect was that the orchestra playing with Kennedy was none other than the Berlin Philharmonic!!!!!!!! This again raised the question of compatibility:would the BPO like Kennedy's free-style style? It seems on this record that they love what he does, which is not your usual sort of Bach playing. This was a delightful disc to listen to. He fully immerses himself into the music, which can be heard from the start of the first track, the E major violin concerto. I was struck by what I heard. This was no romantic treatment of this much-loved piece, but it wasn't that authentic in approach either. It was simple music making, without any soloistic egoism shown in the playing of this enfant terribile of music. He makes the music flow without any residual heaviness. The violin is well placed, sharing the spotlight with the orchestra, unlike many recordings where the soloist is too close or too far away to be heard properly. In my opinion, his musicality is similar to that of Jacqueline du Pre's (also English). They share in common an uninhibited sense of joy in what they do musically, and this record is a great example of what he can do, without any excess. Kennedy's tone, which can sound harsh, sounds perfectly round for this kind of music. He used to make harsh sounds for effect in the Four Seasons, but he refrains from doing so this time. Apart from the E major concerto, the other solo violin concderto to be featured is the one in a minor. Here the tempi can be a litle fast, especially in the last movement, which is too fast for my taste, but the BPO seems undaunted by it (after all, this is the Berlin Philharmonic which can play anything well!) The Double concertos are played with great aplomb. It is simply electric - especially in the Two-Violin Concerto, where the two solists hit it together in an incredibly way, and the orchestra responds to the energy as well - and the soloists (other than Kennedy) are superb. They have a wonderful sense of style, but they are flexible enough to communicate with Kennedy. Overall, a fine disc of great music making, almost chamber-like in quality, the soloist/s talking to the orchestra and vice versa. The packaging is very lavish, with very glossy paper reserved for special edition releases (for example on the recent Maria Callas 2-CD compilation "Popular Music from TV, Commercials...".)by EMI. Interestingly, this was recorded in analogue mode (ADD), which surprised me a little, but I then realised that his recordings have been ADD, from his second recording of the Elgar violin concerto (with Sir Simon Rattle). The recording has the 1970s warmth to it, which was the chracteristic of the Berlin Phil's recordings of that era (and incidentally it was recorded in the Jesus-Christus-Kirche, where most Berlin Phil recordings were made until 1975).

Enjoy this disc, if you feel like some simple music making to soothe and excite your ears.

Kennedy is the housewives choice of classical artist. For this reason I have often stayed well clear. But this a superb recording of my favorite piece of classical music. I used to have it on a budget Naxos CD - that has now been consigned to the bin - this is a great CD. - Track 3 is inspirational!

I have been enjoying The Four Seasons ever since I was a child (im 43now)and, although I love it in its entirety, some parts I found to be a little boring. I am not a classic music expert, but I do enjoy it a lot. Granted that Nigel's interpretation (which I have been enjoying since it came out) is a little faster than what we are used to, whichever orchestra and director, but makes it a little more interesting.
For those critics that, apparently know a great deal about classic music, I dare you to grab a violin and try to emulate what this man can do, I bet you wouldn't even get a straight note out of it.
Anyhow, for those of us that don't know anynthing about the technicalities of classic music, I think is a great interpretation. It's like drinking wine, you drink the one you like no matter how old it is, or where it came from, or what kind it is.
Just listen closely, feel the mood, and enjoy...

Antonio Vivaldi was a priest, what's more a red-haired one, i.e. quite a marginal in this field of non-religious music, and his music was mostly composed for the orchestra of a young girls' religious school. And yet he is sublime to the most extreme point with conception, with understanding, with passionate comprehension. So that the English Chamber Orchestra here is by far too massive and muscular to satisfy the desire that makes us crave for finesse, delicacy, hues, nuances, shades, etc. And the only shades are those the musicians put over their eyes to impose a filter onto the music, the filter of technical perfection to the expense of emotional expressivity. So these Four Seasons are just perfect, well read, but they are rendered homogeneously, Easter in December and July in Winter. And that is of course regrettable. A little bit more personal temperament would give this music a charm it cannot have when the temper of perfection is trying to make it absolutely right. I would have preferred the vision of an erring pilgrim through the four seasons of his pilgrimage to that of a trip down the road in a vehicle that is so well pruned that nothing protrudes at all anywhere. Could we speak of aerodynamic music?

Dr Jacques COULARDEAU, University Paris Dauphine, University Paris 1 Pantheon Sorbonne & University Versailles Saint Quentin en Yvelines

I have yet to hear anyone who is capable of playing the violin like Nigel,
and to be able to interpret classicals like him. Before he came along with this album, I think most people was ready to fall off a chair with snooze whenever we hear Vivaldi, because it was always played in the same old stale way that we have heard a million times. He comes along with this album, close your eyes when you listen to it, and he paints the four seasons with the violin vividly.
Ever since the release of this album, everyone else just tries to copy his work. But no one plays the notes as effortlessly and eloquently as he has. Take Sarah Chang, for eg.--botched it. You can hear her fingers straining over the strings clumsily, trying to do what Nigel did, but doing such a horrible job. I felt sorry for her when I heard her work.

This is a must have for anyone--if you are trying to get someone into classical music, this is the perfect album.

Powerful and passionate are the first two words that come to mind when I think about Kennedy's version of the Four Seasons. I absolutely love it. I listen to this CD on my ipod on every plane trip I take, often 2-4 times a month. I never tire of it. I have listened to this CD more times than any other CD I own, with the possible exception of Pink Floyd's Dark Side of the Moon. Buy it.

so good
for four seasons
all time masterpiece
and
good performance~

For anyone who has heard the live recording of Glenn Gould playing the Brahms Piano Concerto #1 with Bernstein and the NY Phil, this recording of the Elgar is kind of the equivalent of that, the only difference being that it is not a live performance. Recorded around 1984, when Kennedy was not yet in his 'punk virtuoso' period, this is the finest reading of the Elgar I've ever heard. The tempos are remarkably broad and Kennedy, English himself, fully understands the piece, and milks every phrase for everything it's worth. While Heifetz's 1949 RCA recording is of course superb, Kennedy's is definitely right up there alongside of it. I'm sure there have been some who have argued that the often slow tempos are simply cheating because he didn't have the technique to play them at the correct tempo but judging from Kennedy's other recordings, that is definitely not true. And of course, Kennedy doesn't chicken out in the distinct 'molto allegro' passages in the first and third movements - they're played fine, at the indicated tempos, and he doesn't miss a note. The accompanied cadenza in the third movement is remarkable - again, taken at a slow tempo but he tosses off the runs and double stops fluidly - and Kennedy dashingly finishes the work. I give equal kudos to Vernon Handley. Although this is the only recording of his that I've yet heard, I'd have to say that he does splendid things with the orchestra. This is not an easy concerto to conduct, mainly due to the bridges between the solo passages and the tutti. I've heard more bad performances than good of this piece.

If you know the Elgar Pomp & Circumstance marches (or 'the' Pomp & Circumstance march that is played at every graduation) but don't know Elgar's Violin Concerto or Wand of Youth/Enigma Variations, heed my advice and get to know them - and start by buying this recording and Heifetz's. You'll be glad you did. AND - if you bought the more recent version of Kennedy's Elgar, you should definitely buy this one too.
The more recent version is not as good.

Elgar played the violin himself, and this concerto is his greatest gift to his fellow violinists. When he composed the work in 1909 and 1910, there were already many concertos that gave room for virtuosic playing. Elgar did something different: he created a score that does not so much show what the violin can do as reveal all that it can say.

Here the solo violin yearns, rejoices, pleads and consoles, and then, in one of the most original cadenzas ever written for any instrument, it takes up many of the previous themes and views each familiar melody in an utterly new way. Basil Maine, Elgar's first biographer, said it best when he remarked that most cadenzas call for the soloist to step into the limelight. Elgar instead asks the player to step back into the twilit world of deepest introspection. In the hands of the right instrumentalist, the cadenza will have an audience holding its breath and the closing coda will provide a thrilling release.

Kennedy shows from his first entrance that he is at one with the concerto's elusive spirit. The first movement allegro is urgent and compelling. The andante unfolds as a gentle nocturne that rises to moments of more intimate intensity. Kennedy then brings a bracing lyricism to the third movement, which seems to be moving inexorably to a conventional conclusion when the orchestra retreats and leaves him and his violin, with only the frailest string accompaniment, to their musings. As Elgar wrote to the concerto's chief inspiration, Alice Stuart Wortley, 'the music sings of memories and hope.'

The first-rank recordings of this work stretch over nearly 80 years, beginning with Albert Sammons' landmark 1929 performance, and including two studio recordings by Yehudi Menuhin, one with the composer conducting. This interpretation by Kennedy, accompanied with careful shaping and loving attention to detail by Vernon Handley, belongs in that exalted company.

I would recommend this disc as an ideal introduction to one of Elgar's finest works. If you already know the concerto from other recordings, Kennedy and Handley will open your ears to new wonders.

From back in the days when The Artist Now Known As Kennedy still used his first name, this 1984 performance of Elgar's lengthy, difficult and microdetailed concerto for violin and orchestra is a more consistent rendition than the violinist's 1990s remake with Sir Simon Rattle conducting. Actually, I'd go so far as to call this CD special. In the later recording, Kennedy may seem to "take more chances" and thus somehow penetrate more deeply into the score, but it all just seems more messy by comparison to this; moreover, Vernon Handley has a surer command of Elgar's idiom than Rattle (who is, in my view, as overrated by the British press as Handley is underrated). The violinist's intonation is not always perfect, particularly in the lengthy cadenza of the third movement, but his level of concentration is--paradoxically, most especially in that cadenza. The early-digital, slightly distant recording has held up well; you need to boost the volume a tad to bring it into focus, however. The 54-minute span of this performance is all the CD contains, but in this case it's quality over quantity.

There is only one thing I like about its recording, the orchestra. Dramatic idiom at its best, with the London Phil. But Kennedy is VERY messy especially in the third movement with his spicatto, its very uneven. Also, in the third movement, the passage of sixteenths with randomn octaves is so horrible out-of-tune I can't bear to listen to this recording. Much of the time, you cna't even hear the violin, it is subdued, exactly the antithesis of what Elgar meant for this concerto - for the violin to be a story teller. Well, the "sage" must be on something, because it is soooo sloppy. As a concert violinist I know these things. Don't buy this recording. Menuhin's his okay (he has a great tone), Heieftz is to apathetic, Zukerman takes to many liberties and cheats by not playing certain octaves - I hear that Hahn has made a recording. Shaham will make one soon, I hope. But until now, i haven't heard a very solid interpretation of this lovely and haunting concerto.

I have heard several recordings of this work over the years but this is my favorite. This is playing of pure passion and poetry...at times it brings tears to the eye...and Handley provides wonderful support. Wonderful disc!