Romance of the Violin

Amazon.com:
Every track on this CD contains a beautiful melody, many of them easily recognizable, all of them exuding tranquility. "O mio babbino caro" from Puccini's Gianni Schicchi opens the disc, with Bell delicately accompanied by a harp and spinning the long melody with great sensitivity. Bellini's "Casta diva" from Norma lives up to its reputation as the epitome of bel canto in Bell's hands; his violin sings. The middle movement of Mozart's 21st Piano Concerto takes well to the violin, and Debussy's "The Girl with the Flaxen Hair" is played with great warmth and sensuality. It would be easy to turn a recital like this into treacle, but Bell is wise enough to realize that the music is already sweet enough and he plays with great reserve and a minimum of sentimental slides. The light accompaniments always support, with woodwinds prominent but used with grace. This CD, in short, is a beauty: a fine gift,a lovely mood setter. --Robert Levine

Disc 1:

1. O mio babbino caro (from 'Gianni Schicchi')
2. The Girl With Flaxen Hair (from Preludes, Book I; La fille aux cheveux delin: Prelude for Piano L 117/8)
3. Nocturne in C sharp minor (Op Post)
4. The Swan (from Carnival of the Animals)
5. Serenade (from 'Schwanengesang' song cycle for voice and piano, D 957
6. Casta Diva (from 'Norma')
7. Andante from Piano Concerto No. 21 in C Major K. 467
8. Nocturne from Quartet for Strings No. 2 in D Major: 3rd movement
9. Dance of the Blessed Spirits (from 'Orfeo ed Euridice')
10. Songs My Mother Taught Me, song for voice and piano B104/4 Op 55/4
11. Pur ti Miro (from 'L'incoronazione di Poppea')
12. Elegie (Elegie 'O doux printemps d'autrefois' for voice and piano)
13. Traumerei ('Kinderszenen' for piano, Op 15, No. 7 'Dreaming')

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Customer Reviews

Rating: - CD Romance of the Violin (Joshua Bell)
Delivery was a bit slow and the CD came with a cracked jewel case. Great music by a great master.
Rating: - "Without music life would be an error."~ Friedrich Wilhelm Nietzsche
To all but the music barbarian, it is axiomatic that the music of Chopin and Puccini is exceptional. An exceptional musician can perform pieces such as, "O MIO BABBINO CARO" and"NOCTURNE", in a waythatshowers uswith unexpected and previously unknown pleasure.

I have never experienced a performance of "CAST A AIVA" as spectacular as Joshua Bell's.I still can't decide what piece on this album is my favorite.
Each piece is a well known great melody, but with Bell combining ... Read More
Rating: - The paradox of sensitivity and sentimentality
The sumptuous tone that characterises Joshua Bell's CD provides what promises to be a brilliant listening experience.But for me there is a very fine line between sensitivity and sentimentality and too often he slithers over into unlovely swoops and slurs.Lush lyricism or sloppy sentiment?I don't think I will be listening to this CD very often but I will buy his interpretation of Tchaikovsky's Violin concerto which is a wonderful test of sensitivity v. sentimentality and see whether he will let the ... Read More
Rating: - Romance of the Violin
Great violin work. Take your time to listen to it in its entirety.You will be trasported to the concert hall without being there.
Rating: - Never thought I could like the violin this much
Okay I play the clarinet...maybe not trained but still so I can belt out a few notes...yet.My brother played the violin for many years, but his playing never sounded like this...sorry Dave.Wonderful soft..love the flow to this album.I use it as background music at home the office and to fall asleep with.I will be checking him out more often and his new disc as well.