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Music > Albums > Joshua Bell - The Essential Joshua Bell (2005) Retail CD
added on June 25, 2009, at 18:38 by musicworld

The collection of recordings on this `Essential' album are taken from Joshua Bell's time with the Decca/Universal Classics label and date from between 1986 to 1996. It should not be confused with the other `Essential Joshua Bell' later release, this time on the Sony label, representing his recordings from 1998 to 2007. Two albums with the same name by the same artist will naturally draw comparisons, and perhaps confusion, but it should be said that the two releases offer not only a completely different track list but also a totally different purpose. The Sony (2CD) release mixes classics with contemporary American (Gershwin & Bernstein) music while this one concentrates solely on the classics. The opening track is the first movement from Mendelssohn's popular violin concerto in E minor. It's an appropriate choice, for Mendelssohn's unconventional (at that time) idea of allowing the violin to launch straight in to the main theme of the movement gives Joshua Bell great opportunity to set the scene, thus ensuring this is recognised as a collection of virtuoso violin playing. Other choices, such as Chausson's work for piano, violin and string quartet, and Mozart's concerto No.3 provide the romantic lyrical side to Bell's style. Interesting, for its lesser performed status, is Prokofiev's concerto No.2, while the Spanish elements of De Falla's `La Vida Breve' (Life is Brief) and Sarasate's `Zigeunerweisen' (Gypsy Airs) allow full virtuoso license to thrill the audience. My personal favourite is the Brahms concerto in D major, but such is the variety here that there really should be something for everyone. A perfect accompaniment to the Sony 'Essential' album I think.

front 1390 x 1390 px

back 1764 x 1360 px