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Vivaldi: Four Seasons [Hybrid SACD]

from: Decca

November 08, 2005
It's Vivaldi; it's Four Seasons; it's SACD; how can you go wrong. Superb recording.

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Vivaldi: The Four Seasons - Janine Jansen

by: Janine Jansen, Antonio Vivaldi (Composer)

October 11, 2005
Startling, exciting, and quite original, are the very words to describe Janine Jansen's unique, quite insightful, interpretation of Vivaldi's "The Four Seasons". While there are many fine recordings of this work, with the best of the relatively recent crop include Mutter's and Chang's, Jansen's recording deserves ample praise simply for its bold, daring performance of Vivaldi's concerti cycle. Why? Hers is quite literally a stripped-down interpretation, consisting of herself, five other strings (two violins, viola, cello and double bass), theorbo and box organ/harpsichord. It is a tightly knit ensemble that includes American violinist Julian Rachlin, her brother Maarten (cello) and her father Jan (box organ/harpsichord). This allows for a "wonderfully transparent ... Read More:

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Janine Jansen: Concertos & Romance

from: Decca

January 09, 2007
Janine Jansen is making the young adult transition that has to happen as we grow up. In her case, from child prodigy - she played the Bruch first with a youth orchestra at twelve years old in her home country of The Netherlands - to working professional musician. World class, by all accounts, and by the evidence of this disc, too.

Her super audio disc of the Vivaldi Four Seasons persuaded me strongly enough that I started giving out multiple copies as gifts to friends who somehow did not yet have a Four Seasons gracing their music shelves. And that in a crowded music factory warehouse catalogue of very, very, very good performances.

Now Ms Jansen turns her attentions to the nearly trite disc coupling of Mendelssohn's mature violin concerto ... Read More:

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Bach: Inventions & Partita

from: Decca

September 25, 2007
As usual Janine Jansen plays wonderful. Tim Swensen has written about it very knowledgeable (see his review). I won't repeat.

However, I do have a problem with the repertoire: the CD contains 35 (!) tracks. Of almost all of them the length is only 1 - 2 minutes. Before you get into any piece it is over again. And this goes on and on. Tiring!

Why, with the transcription, didn't Janine add a couple of repeats? A couple less tracks (or two CD's), but it would make a more interesting CD. I do think the music is beautiful, but at the moment it is like a restaurant where you only get one spoonful of each course. Bedore you have time to taste it, you get another spoonful with another taste.

Of course the exception is the Partita in D, BWV 1004 ... Read More:

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The Classical Album 2005

from: Decca

September 13, 2005
This is very good collection of music that brings to life a wide variety of music that is both old and contemporary. The selections vary from composers, historical and famous such as Pavarotti and Puccini to today's James Horner (Titanic, A Beauituful Mind) and John Williams (Star Wars, Sabrina, Jaws, Saving Private Ryan).

If you enjoy the sounds of Sarah Brightman, Charlotte Church, Enya, Kate Bush, Andrea Bocelli, and various theatre music (Andrew Lloyd Webber (Evita, Cats), then you will find this collection worthy of your appreciation.

I have often wondered why classical music radio channels do not play modern composers (i.e., Horner, Willams), and am glad that this album gives them credit that they deserve. There is so many good compositions being created ... Read More:

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Janine Jansen

from: Decca

March 09, 2004
Perhaps because of growing up in a musical family, Janine is also an outstanding chamber musician; but you have to look for her under "Spectrum Concerts Berlin" where she is first violin in albums of Dohnanyi, Harbison and Robert Helps.

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Total Classics

from: Decca

February 08, 2005
Nice eclectic collection - Russel Watson presentation of Nella Fantasia using guitar interlude instead of traditional oboe is special piece.

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Dohnányi: Serenade for String Trio; Sextet

from: Naxos

May 20, 2003
Spectrum Concerts Berlin is that city's premier chamber organization, giving six to eight concerts annually to consistent acclaim. They are a youthful ensemble with that exceptional listening that only the best chamber music achieves. Janine Jansen, the first-chair violin, has just burst onto the US concerto circuit, and her Four Seasons is a smash e-hit, but she is being acknowledged for the completeness of her musicianship. Spectrum's work as a group is at the same level.

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Le Meilleur de l'Opérette

from: EMI Classics France

April 02, 2002
This 2000 3-CD set is a new edition of 2-CD set from 1990 titled "Opérette-Passion" from EMI France. By popular request, this adds to the already mirific collection a third CD containing some of the real glories of mid-XXth century French operettas: Maurice Chevalier, Tino Rossi, Fernandel, Alibert, Denise Duval, Luis Mariano, Georges Guétary, Bourvil, Mathé Altéry, Anny Cordy, Gise Mey and Armand Mestral. The selection is not exhaustive - that would be impossible* - but it does give any listener a major incentive to go ferretting for more of the same and the complete score of some of those genuine masterpieces of charm, humour and melody by Fancis Lopez or Maurice Yvain (among many others). For students of the French language and French opera, this collection is priceless as it gives a ... Read More:

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Chamber Works

from: Favored Nations

September 06, 2005
I think we can all agree (with the other reviewers) that this is not a rock album. If you have ever heard Frank Zappa's album Orchestral Favorites with Terry Bozzio on drums, this is kind of like Bozzio's follow-up to that. Bozzio's orchestral drumming is superb on both albums. Reccomended for fans of GOOD drumming and/or people who enjoyed Orchestral Favorites.