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Claude Debussy Romance of the Violin
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Average Customer Rating: 
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| Disk 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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Editorial Reviews:
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
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Spotlight customer reviews:
Customer Rating:
Summary: very good
Comment: I have several of Mr Bells CD's and enjoy all of them. This is the best CD I own. The music is very relaxing and the sound of the strad is awesome. We listen to it nightly (kids) as a bedtime routine and I never tire of it. You would not regret this purchase.
Customer Rating:
Summary: Drippingly romantic!
Comment: I played this during my dinner party this week and several of my guests commented on how beautiful the music was! It is a lovely collection and has not one single track that I want to skip when it plays!
Customer Rating:
Summary: Violin playing of the highest beauty
Comment: This comment is from my husband, enraptured as he listens (again) to "Romance of the Violin":
"It's just heart-wrenchingly good. I don't know how else to describe how it makes me feel! (Joshua Bell's) abilities...he's amazing--it's just unfathomable what he can do with the music.
It's like there is no human playing the violin; it's like he IS the violin."
Highly recommended. Among our very favorites.
Customer Rating:
Summary: Absolutely beautiful
Comment: Bell captures some of the most beautiful and memorable melodies from violin, piano, and opera literature, and his interpretations are rich and haunting. I could listen to his performance of Gluck's Dance of the Blessed Spirits and Borodin's Nocturne for hours straight. I never get tired of this gorgeous collection!
Customer Rating:
Summary: Joshua's Voice
Comment: The violin of Joshua Bell speaks on this recording. I was transported by his O Mio Bambino Caro, and the other selections are equally eloquent. Whenever I need a relaxing break, I play Romance of the Violin. It touches my spirit.
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