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Devil's Dance |  | Creators: Antonio Bazzini, William Bolcom, Johannes Brahms, Edvard Grieg, Erich Wolfgang Korngold, Felix [1] Mendelssohn, John [Composer] Morris, Niccolo Paganini, Camille Saint-Saens, Pablo de Sarasate, Giuseppe Tartini, John [Film Composer] Williams, Eugene Ysaye, Jonathan Feldman, Gil Shaham
Label: Deutsche Grammophon
Category: Music
List Price: $16.98
Buy New: $3.40
as of 11/28/2009 07:06 CST details
You Save: $13.58 (80%)
New (30) Used (16) from $3.27
Seller: medimops
Rating:  16 reviews
Sales Rank: 33602
Media: Audio CD
Discs: 1
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.2
Dimensions (in): 5.6 x 5 x 0.5
MPN: 463483
UPC: 028946348321
EAN: 0028946348321
ASIN: B00004XRY7
Release Date: September 12, 2000
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
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| Tracks:
| • | Devil's Dance, for violin & piano (from Witches of Eastwick) | | • | A Transylvanian Rhapsody from Young Frankenstein, for violin & piano (arr. by Feldman): A Transylvanian Lullaby | | • | Småtrold (Puck), lyric piece for piano, Op. 71/3 | | • | Danse macabre, symphonic poem in G minor, Op. 40 | | • | Märchenbilder, for piano, No. 4, The Gnomes, Op. 3/4 | | • | Walpurgisnacht ('Lieb Mutter, heut Nacht...'), duet for 2 sopranos & piano, Op. 75/4 | | • | Andres Maienlied ('Die Schwalbe fliegt'), song for voice & piano ('Hexenlied'), Op. 8/8 | | • | La Ronde des Lutins, scherzo fantastique for violin & piano, Op. 25 | | • | The Graceful Ghost, a concert variation for violin & piano | | • | Fantasy on Gounod's 'Faust,' for violin & orchestra (or piano), Op. 13 | | • | Caprice for solo violin in B flat major ('The Devil's Chuckle'), Op. 1/13, MS 25/13 | | • | Sonata for violin & continuo in G minor, B. g5 ('The Devil's Trill') | | • | Sonata for violin solo No. 2 in A minor ('Obsession'), Op. 27/2: Obsession |
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| Editorial Reviews:
Amazon.com
Though it's haunted by goblins, ghosts, and monsters, it is hard to find anything very satanic in much of this music, except its fiendishly difficult pyrotechnics. Its sole purpose is to display Gil Shaham's devilishly dazzling virtuosity, glorious tone, elegance, humor, and bewitching charm. The only substantial piece is Tartini's "Devil's Trill Sonata," in Kreisler's edition complete with his long, diabolically strenuous cadenza; Shaham plays it very beautifully, with genuine, moving expressiveness. Elsewhere, his tongue is never far from his cheek, whether he is tossing off Bazzini's "Rondo de Lutins" perfectly at top speed, or having fun with the fireworks of Korngold's "Caprice fantastique," Sarasate's "Faust Fantasie," Grieg's "Puck" arranged by Joseph Achron, Paganini's Caprice No. 13, with a piano part by Robert Schumann, and Saint-Saëns' "Dance macabre," in which the pianist doubles for a whole orchestra. There are also transcriptions of passionately romantic pieces by Brahms and Mendelssohn, and excursions into different styles: William Bolcom's "Graceful Ghost" rag; "Transylvanian Lullaby" from John Morris's soundtrack for "Young Frankenstein" transcribed by Shaham's pianist, Jonathan Feldman; and the title piece, "Devil's Dance" arranged by John Williams from his soundtrack for "The Witches of Eastwick." You can safely invite this devil of a violinist into your home--he is excellent company. --Edith Eisler
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| Customer Reviews:
Showing reviews 1-5 of 16
 Halloween Violin October 17, 2005
Rudy Avila (Lennox, Ca United States)
2 out of 2 found this review helpful
While not always frightening as much as classical music with a Halloween theme, this is a fine recording to play at parties if the guests fancy this kind of music. The title refers to the Devil's Dance, for violin & piano from the film Witches of Eastwick, a work composed by John Williams. It is followed by A Transylvanian Rhapsody from the comic film Young Frankeinstein. The most famous piece of all "Danse Macabre" was Saint Saens' ghoulish work that nearly caused his mother a heart attack at the premire. Using stage effects like smoke and mist, Saint Saens had dancing skeletons waltzing on stage. The Devil Trill Sonata by Tartini has a frightening story behind it. It was rumored that the composer dreamt that the Devil gave him the score to this violin piece. It is played at an impossible speed and is one of the most difficult violin pieces ever composed. Only few violinists take on this piece. The music on this album is however not as scary as some other classical Halloween CD's out there but violin afficionados will be quite delighted.
Puzzling choices, and not all that devilish October 20, 2004
Danny M. Hobbs (Tigard, OR United States)
3 out of 3 found this review helpful
I'll say right off that Shaham's technique is top-notch, which is what one expects from such an album. And this is fine playing, with the violin and piano generally blending well.
But while this was clearly intended to be a "concept album," the artists/producers made several puzzling (and frustrating) choices that left me wondering just what the concept was supposed to be. The music is "devilishly difficult" at some times (the Tartini, for example), "creepy and eerie" at others (the "Danse macabre", others). However, several of the pieces are neither dazzingly difficult nor all that creepy - the Brahms and the Mendelssohn, for example, fail both definitions and, frankly, just don't seem to fit on this album. And then, there's the Paganini B-flat caprice - a solo violin piece transcribed for violin and piano, weakening the focus on violin virtuosity - while the Ysaye is left as a solo piece . . . well, a **piece** of a piece - we're given only a part of one movement of a four-movement work that is both very difficult AND built around that ultimate "creepy" theme, the "Dies Irae." Why only part of a single movement?
The net effect of all this is an album that doesn't seem to know what it wants to be. It's almost as if someone committed to an album concept without making sure there was enough material to fill the album. Further quibbles: the violin is placed somewhat too far back, for my taste; on a virtuoso album, I want to be "up close" to catch all the nuances of the performance. And the balance between violin and piano is less than ideal at times, at least to my ear.
As I said, the playing is fine; it's the concept execution that falls short of "as advertised."
 Watch Out Where You Play This CD May 17, 2002
2 out of 7 found this review helpful
As everyone says this is an extremely enjoyable disc. While it played fine in my ordinary CD player, the one in my computer couldn't handle it. Not only wouldn't it play, but it crashed the whole machine. Real deviltry at work!
... the best music ever recorded! May 7, 2002
10 out of 12 found this review helpful
Sometimes I forget to breathe-this CD is so mind-blowing! This is the type of CD that you can't help but wave your hands around pretending to conduct the song!........ Ok.... Deep breathes.......o-o...I have to calm down! Now this CD features not just the best musicians but the best composers. They are John Williams (simply the best), Camille Saint-Saens (who composed one of the most famous "spooky" songs: Danse macabre!) ,and John Morris, you know.... Composed the music for YOUNG FRANKENSTEIN, the funniest movie EVER! And guess what the theme song is on the CD!.. The charming yet spooky.........'Young Frankenstein': A Transylvania Lullaby. Hexenlied, one of my favorites, is by MR. Felix Mendelssohn (no he's not Felix the cat!)..........So...many....good.....songs....so.....Little--t-t-time. OK. It's time to wrap things up.....BUY THIS CD, YOU WON'T REGRET IT! :)
Pretty good January 23, 2002
Eld
3 out of 5 found this review helpful
This CD has pretty interesting selection. My only qualm about it is sometimes it seems that the piano is competing for volume with the soloist, especially in Dans Macabre. This rendition is definitely not my favourite version. But some other gems make up for this, like Devils Dance, and La Ronde des Lutins. Devils dance is really well arranged and performed, and thats my favourite track on this album.
Showing reviews 1-5 of 16
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