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Joshua Bell's recording of Voice of the Violin is one of the best purchases I've made recently. I've kept it playing in the background during the Christmas flurry and find it soothes and inspires my soul. I'd recommend it for anyone, even those who don't think they like classical music or the violin.
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This album is filled with beautiful music, but if you're looking for the firey, glitzy Joshua Bell you might want to look elsewhere. The music is slow, quiet, and melancholy. If you're a person who "curls up inside" good music, you'll love this album.
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"Choosing the works for this album was a delightful journey, a wonderful excuse to immerse myself in the rich treasury of music written for the voice....I hope many listeners will appreciate this tribute to the voice and get a kick out of hearing my take on these timeless classics." ~ Joshua Bell ~
At the Opening Night for Concert Season at Hollywood Bowl a few years back, Joshua Bell was one of the featured guests where he performed a piece from the soundtrack of Ladies in Lavender where he is the featured violinist, and another performance where he shared the spotlight with Josh Groban. I was in awe and it was great seeing them perform before a live audience. My first exposure to Mr. Bell's artistry is his Grammy-nominated tribute album in honor of the timeless music of George Gershwin, Gershwin Fantasy. Listening to his recorded performances is such a delight, but seeing him perform live made me appreciate his flawless violin artistry even more.
Joshua Bell's mastery in violin, Maestro Michael Stern's outstanding orchestration of 52-piece Orchestra of St. Luke's plus the music of classical masters such as Debussy, Mozart, Tchaikovsky, Schubert, Rachmaninoff, Massenet, Mendelssohn, Fauré, Bizet, Dvorak, Strauss, as well as De Falla, Ponce, Orff and Donizetti are all packaged beautifully in this remarkable album, "Voice of the Violin."
The Grammy-Award winning violinist's virtuosic takes on these timeless classical pieces are elegantly unflawed and breathtaking. He plays with utmost care and passion as heard in all the tracks, but my top choices include Schubert's "Ave Maria," Debussy's "Beau Soir," Fauré's "Après Un Rêve," Tchaikovsky's "None But The Lonely Heart," Dvorak's "Song To The Moon," Mozart's "Laudete Dominum" and Ponce's "Estrellita." The notable finale is a classical aria originally composed by Richard Strauss for voice and piano, "Morgen!" but with voice and violin, it is simply remarkable. It features soprano Anna Netrebko.
The informative Liner Notes written by Mr. Bell show his love of poetry and his romantic side. On track listings, he referenced some lines of poetry and quotations related to the composers' feelings and sentiments behind their masterpieces.
An example is Tchaikovsky's "None But The Lonely Heart." He alluded to Tchaikovsky's emotional and personal life and quoted the composer when he said..."No one who has not been lonely can understand my endless suffering."
Another example is his description on "Beau Soir" in which he transcribed a few lines from a poem by Paul Bourget, a French critic and man of letters who "provoked the humorous wrath of Mark Twain with a series of lectures in the USA in 1893." Here goes...
"When the waters are pink in the setting sun
And a warm wave sweeps through the fields of grain
All things bid our troubled hearts to be happy."
One more example is Dvorak's "Song To The Moon" - On his notes, the melody was taken from the composer's opera, "Rusalka," a tale of "an immortal nymph who fell in love with a handsome prince and calls upon the moon to help her dream come true."
"You peek into all the world's windows
Find the one I love and tell him
My heart is his
Perhaps he will remember me."
Lastly, I can say that long after you've listened to this album, the captivating voice of Joshua Bell's 1713 Stradivarius violin will still be ringing in your ears so you must give it another listen. It is the kind of music that reaches the heart and caresses the soul of a listener with its soothing and endless beauty.
With my heartfelt recommendation.
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After I bought the Ladies in Lavender I had to buy Johuas Bell music.
I heard him play the Brahms violinconcert april 2003 and became a fan.
One period in my life I almost hated violin music maybe because I was
playing the piano with my brother violin. Later I heard the Busch quartet
play , and later I heard Isac Stern and Menuhin play in concerts.
The music Johua plays in wonderful and he plays beutifully.
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I am a classical singer, my mother plays the violin, so I know how closely they are related. Joshua Bell has chosen some beautifu selections. Some of my favorite pieces on this compilation are pieces I have actually sung. One of the most beautiful is Dvorak's Song To the Moon, the way he plays it is so warm and elegant, it is one of the most beautiful pieces ever written and with him playing it, it sounds even better. Estrellita is another song that I have sung, and I absolutely love , the same with Mozart's Laudate Dominum.His violin gives the music such a soul that it almost is better the hearing someone sing it. The only regret I have about this CD is it does not have him playing O mio Babbino caro, guess I will have to buy his other CD for that.
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