Editorial Reviews

Listeners cannot familiarize themselves with the music of Johannes Brahms without also knowing the name of violinist and composer Joseph Joachim. Joachim was one of Brahms' first and most long-standing proponents, and played a vital role in the composition of many of Brahms' masterpieces. After the profound abilities of young Brahms became apparent to Joachim, the elder composer virtually stopped writing, making the selections on this album rare treats. The first set on the CD is a group of arrangements of Brahms' "21 Hungarian Dances." Joachim, being profoundly influenced by the gypsy idiom as well, was perfectly suited for this task. As a virtuoso violinist himself, the transcriptions are exceedingly difficult for the solo violin. The second work on the album is one of Joachim's last original compositions, a set of variations in E minor, which again test the mettle of all who would try to play them. Violinist Hagai Shaham brings both desirable and undesirable qualities to his attempt. Stylistically, Shaham is spot on. His playing overflows with the flair and panache that characterize the Hungarian gypsy idiom; his tone is sultry and seductive. Projection is sometimes an issue as Shaham's sound occasionally has difficulty staying in the foreground over the piano. Less desirable, however, is Shaham's intonation. The "Hungarian Dance" arrangements in particular are filled with almost unending double stops, which Shaham uniformly plays out of tune. This can almost be forgiven at the beginning of his exacting musicality, but after several tracks the problems with intonation become increasingly bothersome. Mike Brownell, All Music Guide

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