Word: ax
(lookup in dictionary)
(lookup stats)
Dates: all
Sort By: most recent first
(reverse)
Sony has released a new recording in its "Artist Laureate" series, this time featuring its premier chamber group--the quartet composed of violinist Isaac Stern, violist Jaime Laredo, cellist Yo-Yo Ma and pianist Emmanuel Ax. This recording contrasts the piano quartets of Beethoven and Schumann, embracing both the Classical and Romantic periods in music...
...Emmanuel Ax returns with his rich and globular tone, but more often than not in this recording it acts as an obscuring miasmic veil, rather than a complement to the strings. He has an extremely heavy left hand and a matching right foot on the sustaining pedal. His efforts are more appropriate for piano concerti than for these subtly textured chamber works...
...former Currier resident, Yo-Yo Ma '76, I regret that I couldn't hear more of him through Ax's playing. Very uncharacteristically, he has to strain to force his tone through, especially in the Schumann...
...sure to attract attention, the foursome cannot overcome their natural soloistic inclinations. To me, this comes across more as a quadruple concerto than as chamber music. They clearly try to make an effort at ensemble, but Stern refuses to bend his pitches down and to liven his dry tone, Ax hardly ever thinks of balance, Laredo gets lost in the acoustic din when not playing his solos, all while Yo-Yo Ma tries to play down the middle...
...draws, it has championed several relatively unknown ensembles which can outplay the competition, big label or not. A good example is the Brahms piano quartet cycle recorded by Domus, which outshines Sony's offering with a super-powerhouse lineup of Isaac Stern, Jaime Laredo, Yo-Yo Ma, and Emanuel Ax...