This is a curious little disc. Although the front cover of the album says Cello Essentials, the back cover lists it as "Guitar Essentials." No need to worry, though; Janos Starker did not take leave of his sense and take up the guitar. Apart from listing the pieces being played, the album offers listeners no other information. It doesn't mention who transcribed the compositions (and more than half of the tracks are "fluff" transcriptions), when any of the recordings were made, or any history about the performers themselves ...
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This is a curious little disc. Although the front cover of the album says Cello Essentials, the back cover lists it as "Guitar Essentials." No need to worry, though; Janos Starker did not take leave of his sense and take up the guitar. Apart from listing the pieces being played, the album offers listeners no other information. It doesn't mention who transcribed the compositions (and more than half of the tracks are "fluff" transcriptions), when any of the recordings were made, or any history about the performers themselves other than a little blurb about Starker from The New York Times. As mentioned, more than half the album is devoted to trite little pieces that, while Starker is more than capable of executing them, could just as easily be performed by a talented high school cellist. There are moments, however, where Starker really gets to show what he's all about. The two Popper pieces, the Paganini Moses Fantasy, and the transcription of Rossini's Barber of Seville are the very essence of show...
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Add this copy of Cello Essentials to cart. $19.59, new condition, Sold by Importcds rated 5.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Sunrise, FL, UNITED STATES, published 2008 by Denon Records.
