Customer Reviews:

• Magestic, or topped?
  Well first of all, I give the guy five stars because it takes guts to play all six of Paganini's works for solo violin and orchestra. However, there is a guy named Ilya Kaler, who has recieved a gold in the Sibelius, Tchaikovsky, and Paganini violin competitions (the only one ever), and he can play these better. I have only heard the first two recorded by him (the Rondo movement of No.2 is my favorite!). His CD's are under the Naxos label. For the person that posted first: I can play the Adagio of No.1 better than that guy. Yes, he has the accuracy down, however what sets Perlman and Heifeitz apart is their ability to speed that technical abilty up. Paganini dazzled crowds with the technical virtuosity and SPEED, hence why some songs are played on only one string (sul G). Also, the only person that could top Perlman's alacrity and musicianship on the 24 Caprices could only be Paganini himself, so far. Ultimately I would take four or five hours out of my day to listen to these because Paganini is my favorite composer. I just wish he would not have died so young...think of the works he could have made....more info
• Exemplary Performances!
  Nicolo Paganini is primarily a virtuoso composer who did not compose anything other than for the violin in the early 19th century. He was a true prodigy of the instrument whose ferocious and innovative style of playing frightened many of the credulent folk into thinking he was the devil. With the increasing popularity of the waltz, he along with other romantics such as Beethoven completely revolutionized the concept of violin concertos that were still then mostly in the antiquated Roccoco menuet formulas of Mozart and Haydn.
  
  Salvatore Accardo is an accomplished violinist who performed many times with the most reputable groups such as I Musici di Roma and the English Chamber Orchestra. He was a long-time mentor of Anne-Sofie Mutter who performed with Karajan. Despite working often with various Baroque styles, Salvatore Accardo is primarily a specialist at Paganini and the Italian Romantic period and this is the main reason this recording is one of the best you can obtain for Paganini. Charles Dutoit is also an accomplished orchestral conductor and generally works very well with Rossini whose light romantic style in his operatic overtures have overlaps with the style in Paganini's contemporary symphonic arrangements for his violin concerti. Acardo and Dutoit were therefore a perfect match in performing Paganini and this ablum is a great example along with their other collaborations for the composer available on single CD. The music is light and joyful in its interpretation while many others tend to be heavy and sluggish. Accardo's performance is filled with vitality as he has complete mastery over the instrument and feels at ease in his performance without ever faltering. His performance brings out the fluidity and full range of Paganini's style very well. Salvatore Accardo's solo performance of the caprices is also one should put on their must-have list of Paganini virtuoso performances without question: they are divine.
  
  This album is a great buy where you can get all of Paganini's passionate violin concerti at a good price. There are really few if any performances equal to this one on the market other than those of Perlman perhaps but most are simply beneath it in every way and amateurish in comparison....more info
• There may be better recordings, but this is good
  Accardo is fabulous, first of all. I cannot downplay a violinist's ability to perform all of Paganini's works in the concerto form--anything by Paganini is brutally challenging. And I must confess that I have not heard this entire set; I have listened to his first two concertos only, so I cannot speak with much authority, except for what I listened to. But having heard many other recordings, and Accardo, I believe his sound is good, but not excellent. The violin is so difficult to make beautiful, especially in Paganini, which practically begs to be played in scratchy staccatas, mewling cries and painfully off-key tones. It is sweaty, nervous, crazy music. And the trick is to make it sound effortless and beautiful--this I am not sure Accardo manages to pull off. His technique in No. 1 certainly does not sound effortless to me, especially when you put him beside the youthful recording of Midori. His notes are at times scratchy--even so much so that the tones are difficult to decipher. We can tell very easily that his violin is made of wood and metal. Midori's recording sings, commands, and burns with power; Accardo's strains, sputters, and cringes. But in one sense I really cannot belittle him, because it takes a magician to play Paganini, and he does. ...more info
• Absolutely stunning ....
  I have had an opportunity to listen to Paganini's 1st (less freq. the 2nd) concerto many times(Markov,Perlman,Francescatti, Gitlis,Ricci,Menuhin,Grimaux etc.) and I can assure you that Accardo - especially his cadenza - is far the best I have ever heard and you can hear today. Accardo doesn't plays his fastest and doesn't show off his amazing technique like most of the other violinist (although he is able to play twice as fast as he shows here...) but he devotes all the technique to the needs of music and this is what's so amazing about him. He prizes precision and lyricism mostand his fascinating technique is just the servant, not the lord of music. Also notice that he never skips anything or never just plays something messily - even in the most difficult and fastest parts you can hear simply every single tone. By the way, no other violinist in the world has ever recorded (and played) so much of Paganini's music...well,to tell you the truth,Accardo played and recorded everything that came down from Paganini's time! If you don't know yet, you can find more in Deutche Grammophon catalogue (Accardo play various variations - "God Save the King" etc. - when you hear it, you will believe that he is the same "devil" as Paganini was thought to be) or check the EMI's title "Works for violin and orchestra" where Accardo for instance plays Paganini's Carnevale di Venezia" the way that keeps your mouth opened... As for his concertos again, I really do wonder who else next dares to record all the 6 concertos, Capprices and all the other works of Paganini. I consider Mr.Accardo to be one of the best violin player that were ever born....more info
• Salvatore Accardo in one of his best achievements ever made!
  During the middle seventies, this album was a true revelation. In fact, the entire set of these Violin Concertos simply had not been released. The fortunate combination with Charles Dutoit, The London Philharmonic Orchestra and Salvatore Accardo as soloist, allowed the audiences to appreciate and enjoy these works, with that special character; they are not deep pieces, are in the great tradition of Liszt, fireworks for the instrument.
  
  The Second, Fifth and Sixth Concertos are the best achievements among the rest. About the first Concerto, Leonid Kogan, the second finds in Micahel Rabin and Ivry Gitlis notable performers, and the fourth Artur Grumiaux.
  
  But if you really want to get the whole set with additional minor works, this is a very recommended choice.
  ...more info
• Vincenzo
  I say that Signore Salvatore Accardo is a very talented, gifted man but he is not a genius. Not bad at all what he does what he plays it a chararant style that is the real problem. And the other thing is he I also dont like how he plays the chords. Its really amatour I say....more info
• Excellent Performance
  Paganini is very well interpreted by Mr. Accardo, and of course Paganini's music is always extraordinary and unique.
  
  - Dabis Camero...more info