Search - Charles Gounod, Irving Berlin, Carl Maria von Weber :: Wanted-The Bassoon Brothers

Four thumbs up for "Wanted-The Bassoon Brothers"

09/01/1999

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Four thumbs up because (a) this is a great recording and (b) that is the number of those digits that a person really ought to have to play the bassoon. I knew Mark Eubanks back in the '60's, as he was beginning to become the truly great bassoonist and TRULY weird guy he is today. Happily, both traits have blossomed in this recording. Amazingly, he found 3 equally talented accomplices to join him! If you are looking (listening) for an unusual, strange, amusing, highly professional and thoroughly enjoyable musical experience, you should get this CD, have friends over, pour some wine, try to be very quiet and listen to "Wanted - The Bassoon Brothers". If you ever get the chance, see them in person. They're great!"

Not my favourite, but...

trumgottist | Sweden | 10/12/2001

(3 out of 5 stars)

"I like bassoon quartets and have a tendency to buy all bassoon quartet records I see. Luckily for my wallet I don't see that many. The Bassoon Brothers CD is not my favourite bassoon quartet recording, in fact it's my least favourite but despite that it's not that bad and some of the tracks are actually quite good.So, what's bad? Some of the songs are played too "rough". I'm especially thinking of Gounod's Funeral March and Anderson's Buglers Holiday, which I've heard done wonderfully elsewhere. Bugler's Holiday is almost downight bad. I generally think they could have gained from a bit more polished playing style.But some tracks are well played: Alexanders Ragtime Band has a nice thing going and Dubois' Scherzo as well. And I like the Dragoons from Carmen...Conclusion: I won't recommend this to a person who's never heard a bassoon quartet. I'll play them United Sounds of Bassoon or the Caliban Quartet instead to get them hooked. But this CD can be worth its money too. So I give it three stars out of five."

An Astonishing Tour de Force for an Oft-maligned Instrument

lkellydesign2 | 06/06/1999

(5 out of 5 stars)

"The bassoon. It rhymes with "buffoon". Need one say more? Apparently the Bassoon Brothers think so! I whole-heartedly agree! Such things have been done with the bassoon on this album that one could scarcely imagine a decade ago. This group has definitely pushed the state of the art of bassoon playing with this release. If you own only one album of bassoon music, then move over that old copy of "Bassoon Bon-Bons", and make room for "Wanted - The Bassoon Brothers"."