RE: Cadenza..............

[CarrollTowerCX]

Vanessa-Mae is such a talented young woman, that at the early age of 9 she was writing cadenzas for Mozart Concertos, or those of Marius Casadesus.

What brought up the subject of cadenzas was my listening to Vanessa-Mae's "Classical Collection part 1". These are republished works from her first three albums referred to as the "Kiddie Albums". I have always been a Classical Music enthusiast, (But I love her Techno Acoustic Fusion music just as well.) I have always loved her style and technique.

I had read recently that she had indeed written cadenzas as early as age 9 and when looking over the booklet enclosed with the CD, I noted she is credited with writing the cadenzas for the Violin Concerto in D 'Adelaide', by Casadesus.

So always wanting to know more about Vanessa-Mae and her music style, I had to look up what exactly a cadenza was. Now I know that all of you musicians know, but there may be some, such as myself, that had an idea but did not know exactly.

So a Cadenza is: "A cadenza is an improvised or written out ornamental passage played by a soloist, usually in free rhythmic style, and often allowing for virtuosic display."

"Cadenza often refers to a portion of a concerto in which the orchestra stops playing, leaving the soloist to play alone, in free time and can be written or improvised, this normally occurs near the end of the first movement, though it can be at any point in a concerto. It usually is the most elaborate and virtuosic part that the solo instrument plays during the whole piece. At the end of the cadenza, the orchestra re-enters, and generally finishes off the movement on their own, or, less often with the solo instrument."

As I sit here listening to Her play, I am astounded that these were recorded between Oct 31, 1990 and Feb, 1992, when she was a child of 12 - 13 years old! It is amazing and remarkable. A child prodigy, yes indeed! How she could memorize all that music and the fingering, God what talent!

May this beautiful and talented young woman play forever !

CX

[Raytac]

Hi CarrollTowerCX ! Thanks for sharing your impressions and feelings about Vanessa Mae playing Classic.I fully agree with you !!! She is amazing talent,indeed.But in the same time,She is very simple and nice girl,with wide point of wiev in all Music ! That admires me.Because many musicians of Classical Music,don't even want talk about other kinds of Music,such as techno,dance,rock and so on.But Vanessa Mae is really Unique in this case.She really joins Classic and all other Music styles.I love her ! I just hope that Vanessa Mae will record new album,new Music or maybe sometimes will play something from pure Classics.It would be great ! Vanessa Mae inspires me all the time ! I love this wonderful girl !
P.S.Now I listen to her playing Leyenda and I love that Music,also love Destiny,Laughing Buddha,Moroccan Roll,Night Flight,Theme from Caravans,Aurora,Butterfly-Lovers violin concert,and all others ! I love all that she plays !!!!

[Raytac]

I so love how Vanessa Mae plays J.S.Bach.Prelude from Partita nr.3 ! Her violin really sings and talks ! Very beautiful tone and freedom in playing.By the way,She played in day of my birthday!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u2Hn_07CgKk

[CarrollTowerCX]

Raytac,

Nice birthday present, indeed.

I love all of her music, especially the Classical. Also Warm Air, I'm A Doun, Bach Street Prelude, A Poet's Quest, etc......I had better stop now, or I will end up listing all of her music.

CX

[Raytac]

CarrollTowerCX !
I feel exactly the same.
I love all Vanessa Mae Music !

[Raytac]

Look at this Sarasate.Carmen Fantasy played by two great girls violinists our lovely Vanessa Mae -
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_AI9hq0dYlY or Vanessa-Mae Live in Berlin '96 part 8
and Sarah Chang -
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oP4b-vE7 ... re=related or Sara Chang Carmen Fantasy MV (Part 1 of 2) and (Part 2 of 2).
and tell what you think,your opinion,it's interesting to me and I will tell my impressions about their interpretations.

[CarrollTowerCX]

Raytac,

I have just listened to both, but once is not enough for me to comment constructively. I will listen a few more times to both, and then I will let you know how I feel about their performances. I have CD's of both violinists, in fact I knew of Sarah Chang before I discovered Vanessa-Mae.....but....well I will comment later.

CX

[Raytac]

CarrollTowerCX ! Ok,I understand you.It would be interesting.I listened many violinists recently but I love Vanessa Mae ! She has something, what I can't express in words,you know..Especially I love her very very beautiful colour of her violin tone and her way of expression when she plays.We will share our thoughts more soon.

[CarrollTowerCX]

Raytac,

I will probably post something tonight, after I get home from work about Midnight.

CX

[CarrollTowerCX]

Well Raytac,

For what limited use my opinion of these two artists are, I will try and explain my views.

First I must say that I am prejudiced in favor of Vanessa-Mae at all times......sorry but that's the way it is! Second I DO like Sarah Chang and not just because she is Korean, as is my Wife, but because of her playing ability. Third, I am not a musician, as you and many of the other members are. So I am at a disadvantage in explaining any technical things about their playing.

That said, I did enjoy both interpretations. Sarah Chang's piece was, to me, very good and the sound of the violin was vary "brilliant". But I thought, for the most part, a little fast. Now I am an aficionado of musicians hands when they play, and Sarah's fingering was superb and very enjoyable to watch.

Vanessa-Mae's performance was very good too. She started out much slower, and I enjoyed her interpretation very much. Her violin seemed to me, at the beginning to be nice and "mellow". She gradually increased her speed and as that picked up her violin then began to sound "brilliant" in tone. And as always I could not keep my eyes off of her left hand and her wonderful fingering.

I must tell you that I did a little research, in the sense that I listened to another of my favorite violinists, Jascha Heifetz, playing the same piece, just to compare. And I must say, for the most part, Vanessa-Mae, played more in the style of Heifetz, although all three had their own individual interpretation.

Finally, though I must admit, both artists did superb, I liked Vanessa-Mae's best.....as you should have guessed!

That's my opinion and I'M sticking with it,

CX

[Raytac]

Thank you CarrollTowerCX for sharing your thoughts about their playing.I have the same feeling as you also.Yes,Jasha Heifetz is legendary violinist.I love Jascha Heifetz playing very much.He is maybe the best violinist we have of all times.I have a lot of His great records.(Also,I love Isaac Stern,Izhak Perlman,Oistrakh,Pavel Berman playing).By the way,I've read somewhere that Vanessa Mae is admired by Jascha Heifetz and He is Her favourite violinist.
From nowadays violinists,like Sarah Chang,and others,like Hilary Hahn,performings are great.But I,like you, love and admire Vanessa Mae the most.I love Her fingering so much also.It's very good to watch Vanessa Mae hands,fingering(especially that little finger,oh,that's wonderful) and to hear Her beautiful,mellow and so deep sound of Her Guadagnini violin.But it's not only violin.Her interpretations and Her talent has so much colours and is so sincere.Sarah interpretations is a little bit fast,I agree and maybe tone has other colour,maybe to much specific violin sound but Vanessa Mae's I always love to listen,listen to that Divine sound,brilliant tone and pure colour and intonation.For me,Her sound goes transcendental and I love also how She keep Her face expression well balanced and very modest but playing,not making very much moves when playing(certainly She moves but Her moves are so natural and flowing,like water),but in the same time, She has many tone and colours shadings.She reflects inner and outer beauty,well balanced harmony,charm,magic,dignity and warm sincerity and simplicity but also naughty and this beautiful natural girlish look and all this is so well in harmony ! These things are, which I admire in Vanessa Mae and in Her playing very much ! And it makes Her very special.Her violin transcending violin frames,I have to say,that I even have a real feeling like I drink a mellow,full of warmth and purity Divine nectar of Vanessa Mae violin sound and no matter electric or Guadagnini,but I love Her Guadagnini acoustic violin the most,certainly.And one more thing,like I wrote before,in Vanessa Mae and Her playing violin is something that I can't express in any words.I just admire and admire that reflection of that sincere perfection and warmth.Vanessa Mae has something that I can't find in any other violinists.Vanessa Mae IS my inspiration source(from Cello players in the same way I admire Yo-Yo Ma the most (and Pierre Fournier).Their cello sounds and interpretations also is so warm,very sincere and has very beautiful,brilliant and pure sound and unlimited shadings in Music)
I love Vanessa Mae and I hope She will continue to play,record some Classic and create new Music.
So,that's my impresions from my heart about my and our lovely Vanessa Mae !
Rokas(cellist from Lithuania) aka Raytac
P.S.CarrollTowerCX thank yu again so much for sharing your impressions with me.I hope some others will also share their impressions

[CarrollTowerCX]

Raytac,

Thank you for your remarks on my interpretation of the musical piece of Sarah Chang and Vanessa-Mae. I see you share my views on our special Violinist Vanessa-Mae.

CX

[CarrollTowerCX]

Raytac,

Take a look at this. A report of a few years ago, Vanessa-Mae vs Sarah Chang. You might find this interesting.

http://www.vanessamae.com/tchaibee.shtml

CX