Hindson: Violin Concerto - Corigliano: Suite from the Red Violin - Liszt: Totentanz

The new Hindson violin concerto is infinitely enjoyable. The role of percussion and the range of moods, dynamics, and tempo all work together marvelously. Ms. St. John played with her usual appropriate passion and with great attention to her technique and interpretaion. Liszt's composition and arrangement is particulary enjoyable and one would have thought that Liszt did compose the piece for violin. I recommend this CD highly.

I loved the film, "The Red Violin" and have Josh Bell's recording of the soundtrack. I was fascinated to listen to Lara St. John's stunning read of Corigliano's suite from the film. The new Hindson concerto and Totentanz arrangement were added surprises. I strongly recommend this disc to anyone who is passionate about new music but prefers lush tonality to the stark atonality of some recent offerings. St. John is captivating in this recording.

I bought this for the Red Violin and ended up enjoying the other two works as much or even more. Hindson I'd never heard of, but it's riveting new stuff. And the Liszt arrangement also is distinctive and memorable. I certainly can't agree with the reviewer who called the performance "scratchy." I'm no pro, but not sure what he's talking about. Try it; you'll like it.

This is an awsome violinist playing and an awsome concerto by an awsome new composer. I normally only like the dead composers but this rivals them in a heartbeat, no pun intended!

Lara St. John's new album has wonderful and challenging performances by her and her fellow artists. Lara plays beautiful and demanding contemporary works by Australian composer Hindson, Corigliano's" Red Violin" Suite, and a new arrangement of Liszt's "Totentanz" created by Lara and her friend and collaborator Martin Kennedy. The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra and Lara play as one under conductor Sarah Ioannides and the recording -- Lara's second with record producer Martha de Francisco -- is exquisite, like their recent recording of the Bach Sonatas and Partitas for Violin Solo. You feel like you are in the same room with these powerful and sensitive performers. This recording demonstrates that the new Hindson Concerto and the Totentanz arrangement belong in the standard repertoire for solo violinists. The iTunes version includes the Booklet (in English, French, and German) that is packaged with the CD version. The Booklet -- created with the same care as the musical performances -- has informative essays and beautiful photographs of wild Australian landscapes and of Lara. This is a must for your collection.

Perfection, masterful and exciting.....this new CD has all the makings of a classical hit combining contemporary classical music with 19th c. Franz Liszt's work. The concept and execution by extraordinarily talented Lara St. John brings together other fine artists. This is a must buy for family and friends. Enjoy!

Lara St John's latest release tries hard to impress but has a way to go. Hindson is a new composer to me. His concerto seems to be influenced by everyone from John Adams, to Copland. The concerto meanders without much of a form or purpose until the final movement. It's a concerto that could have promise but it needs some serious revision. The Suite from the Red Violin is probably the best of the bunch on the record. The Totentanz transcription by Kennedy is a nice idea but fails to impress, especially at the end. One would exepct a lot better from a student of Babbitt. It lacks the flair of the origional and has no real technical fireworks to exploit that one would come to hope to hear. Ms St John's tone is shockingly scratchy thoughout even in lyrical passages and the orchestra drowns her out at times when they shouldn't. She also has some obvious technichal flaws in passages that aren't really hard to play at all. In sum this is a nice attempt but I was hoping for more from St John. Considering her pedigree she could do better and has played better in the past. Only time will tell if she has the staying power to continue to record and tour as a serious artist.