12 Stradivari

VP Bellerofonte comments: 'Alas, the dreamed result isn't realized here.'packrat comments: 'it's as if this was a piano, with violin accompaniment.'These reservations are well taken, and now a year after the audio release, the filmed documentary has come out, and it shows us the reason why.Yes, it was a wonderful opportunity for a brilliant violinist to handle twelve classic instruments, but unfortunately even a brilliant violinist has the wind taken out of her sails when she comes down with COVID. We were told the recording was delayed for several days -- it is now revealed it was actually three weeks. She herself said she had mild flu symptoms - but the film documentary shows her suffering greatly as she plays the various numbers. I am so sorry for her, because she looks just the way I felt when I had COVID. I am sure that she is very unhappy to have had this golden moment spoiled by a stupid virus.I can see why there was a push to finish the recording, since eleven of the instruments were on loan for a specific period of time. But what we got was the sound of 12 classic violins played by a very tired violinist, still recuperating from a draining illness, with the pianist trying to pick up the slack.At the beginning of the documentary, before she got sick, she was so filled with excitement, her eyes just glowed. Then came the hiatus, and then she was just punishing herself to finish. There was beautiful rapport between her and her accompanist at the beginning, but after he had to cool his heels for three weeks waiting for her to come back to the studio, the two of them are spitting nails at each other. That was no way for them to realize 'the dreamed result.'It was an experiment worth trying, and it is worth doing right. Please try it again, scaled back to something a little more manageable. Maybe six violins instead of twelve? Call it "6 More Stradivari.' I would love to hear the results.PS -- It would be easier to compare the violins if she played each song on two of them -- perhaps each one on her own Shumsky and again on one of the others.

I deeply appreciate great classical musicians...and Janine Jansen is certainly one of the best. I'm also utterly fascinated by the provenance, beauty, and quality of the great Cremonese instruments, of which Stradivari violins have been THE best for 100s of years. So this concept, a great violinist recording on 12 of the finest violins ever made, sounds like a match made in heaven. Alas, the dreamed result isn't realized here.Every virtuoso violinist, when asked, will talk about how each Strad has its own personality, and the process of learning it, of mastering its quirks and demands, can take weeks, months, or even years. They talk about developing a partnership with their instrument which, in the most successful pairings, becomes something akin to a long marriage of inseparable soulmates.Assembling this set of 12 Stradivaris was a hugely difficult undertaking, as separating any Strad from its owner and/or player for even a brief time is a very tall ask. Their value...sentimental, historical, and commerical...is almost immeasurable. (The story is told in the notes and in the documentary about this project.)Unfortunately, this meant that Jansen actually had very little time with each instrument. I'm sure she chose these works carefully and plays them masterfully on her own violin, but here, she struggles to coax from these unfamiliar violins the eloquence and tone that we imagine both she and they are capable of.As a curiosity project, an opportunity to hear 12 different Stradivaris back-to-back, this CD is certainly unique and historically worthwhile. But none of these recordings are likely to become one's "favorite version" of any of these pieces. This great artist was constrained by novel instruments she doesn't know, and these 12 glorious instruments were constrained by a practitioner simply not afforded the time to unlock their secrets and subtleties.

Interesting to hear 12 great violins.all played so beautifully.

The violin playing was great. But the piano is a little too loud. The CD doesn't identify which song is played by which violin, destroying the main purpose of making such a CD and they should have shown the backsides of the 12 Strads too, not just the frontsides. Very disappointed because of these two reasons.E. Wong

I wish this was a different review, but I got this CD as a Christmas gift for my wife. She is a professional violinist. The concept is interesting, and I wish we could hear the violin, but the piano makes it almost impossible to hear. It's as if this was a piano, recorded with a violin accompaniment, instead of the other way around. The whole point is to hear the Strad's, not the loud piano.

This is an album with a theme 12 violins all made by Stradivarius some of which have never been recorded before or played in a long while, I have a feeling that some of these instruments have become like classic cars bought for their value and rarity rather than to be used for the purpose it was intended. I bought this album after seeing a documentary on its making where Janine Jensen would switch violins searching for the instrument that best suited the music aided by accompanist Anthony Pappano I am particularly impressed by the 2 Tchaikovsky pieces and the Schumann Romance.I suppose the question this album poses is this: does a different instrument improve a performance or is it the talent and passion of the performer. Well judging by this album and the documentary Janine Jensen has the passion and undoubtedly has the talent the music is wonderful. For me it is the performer and the music that is important a great instrument can enhance a great performer but in the hands of someone not invested in the playing and the music then it is just another violin. So this album is an interesting experiment and well worth a listen to hear some the greatest violins played by a great performer. One thing this must have been an expensive album to make in insurance costs alone!!!

We'd watched the documentary about the recording of music on 12 Stradivari on Sky Arts (which I subsequently discovered was an abbreviated version to what was released for cinemas). I bought the disc in the hope that it would tell me more about the different violins used, but it actually said less than was given on screen in the documentary.

Shame really you could not often hear the beautiful sounds of the violinist and instruments. The piano accompaniment was either recorded to loud or is overbearing. Possibly would have been more insightful if just a soloist recording?

Saw the programme. Got the CD. Recommended. Really good selection of pieces. Surprised that the sound differs between violins.

What a privilege to be able to listen to 12 of these wonderful violins. Janine Jansen's playing added to the pleasure