Beethoven & More Violin Duets by Aleksey Igudesman

With his �reinventions� of some of Beethoven�s best-known works, Aleksey Igudesman has surpassed himself. These violin duets can best be described as �wicked�, using both the original sense of the word and its later teenagers� meaning! The fun starts with a version of �Moonlight Sonata�, played mostly pizzicato (and mercifully transposed from C# minor to A minor). Then we pass through Turkey with a funked up version of the Turkish March and come to �F�r Elise�, where Aleksey daringly claims to make it more emotional, intimate and epic. After that, the Spring Sonata becomes a �Spring Sonatina�, albeit with the addition of some unexpected chromatic scales. Finally, we arrive at �Beethoven Takes Five�. Does the title give you a clue? Yes, it�s the monumental Fifth Symphony but with five beats to the bar. But that�s not enough for Aleksey � he turns it into Mexican music, jazz, latin and swing and, in his own words, adds �all sorts of other abominations on top�. Dare you open this book? Love it or hate it, you will have fun!