Smile

( 4 )

Editorial Reviews

All Music Guide - Uncle Dave Lewis
Violinist Anne Akiko Meyers' Koch release Smile continues, to some extent, from her previous Avie issue Birds in Warped Time in that she is attempting to expand beyond the constraints of typical classical CD programming -- combining a couple of big works, or collecting a bunch of little ones, "encores" -- into something more imaginative and in more keeping with her own taste and personality. With that, Meyers has invested some measure of muscle into developing repertoire that fits her generous, yet transparent tone with the same degree of comfort as one of her designer-made concert gowns. Here we have an arrangement of the Japanese melody "Kojo No Tsuki," made by ...
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Editorial Reviews

All Music Guide - Uncle Dave Lewis
Violinist Anne Akiko Meyers' Koch release Smile continues, to some extent, from her previous Avie issue Birds in Warped Time in that she is attempting to expand beyond the constraints of typical classical CD programming -- combining a couple of big works, or collecting a bunch of little ones, "encores" -- into something more imaginative and in more keeping with her own taste and personality. With that, Meyers has invested some measure of muscle into developing repertoire that fits her generous, yet transparent tone with the same degree of comfort as one of her designer-made concert gowns. Here we have an arrangement of the Japanese melody "Kojo No Tsuki," made by Meyers herself in collaboration with Shigeaki Saegusa, for solo violin. With all apologies due to accompanist Akira Eguchi, this solo violin track is one of the loveliest things that Meyers has ever done. Not that Eguchi does not get to shine, which he does in Meyers' performance of Franz Schubert's "C major Violin Fantasy," a work dating from a gloomy period in Schubert's life all too often written off as a succulent bonbon designed to please the Viennese public -- indeed, Meyers locates the work's dark side. Yet she likewise finds the sunlight peeking through the stained glass window of the cathedral in Olivier Messiaen's "Fantaisie" (1933), a violin and piano piece wholly unknown until it was discovered in 2007 and recorded for American audiences here for the first time. It is early, but recognizable as Messiaen's from the first bar and even hinting at some of his later tendency towards eclecticism, referencing as it does a twisted-up line of chant melody in its opening and borrowing a figure from Richard Strauss' "Till Eulenspiegel's Lustige Streiche." Elsewhere we have a reading of Arvo Pärt's "Spiegel im Spiegel" that is as smooth and undisturbed as the surface of a mirror, or perhaps a particularly motionless pool of water, sparkling renditions of a pair of tasty Piazzolla tangos and tasteful, respectful recastings of popular songs, Harold Arlen's "Over the Rainbow" and the title track, Charlie Chaplin's "Smile" as arranged by Claus Ogerman. Every moment of Smile is generous, warm, and entertaining; as a whole, this album strikes a strong balance between ambition and amusement, none too wonky for fans with only a casual contact with classical, yet meaty enough to engage the eggheads. Smile is Meyers' 13th album; not too many artists who embark on their careers as prodigies get to survive as long, or to record as often, as Meyers, and you get the sense that she appreciates it, and us. Smile is very a well planned, well recorded -- though one could argue for a bit more of the accompaniment here and there -- and a beautifully played program that is emotionally fulfilling, substantive, and never boring. For those interested in attending one of Meyers' concerts, this is an ideal disc to get to know her with, but Smile would be just as good for late night reading or snuggling, as it combines the qualities of a wonderfully intimate feel, graciousness, and Meyers' own personal charisma. Bravo!
BBC Music Magazine - Paul Riley
Meyers's beautiful sound and control pay dividends in Pärt's crystalline Spiegel im Spiegel.
Newark Star-Ledger - Bradley Bambarger
1/2 [Meyers] offers a compelling balance of glamour and gravity.... The violinist's silvery tone and sense of drama make two of Piazzolla's most memorable tangos more ravishing than ever.
Audiophile Audition - Laurence Vittes
() A stunning recital.... Sequenced so effectively that each new style creates a riveting new musical window and the 63-minute recital passes very quickly.

1/2 [Meyers] offers a compelling balance of glamour and gravity.... The violinist's silvery tone and sense of drama make two of Piazzolla's most memorable tangos more ravishing than ever.
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Product Details

  • Release Date: 1/27/2009
  • Label: Koch Int'l Classics
  • UPC: 099923776222
  • Catalog Number: 7762
  • Sales rank: 10,553

Tracks

Disc 1
  1. 1 Smile (as used in the film "Modern Times" ) (spurious; by Geoffrey Persons) - Charlie Chaplin & Claus Ogerman (3:22)
    Composed byCharlie Chaplin
  2. 2 Spiegel im Spiegel, for violin & piano - Arvo Pärt & Anne Akiko Meyers (7:08)
    Composed byArvo Pärt
  3. 3 Introducción al ángel, tango (from tango cycle, El ángel) - Astor Piazzolla & Anne Akiko Meyers (4:38)
    Composed byAstor Piazzolla
  4. 4 Milonga en ré, tango for violin (or cello) & piano - Astor Piazzolla & Anne Akiko Meyers (3:42)
    Composed byAstor Piazzolla
  5. 5 Fantasie, for violin & piano, II/12 - Olivier Messiaen & Anne Akiko Meyers (7:47)
    Composed byOlivier Messiaen
  6. 6–9 Fantasia for violin & piano in C major ("Sei mir gegrüsst!"), D. 934 (Op. posth. 159) - Franz Schubert & Anne Akiko Meyers (25:03)
    Composed byFranz Schubert
    1. 6Andante molto
    2. 7Allegretto
    3. 8Andantino
    4. 9Tempo I; Allegro
  7. 10 Haru No Umi (Ocean in Springtime), for koto & shkauhachi (or violin) - Michio Miyagi & Anne Akiko Meyers (5:15)
    Composed byMichio Miyagi
  8. 11 Kojo No Tsuki (Moon over ruined Castle), for koto - Shigeaki Saegusa & Rentaro Taki (3:57)
    Composed byRentaro Taki
  9. 12 Somewhere Over the Rainbow (for the film The Wizard of Oz) - Harold Arlen & Anne Akiko Meyers (2:47)
    Composed byHarold Arlen
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Album Credits

Performance Credits
Anne Akiko Meyers Primary Artist
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Customer Reviews

Average Rating 4.5
( 4 )
Rating Distribution

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(3)

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Sort by: Showing 1 – 3 of 4 Customer Reviews

  • Posted October 1, 2010

    She May be a Violinist, But She's Really a Songtress!

    Anne Akiko Meyers new CD 'Smile' is an wonderful tour of the world of song. From her readings of two great standadrds, Smile from the film Modern Times by Charlie Chaplin and Somewhere over the Rainbow by Harold Arlen from the Wizard of Oz to her duplicating bird songs in Messiaen's Fantasie to the Japanese folksongs that she arranged herself. Ms. Meyer's tone has always been luminous but her new 1730 Stradivarius violin (The Royal Spanish) adds a dark timbre to the bottom of each note. It's almost like listening to a new violinist.

    The centerpiece of the recording is the Schubert Fantasie that is flanked on either side by the songs. As Schubert composed hundreds of songs (Lieder) that charactersitic is what Meyers brings to this excellent performance.

    It is almost as if Anne Akiko Meyers is embarking on a mew career as aviolinist and has decided that she won't be held in by any arbitrary boundaries out on her musically. I love this CD and I have not stop playing it since I got it. I heartily recommend this CD.

    1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

    Was this review helpful? Yes  NoThank you for your feedback.   Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.

  • Posted October 1, 2010

    A wonderful addition to your music library

    This is a pretty special CD. (Heck, it's worth the price even if one only gazes at the pictures on the front and back covers IMO).
    Jokes aside, this is a deliciously eclectic assemblage of selections ranging from Chaplin to Schubert to Saegusa to Dorothy and Toto.
    Each time this collection is played it seems brand new, there is so much diversity. Akiko Meyer gifts us beauty on many levels, as she is a truly gifted artist.

    Was this review helpful? Yes  NoThank you for your feedback.   Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.

  • Anonymous

    Posted February 2, 2009

    No text was provided for this review.

Sort by: Showing 1 – 3 of 4 Customer Reviews