Worst looking CD/LP artwork

[71 dB]

The cover art doesn't bother me. The cover words do.

I re-thought the cover art. Hopefully the words bother you less.

[Florestan]

The cover art doesn't bother me. The cover words do.

Well, the absurdity of the words matches the absurdity of the recordings. Why would anyone take the trouble to transcribe Bach's Cello Suites and Goldberg Variations for solo violin and perform them as such? I can think of only one answer: to show that it can be done --- but then again, not everything that can be done is worth doing.

There's still another possibility, now that I think of it. Mr. Jimenez could have of course chosen from the many works with which the genuine solo violin repertoire is blessed besides Bach's sonatas and partitas: Locatelli, Tartini, Paganini, Fiorillo, Kreutzer, Beriot, Ernst, Vieuxtemps, Sauret, Ysaye --- they have all composed marvelous pieces for solo violin. But of course they are not at all as respectable, important and interesting as Bach; there's much more prestige and it is a much more serious artistic accomplishment to play the Goldberg Variations on violin than to play Sauret's Etudes-Caprices for violin. Way to go, Mr. Jimenez! Please, give us as soon as possible the Well-Tempered Clavier too! And why not think even bigger and crown your career with Johannes-Passion transcribed for solo violin?

[pjme]

I re-thought the cover art. Hopefully the words bother you less.

Ok, ok. Nice try, Pujo, but allow me to say it's a bit ... gallant, innocent....I don't have Photoshop or other digital equipment to transform the design, but Jimenez is an iconoclast and could/should/would inspire a tougher (crazier) visual effect.  

Jorge Jimenez loves to use his devilish eyes...nobody will deter him from his dangerous, extravagant, impermissible   escapades! Brrrr...!

[Scion7]

is it Dennis Yeats Wheatley (8 January 1897 – 10 November 1977)..... a writer of occult novels?

[JBS]

Well, the absurdity of the words matches the absurdity of the recordings. Why would anyone take the trouble to transcribe Bach's Cello Suites and Goldberg Variations for solo violin and perform them as such? I can think of only one answer: to show that it can be done --- but then again, not everything that can be done is worth doing.

There's still another possibility, now that I think of it. Mr. Jimenez could have of course chosen from the many works with which the genuine solo violin repertoire is blessed besides Bach's sonatas and partitas: Locatelli, Tartini, Paganini, Fiorillo, Kreutzer, Beriot, Ernst, Vieuxtemps, Sauret, Ysaye --- they have all composed marvelous pieces for solo violin. But of course they are not at all as respectable, important and interesting as Bach; there's much more prestige and it is a much more serious artistic accomplishment to play the Goldberg Variations on violin than to play Sauret's Etudes-Caprices for violin. Way to go, Mr. Jimenez! Please, give us as soon as possible the Well-Tempered Clavier too! And why not think even bigger and crown your career with Johannes-Passion transcribed for solo violin?

Well, there's lots of works for solo violin which are nice and pleasant but don't touch people's hearts the way Bach does.  And some of them aren't exactly underrecorded: I stopped counting the number of recordings of Ysaye's Opus 27 available from Presto when I got to twenty.

And he's not alone in doing the Cello Suites for violin.

She just released a version of the Goldbergs done as a Baroque ensemble work.
I haven't heard either.

[Scion7]

Those transcriptions for the cello sonatas are from the mid-19th century - but that doesn't mean ol' Johann Sebastian would approve.    (or having the 'goat of Mendez' as an image on his music)

[Florestan]

Well, there's lots of works for solo violin which are nice and pleasant but don't touch people's hearts the way Bach does.  And some of them aren't exactly underrecorded: I stopped counting the number of recordings of Ysaye's Opus 27 available from Presto when I got to twenty.

And he's not alone in doing the Cello Suites for violin.

She just released a version of the Goldbergs done as a Baroque ensemble work.
I haven't heard either.

My point, by which I stand, is that the genuine violin repertoire is large enough that one needs not resort to transcriptions of dubious value and interest --- but as I said before, why play something written for the violin by a non-German composer when one can play the Goldberg Variations on the violin and congratulate oneself for their superior taste and artistry? 

[JBS]

My point, by which I stand, is that the genuine violin repertoire is large enough that one needs not resort to transcriptions of dubious value and interest --- but as I said before, why play something written for the violin by a non-German composer when one can play the Goldberg Variations on the violin and congratulate oneself for their superior taste and artistry?   

But suppose you're one of those people who find Sauret's Etudes-Caprices of dubious value and interest?

Să nu discutăm despre gusturi.

[JBS]

Those transcriptions for the cello sonatas are from the mid-19th century - but that doesn't mean ol' Johann Sebastian would approve.    (or having the 'goat of Mendez' as an image on his music)

Given the attitude musicians of his era had towards transcriptions and adaptations, he probably would just shrug his shoulders about the transcriptions.

The cover art otoh...

[Florestan]

But suppose you're one of those people who find Sauret's Etudes-Caprices of dubious value and interest?

I am inclined to think that of those very few people who have actually listened to them fewer still find them of dubious value and interest, whereas many, if not most, Bach devotees would not go out of their way to listen to the Goldberg Variations transcribed for solo violin.

Să nu discutăm despre gusturi.

Preferi să discutăm despre culori? 

[Pohjolas Daughter]

I am inclined to think that of those very few people who have actually listened to them fewer still find them of dubious value and interest, whereas many, if not most, Bach devotees would not go out of their way to listen to the Goldberg Variations transcribed for solo violin.

Preferi să discutăm despre culori? 

You, and others here, might want to first watch this before deciding things.  It also looks like he posted various tracks from it too (Goldberg V.).  Note:  he also did this whole video by himself during a Covid lockdown in the UK.

  There is also at least one about his transcription of the cello pieces (look around a bit).

PD

[Madiel]

I re-thought the cover art. Hopefully the words bother you less.

No. Still just as bothered.

For some musicians, it seems that being in possession of a hammer makes them see everything as a nail.

[Pohjolas Daughter]

No. Still just as bothered.

For some musicians, it seems that being in possession of a hammer makes them see everything as a nail.

Perhaps they really love the works and want to be able to play them?  And are willing to spend a lot of time and effort to try and adapt them for the instrument that they can play?  Maybe just try and give them a listen before judging?   

PD

[Madiel]

Perhaps they really love the works and want to be able to play them?  And are willing to spend a lot of time and effort to try and adapt them for the instrument that they can play?  Maybe just try and give them a listen before judging?   

PD

As discussed elsewhere, I'm a pianist but it never occurs to me to want to be able to play the string quartets I love. I'm not that self-centred.

And we're talking about commercially released recordings. Why the hell do I need to spend time listening to a version of the cello suites that's not on a cello given the sheer number of options for listening to it on a cello? That's like suggesting that, when trying to choose an ice skate, that I shouldn't discount going ice skating in flippers until I've tried it.

Well, I'm sure it's possible to eventually work out how to ice skate in flippers, but why would I decide to throw away all the previous effort that went into working out that blades were a good choice?

A composer's decisions about the combination of music and instrument are not random. I wish more people would respect those decisions.

[Florestan]

One way to read it is thus:

Beetho Venham Merkla

Vier-So (ie, Four-So in German)

Nate Afa

Nassiev

that is, the first line is the name of the composer, the second line is the name of the work, the third line is the name of the conductor and the last line is the name of the ensemble. 

[Madiel]

One way to read it is thus:

Beetho Venham Merkla

Vier-So (ie, Four-So in German)

Nate Afa

Nassiev

that is, the first line is the name of the composer, the second line is the name of the work, the third line is the name of the conductor and the last line is the name of the ensemble. 

Yes I saw that one, was it the New Releases thread? Hopeless. It genuinely took a moment to work out what music was on the album.

[AnotherSpin]

It never ceases to amaze me. Why are comments deleted? What are you afraid of, moderators?

[71 dB]

Ok, ok. Nice try, Pujo, but allow me to say it's a bit ... gallant, innocent....I don't have Photoshop or other digital equipment to transform the design, but Jimenez is an iconoclast and could/should/would inspire a tougher (crazier) visual effect.

Jorge Jimenez loves to use his devilish eyes...nobody will deter him from his dangerous, extravagant, impermissible  escapades! Brrrr...!

Okay. I didn't know this violin player. Based on your feedback, I re-designed/re-thought the cover art again hopefully reflecting better the personality of this artist:

[pjme]

Perfect! 

[Florestan]

I wonder if there is a recording of the violin sonatas and partitas played on the cello.