JOSHUA BELL: ROMANCE OF THE VIOLIN

Mozart: Andante from Piano Concerto No 21 in C Major K467 (Elvira Madigan)

Debussy: The Girl with Flaxen Hair (from Preludes, Book 1; La fille aux cheveux de lin: Prelude for Piano L 117/8)

Massenet: Elegie (Elégie 'O doux printemps d'autrefois' for voice and piano)

Bellini: Casta Diva (from 'Aida')

Puccini: O mio babbino caro (from 'Gianni Schicchi')

Gluck: Dance of the Blessed Spirits (from 'Orfeo ed Euridice')

Mendelssohn: Song without Words for piano, Book 5, Op 62 No 1in G Major 'May Breezes'

Monteverdi: 'Pur ti mio' (from 'L'incoronazione di Poppea')

Borodin: Nocturne from Quartet for Strings No 2 in D Major: 3rd movement, Andante 'Nocturne'

Chopin: Nocturne in C sharp minor (Op Post)

Saint-Saens: The Swan (from Carnival of the Animals: original for 2 pianos and ensemble No. 13 'Le Cygne')

Schumann: Traümerai (from 'Kinderszenen' {Scenes from Childhood) for piano, Op 15, No. 7 'Dreaming' )

Schubert: Serenade (from 'Schwanengesang' song cycle for voice and piano, D 957 Serenade)

Bach: Suite for orchestra No 3 in D Major, BWV 1068: 'Air on the G String'

Dvorak: Songs my Mother Taught Me (Als die alte Mutter), song for voice and piano (Gypsy Melodies, B104/4 Op 55/4)

Romance Of The Violin is a unique take on great melodies from instrumental, vocal and operatic works, spanning three centuries and from composers like Bach and Debussy. This is Joshua's 27th recording and he works on this album with Craig Leon, who's had previous success with Pavarotti and Andreas Scholl, amongst others. On this album Leon has created a new setting for each selection, which showcases the richly ringing tone of Bell's violin, the Stradivarius known as the "Gibson ex Huberman", which dates back to 1713. The album also features the Academy of St.Martins in the Fields, conducted by Michael Stern.

Sony SK87894