Handoshkin, Ivan - Concerto in C Major - Viola and Piano - by Joseph Vieland - International Review

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(More customer reviews)The Handoshkin (also spelled Chandoshkin) Concerto in C Major for Viola (and strings, or strings with flutes, or - in this case - in piano reduction) is an excellently composed work that fully displays the capabiities and beauties of tone of this wonderful instrument. There are three movements - fast, slow, faster - as is typical. The first is a bit martial in style, the second Canzona is song-like, and the third La Chasse is a hunting romp. The first and last movements make extensive use of double stops, and one minor complaint I have of this edition is that Vieland's fingerings and shift indications for these passages take a bit of translation to figure out.
While most viola teachers and many students have heard of this work, not so many actually know it; certainly not to the extent that the Teleman G Major Concerto is taught and performed. The only recording that I know of is an old one by Rudolph Barshai, first released on vinyl and now available on YouTube as an .flv file, which adds a pair of flutes to the accompaniment (not, IMHO, a good choice). Either Barshai or Vieland has made substantial changes in the recapitulation of the first movement - including the cadenza, which is much more challenging in Barshai's performance, has introduced octave shifts in the Canzona - Barshai's performance is much more ineresting and exploits the lower register to great effect in the second A section, and has modified the cadenza of La Chasse - again, Barshai's is more challenging. I would suggest that anyone wishing to study this work listen to the Barshai version and decide whether or not to make at least the octave shifts Barshai uses in the Canzona.

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Rotosound RS99LDG Psd Stainless Steel Bass Guitar Strings (45 65 85 105) Review

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(More customer reviews)I tried these strings out because I wanted somethign different, and I'd had it with GHS strings. I found their tone gooey in the higher registers, and they were frequently "muffled" when it came to the lower tones, but they were loud. A friend suggested Rotosound strings and after much searching I settled on these. They're no where near as popular as the 66's whcih everyone seems to use, but I liked the idea of only the center string on the bridge, and the beefy winding, and so I thought I'd give them a try.
The cons:
1. You actually need to assemble the string youself on the bridge end, due to the design, there needs to be a certain length of bare string from the bridge before the winding starts, in order for it to sound right. That part is a little difficult, bets left to a luthier if you're in any doubt.
2. They are without a doubt the harshest strings my hands have ever felt. I've never had callouses build up so fast, and my fingers so sore until they did. They are a very rough string.
The pros:
1. WOW! They sound cool. For a precision bass, where the tone gets a little lost in comparison to a jazz bass, these strings still have plenty of bite and tone. They're very clear, and not muddy at all. The upper registers are clear, bright, and warm. The lower registers boom and have a fantastic growl to them. Turn the tone knob down and you have a huge amount of low end, clear and deep. They have incredible range.
2. What originally sold me on these strings was their attack and sustain. The small amount of contact between the string and the bridge allows for a very fast and sharp attack, and an insane amount of sustain. Just touching a string will produce a sound that will come on strong and last for ages. They are great.
If you're looking for a string that produces a strong growl, deep tone, and clear note, then these strings are it. Recommended for rock, punk, metal, or anything that needs an aggressive sound, and you won't be disappointed.

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PSD STAINLESS STEEL 45 65 85 105

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