Mr. FILIP JARO plays a double bass Johann Stepanhus Maldoner fecit Fussen 1778
Definitely a very good record release that of the bassist from Slovakia Filip Jaro with pianist Xénia Jarova who decided to dedicate their first CD entitled "Sonata for Double Bass and Piano" and published by Diskant to some important "sonatas" for double bass and piano, including drawing in people's repertoire as in the Sonata in A minor by Georg Friedrich Handel, who opens in a convinced and portentous this successful album. Jaro is a bass player who takes great care of the details that relate to the particular and enveloping sound and timbre that emerge from his double bass, excellent sound of his Johann Stephanus Maldoner of 1778. The interpretative grace of the individual sonatas ranging from Baroque era to the twentieth century it is also due to an intriguing and fascinating accompaniment of refined pianist Xénia Jarova, which more than "accompanying" a bass with its intake duct and sound wise is amazingly blends with this tool leaving the incredulous listener compared to the incredible sound potential that can instill a bass that lets you do "chamber music" with a piano. In addition, remarkable is also the sound impact that Jaro and Jarova are able to offer thanks to a very good level digital recording, very well cared for by the record company Diskant Bratislava. As we said before, since "Grave" Sonata in A minor Handel (actually a written composition for oboe) already known as Jaro proves a great technical mastery and interpretative, typical of the Baroque period. His way of playing is determined and concrete, light and lively, and when it needs safe and fearless. The quality of its bow strokes appear to be for the excellent quality "spiccato-balzato", and in use of a "vibrato" well balanced and never neurotic just like it should be for a bassit of quality as soloist. From the background, so to speak, the great ability of Jarova to interact with bass in a consistent and fluid, thus providing herself a remarkable type interpretation "dualistic" makes this very interesting new CDs in the international music scene and, surely, continue to have numerous acclaim from the critics. Perfect pitch even in poor neighborhoods showed "double stops" for a bass player are always the real sticking node. In short, a musical affinity and artistic well achieved that between Jaro and Jarova, which is also noticeable in the famous Sonata in D Major by Johann Matthias Sperger T.39 and that is consolidated in equally known Sinata in E minor Op.6 by Adolf Misek. The Misek "Sonata" Op.6, in fact, belongs to "de facto et in toto" the pure repertoire for double bass and its technical difficulties appear to be significant in well 4 times that make it up. But Jaro seems to be very comfortable with this Sonata often engraved pulling excessively fast times. Surely the Jaro virtuosity is of the highest quality in all respects, enhanced by a Jarova also very careful in the use of the pedals of his magnificent piano. In short, every detail has been taken into account in this first CD of the couple in the Duo-Jaro Jarova that in our sole discretion stands as one of the most interesting works on records released in recent times. But Jaro goes beyond interpreting with great sense of rhythm and interpretation accuracy, always and constantly flowing, the Sonatina of Ludovit Rajter and always Sonata in four movements of this composer who is little known but which, in our opinion, should be kept longer account in no immense wealth of musical compositions for the classical double bass. "Last but not least" the great qualities of Jaro in the address the "singable" or "Cantabile" themes where we see the true mastery of a good performer and interpreter who leaves runs his bow with extreme lightness and security, making the most of every eighth of bass taking a very focused sound and a style of absolute artistic value. A CD, in short, that flows nicely in his nearly seventy minutes of great music and that was recorded in a single session. From a technical-acoustic point of view, the CD is also remarkable for the most avid audiophile will find that a very good sound recovery is that the bass of the piano, without too many tricks that completely fall within the limits of editing technology that today can be offered to listener. In short, no "ghost manipulation" that might suggest a lower yield of this amazing Duo when surely will perform "live" in concert halls around the world. We hope very much. Happy listening.
prof.dr. Vito D. Liuzzi