Adagio: A Windham Hill Collection
Adagiofollows in the rosin-dusted footsteps ofThe Impressionists,A Different Mozart, andA Different Prelude. As with those releases, it was produced by Dawn Atkinson and features many of the same artists. The results are as varied as the musicians. ViolinistTracy Silvermancuts one of his patented echo-delayed pizzicato violin arrangements of a Bach arioso, whilePatrick O'Hearndrapes a somber keyboard shroud around the Adagio from Rodrigo'sFantasy for a Gentleman. Jeff Johnson and Brian Dunning find the Celtic air in the Adagio from Handel's Sonata in G, whilePhilip Aabergdiscovers infinity between the notes of Barber's ubiquitousAdagio for Strings. He stretches the melody across his piano in finely drawn lines, subtlety filled out with synthesizer undertones. Subtlety is a casualty onPhilipe Saisse's bongos, bells, and synth arrangement of Bach'sAir on a G String. It's also sacrificed in a corny confection of Handel'sSarabandeby Paul Schwartz. His ham-fisted electronic keyboards would've sounded dated even beforeSwitched-On Bach. ButAdagiofeatures plenty of musicians who are willing to surrender themselves to their elegiac themes, including guitarist Steve Erquiaga,Mike Marshall, and Edgar Meyers.--John Diliberto