With one foot planted firmly in pop and the other less securely in classical,
David Garrett appears, out of necessity, to be a permanent crossover artist, not merely an occasional dabbler in genres. As he has demonstrated in his previous albums, he wants to encourage fans from the world of rock to appreciate his roots in classical music, while attracting admirers from the classical sphere for his technical flair and clever arranging skills. Music,
Garrett's 2012 release on Decca, is a mix of pop hits --
Coldplay's "Viva La Vida,"
Justin Timberlake's "Cry Me a River,"
Michael Jackson's "Human Nature,"
Queen's "We Will Rock You," etc. -- and adaptations of pieces by
Bach,
Beethoven,
Chopin, Clementi, and Khachaturian, among other selections that showcase his flamboyance and high energy. Of course, purists will dismiss this CD as a dilution of the originals, because the rock tracks are fairly constrained, even sanitized, in the effort to make them more piquant and delicate, while the classical pieces are coarsened by synthesizers, drum machines, and fake symphonic bombast (the Scherzo and the Ode to Joy from
Beethoven's Ninth are to be lamented most for their mishandling). But showmanship is
Garrett's claim to fame, not subtlety, and he displays a curious blend of camp and sensitivity to his materials to make his over-the-top showmanship somehow forgivable, if not appealing to everyone. Still, casual listeners will get something out of this album, or at least recognize a few tunes that will point them to other recordings. ~ Blair Sanderson