Title: Heavy breathing
Product review: I bought this CD after reading many reviews proclaiming it a definitive recording of Messiaen's quartet. However, after listening to the first few movements I found myself so distracted by the heavy breathing that punctuates nearly every violin phrase played that the music itself became difficult to concentrate on.Having since purchased a couple more recordings featuring him, I've discovered that this breathiness is a part of Gil Shaham's style that comes to the fore on smaller ensemble recordings -- sort of like pianist Glenn Gould's humming. Evidently most reviewers here weren't distracted enough by it to comment, but I found it intrusive enough during close listening to mar the listening experience. As a result, I rarely listen to this recording and usually go back to the 1975 Tashi recording on RCA.
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