The Free-Reed Review
Critiques of Compact Discs, Books and Music Scores

Triple CD Review: Michael Ganian
CD No. 1: Accordéon d'or

Michael Ganian, accordion
Rudolf Smahel, bass
Vitezslav Vavrda, drums
Royal Symphonic Orchestra
Milan Vidlak, conductor

Program:

Seine
Hummingbird
Accordéon d'or
Eve
Carduelis de Musette
One Smile
Splendide
Reine des Villes
Espana
Origination
Montparnasse Bienvenue
Last Night
Exception
Ladybirth
Black Diamonds
Passion Tree
River
Waterfall
Nightingale
Coming Women
Miracle
Verucchio
Je suis au Paradis
Le Doux Non
Le Chardonneret
Impeccable

All compositions by Michael Ganian.

total time: 68:34
released: 2000
review date: February 2000

label: Michael Ganian
Ulrychova 41
624 00 Brno
Czech Republic
email: music@michaelganian.cz


CD No. 2: différence
Program:

Moravia
Touch
Small Girl from Kosovo
Small Girl from Kosovo
Splendide
Eva
Rainwoman
Rainwoman
Passion Tree
Ararat
Ararat
Third Moon
Third Moon
Seine
Waterfall
Waterfall
Eva
Espana
Moravian Girl
Moravia
Splendide
Verucchio

All compositions by Michael Ganian.

Michael Ganian, accordion
Miroslav Hanak, grand piano
Rudolf Smahel, bass
Vitezslav Vavrda, drums
Royal Symphonic Orchestra
Milan Vidlak, conductor

total time: 73:47
released: 2000
review date: February 2000


CD No. 3: Ararat 1915
Program:

Moravia
Touch
Small Girl from Kosovo
Small Girl from Kosovo
Splendide
Eva
Rainwoman
Rainwoman
Passion Tree
Ararat
Ararat
Third Moon
Third Moon
Seine
Waterfall
Waterfall
Eva
Espana
Moravian Girl
Moravia
Splendide
Verucchio

All compositions by Michael Ganian.

Michael Ganian, accordion
Rudolf Smahel, bass
Vitezslav Vavrda, drums
Royal Symphonic Orchestra
Milan Vidlak, conductor
Miroslav Hanak, arranger

total time: 35:22
released: 1999
review date: February 2000

Review by Henry Doktorski:

It is always a pleasure for me to listen to a Michael Ganian CD. Why? His playing is stylish and sophisticated, his compositions are stylish and sophisticated, the arrangements are stylish and sophisticated, and the accompanying musicians play with style and sophistication. Oh, should I mention the new CD covers? Some readers may not think the cover of accordeon d'or is stylish and sophisticated, but no one, in my opinion, can say that it is not attractive and provocative!

And Ganian gets away with it! His music, like his CD covers, is silky and sensuous; romantic and passionate. This is the type of music I play on my home stereo to help create an intimate mood when entertaining an attractive woman.

I do not understand why some of my colleagues do not like Ganian. A year or two ago, one reviewer was offended by Ganian's bold marketing strategy of sending out hundreds of free CDs to accordionists around the world. This reviewer was also offended by the pinup poster of Ganian included in the CD and the self-promoting hype praising Ganian's abilities. I suppose he will also be offended by the nudity on Ganian's latest CD cover photo.

My opinion? More power to you, Ganian! Whatever it takes to make your name known throughout the world, go ahead and do it. What's the problem if you toot your own horn? Although Liberace may not have been "the world's greatest pianist," the Las Vegas resorts nevertheless billed him that way, and hundreds of thousands of people paid a lot of money to hear him play. And the vast majority were not disappointed, for he was an exceptionally great entertainer.

Similarly, Ganian may not be "the world's greatest accordionist," but he is certainly a great accordionist, and he is also a superb composer of easy-listening light jazz pop with a French and Latin flavor. Really, I LOVE his music! And I think you will too.

If you have never purchased one of Ganian's CDs -- he has released seven CDs during the last seven years (1994-2000) -- I suggest you buy Accordeon d'or and difference. For one thing, you get a lot of music for your dollar. Ganian has finally learned that listeners like long-play CDs! Let me explain: his first CD the Paris was 24 minutes; his second Splendide was 45 minutes; his third River was 32 minutes, his fourth Touch was 30 minutes, and his fifth Ararat 1915 was 35 minutes. An average of 33 minutes of music per CD; certainly not impressive by any means.

But Accordeon d'or and difference are 68 and 73 minutes respectively. More than double your money's worth!

Of course, as a music critic, I must have a criticism of some kind, and it is one that I feel justified in stating: Ganian repeats too much music in his CDs. For example, look at some of the song titles in Accordeon d'or and let's see where they can be found in his other CDs.

Seine appeared in the CDs: Ararat 1915 and difference
Hummingbird appeared in the CD: Touch
Accordeon d'or appeared in the CD: Splendide
Eve appeared in the CDs: Splendide, River and difference
Splendide appeared in the CDs: Splendide, Ararat 1915 and difference
Espana appeared in the CDs: Splendide, River and difference
River appeared in the CDs: Touch and River
Nightingale appeared in the CD: the Paris
Verucchio appeared in the CDs: the Paris, Splendide, River and difference
Last Night appeared in the CD: the Paris
Coming Women appeared in the CD: Touch
Waterfall appeared in the CDs: Ararat 1915 and difference

I think my point is made. Ganian loves to recycle his music; but will his fans tire of buying songs they already have?

I cannot answer that, only Ganian and his record company will know for sure. I only hope he continues to write and record NEW material. In conclusion, I tip my hat to Michael Ganian; despite his propensity for recycling, he's got some style and sophistication, and marketing savvy as well!


Readers may notice duplicate titles of tracks on Accordeon d'or and difference. These are different versions of the same song. One is a version with Ganian on accordion with either string orchestra or simply bass and drums. The second version, sans accordion, is for piano and orchestra. I personally like this, as it provides variety and gives the accordion a break, and also showcases the beautiful piano playing of Miroslav Hanak.


Alternate Opinion:

Date: Sat, 12 Feb 2000 13:40:12 -0800
From: mobia@slip.net
Subject: Ganian Schlawkward

Henry Doktorski wrote: "Similarly, Ganian may not be 'the world's greatest accordionist,' but he is certainly a great accordionist, and he is also a superb composer"

Come on Henry - that guy's stuff is trivial (the Herb Alpert of the accordion). My opinion of your aesthetic taste has definitely gone down a few notches. There is no originally in anything I've heard of his. Certainly he's a competent player but only that.

Doktorski continued: "His music, like his CD covers, is silky and sensuous; romantic and passionate."

Calculated and crass I'd say.

I also never knew you were a Liberace fan. I guess that explains it. To say that he or his band's musicianship is good is no way to excuse the banality of the material they're playing. It's like going to a film and raving about the lighting, camerawork and effects and ignoring the mediocre ideas at the center.

Don't be blinded by the babe on the cover. It's amazing isn't it? Think of all the babes we've seen in our life and it still works. It did make me think of Herb Alperts "Whipped Cream" album cover though (and multitudes more of the same).

Go ahead and print this letter. Ganian will only benefit from controversy - right? Print all you want.

Bye for now,
Steve Mobia


Alternate Opinion of the Alternate Opinion:

Date: Tue, 14 Mar 2000 20:37:21 +0100
From: cafe@rts.cz

Having read through Steve Mobia's alternate opinion published in The Free-Reed Review, February 2000, concerning article of the critic, Henry Doktorski, devoted to Michael Ganian's CDs -- the bell of the story, connected with the famous French sculptor, August Rodin, started to ring. One of Master's neighbours - a cobbler - visits once one of Rodin's presentations and starts to criticize shoes of the sculpture. Rodin listens to him carefully and says nothing. But when the cobbler moves to describe the feet, Rodin interrupts him and asks not to leave the shoes, saying: "each to his own!"

I would wish nice dreams to Mr. Steve Mobia, where he knows his job, and to suppress envy and incompetent approach.

Vahan Harutyunyan
Czech Republic

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