[NEW RELEASES] Laurent Korcia

Laurent Korcia is one of the world’s most accomplished violinists. The Frenchman has half a dozen prestigious prizes under his belt and is just heading into an exclusive recording contract with EMI ? of which his first release is “Cinema,” a collection of film themes. Korcia’s versions range from fairly straightforward reproductions ? “Speak Softly, Love” from “The Godfather” ? to totally new arrangements, sometimes with rather wacky results, as in the theme from “Mission Impossible,” which sounds stilted on violin and accordion.

Korcia digs into Saint-Saens’ “Danse Macabre” and Gershwin’s “It Ain’t Necessarily So” with lively gusto, soaring on the themes from “Cinema Paradiso” and “Schindler’s List.” The album also includes the spectacular third movement of Vivaldi’s Summer concerto, giving the Frenchman a chance to flex his technical chops on a piece used in many movies. Two works by Charlie Chaplin are mostly curiosities, but the “Danzas Espanolas” by Enrique Granados are genuinely beautiful. By Ben Applegate

Laurent Korcia

“Cinema”

Label: EMI

Genre: Classical