French Romance

Track Listings

1. En Bâteau

2. Cortège

3. Menuet

4. Ballet

5. Prelude

6. Rustique

7. Final

8. Pavane de la Belle au bois dormant

9. Petit Poucet

10. Laideronnette, Impératrice des Pagodes

11. Les entretiens de la Belle et de la Bête

12. Le jardin féerique

13. Prélude á l'après-midi d'un Faune

14. Prélude à la nuit

15. Malagueñia

16. Habanera

17. Feria

18. Vif

19. Modéré

20. Brasileira

Tracks:

Canon In D
'Brandenburg' Concerto No. 3: Allegro
The Four Seasons - The Winter: Largo And Allegro
Fanfare ('Masterpiece Theatre' Theme)
Camerata Romana: Air For The 'G' String
'Eine kleine Nachtmusik': Allegro
Piano Concerto No. 21 ('Elvira Madigan' Theme): Andante
Introduction To Symphony No. 5
'William Tell' Overture: Finale
'Aida': Triumphal March
On The Beautiful, Blue Danube Waltz
'The Nutcracker': Waltz Of The Flowers
'1812' Overture: Finale

Tracks:

Sabre Dance
'Light Cavalry' Overture: Finale
Carmen: The Toreadors
' Midsummer Night's Dream': Wedding March
Radetzky March
Symphony No. 9, 'Choral': Finale
'Prince Igor': Polovstian Dance No. 17
Jesu, Joy Of Man's Desiring
Peer Gynt: Solveig's Song
Sleepers, Wake
Water Music: Hornpipe
Symphony No. 9, 'From The New World': Largo
Emperor Waltz
'Emperor' Quartet: St. Anthony's Chorale
'The Tales Of Hoffman': Barcarolle
L'Arlesienne: Farandole
'The Nutcracker': Dance Of The Mirlitons
'The Nutcracker': Dance Of The Sugar-Plum Fairy
'Rhapsody In Blue': Highlight
'Orpheus In The Underworld': Can-Can

Tracks:

Introduction To 'Also sprach Zarathustra'
Symphony No. 4, 'Italian': Saltarello: Presto
Piano Concerto No. 20: Romance
'The Valkyrie': Ride Of The Valkyries
'The Four Seasons' - The Spring: Allegro
Toccata and Fugue
Trumpet Voluntary
'Royal Fireworks Music': la rejouissance: Allegro
'Moonlight' Sonata: Adagio Sostenuto
London Festival Orchestra: Overture To 'The Barber Of Seville'
Piano Concerto No. 2: Adagio Sostenuto

Tracks:

Carmina Burana: Introduction To 'Carmina Burana'
Peer Gynt: Dawn From 'Peer Gynt'
Lohengrin: Prelude To 'Lohengrin'
'Lieutenant Kije': Troika From 'Lieutenant Kije'
Adiago For Strings
'Carmen': Habanera From 'Carmen'
'Double' Concerto: Allegro From 'Double' Concerto
The Marriage Of Figaro: Overture To 'The Marriage Of Figaro'
(Rondo) Alla Turca
Xerxes: Largo From 'Xerxes'
Symphony No. 5: Allegro vivace From Symphony No. 5
'Swan Lake': Scene: Enchanted Lake From 'Swan Lake'
Clair De Lune
Bolero

Customer Reviews:

CD set is misnamed.......2007-06-08

They should have titled this "classical music for people who love classical music" because most of the selections are typical classical music. The title suggests it would be lively selections of "light classical" music that is more upbeat, i.e. Sabre Dance, etc. I really don't hate classical music at all and have many classical CDs in my collection but I really wanted to hear more exciting selections. I won't be purchasing any more of this set but if you like traditional classical music these are good one.

Do not Buy.......2007-02-21

I do know it says classical music for people who hate it, but serioulsly you would have better luck never listening to classical music again. The recordings are awfull and do not do justice to any of the composers. Buy something else.

Classical Music for People Who Hate Classical Music.......2007-01-30

We love this set of CD's. I just got a new copy because my kids keeping taking our first copy with them so that they can listen at work or in their bedrooms but then I can never find them.

Seek better versions.......2006-12-09

If you are fairly new to classical purchases then compilation CD's can be useful for deciding what to buy next. Sometimes you only need a small taste of a piece to inspire you to buy a release with the whole performance on. The problem with this compilation however is that most of the versions are poor in performance or recording quality (or both) when compared to the best versions and the fact that the conductors aren't even credited on the track listing made me suspect that this would be the case. One of my favorite classical pieces is Tchaikovsky's 1812 festival overture but if the first CD version I had heard had been the finale excerpt that is on this compilation I may not have gone on to buy the whole thing. Luckily I heard Adrian Leaper's version first and Adrian's version is rather good.
My classical CD buying experience is limited to only a couple of dozen discs but I have found that the Naxos and Deutshe Grammophon releases are fairly safe. Avoid any release which does not name the conductors on the track listing or sleeve notes.

It Is What It Is.......2006-10-27

It's fitting that this page is fraught with the same kind of silly snobbery that turns people off from classical music (and necessitates collections like this) in the first place.

Any criticism of this compilation, which focuses on the quality of the performances or the fact that many tracks are excerpts, misses the point. This is not a collection for people who consider such things, nor does it purport to be. The idea is to package as many ultra-famous classical melodies as possible in one affordable collection and market it to people who have never purchased a classical recording. As such, top-tier performances are likely too expensive to be sold so cheaply and are unnecessary anyway. Those of us who already know and love a piece or two can forgive the compilers the inclusion of sub-par recordings, when we are exposed to so many other beautiful pieces for the first time.

It probably comes as a shock for some to hear that most people are not familiar with these classics. We may hear snippets on TV or movies, but are left with no idea as to the composer or historical context. With that in mind, it is extremely intimidating to begin buying classical. I suppose those among us, who so thoroughly dismissed the very notion of a boxed set like this, would have us begin by buying full albums by reputable interpreters. Surprisingly enough though, the majority of people would consider that a tad cost-prohibitive.

To conclude, this is a STARTER collection. It will either affirm a listener's feelings about classical music or lead to an interest in purchasing better recordings. Ideally, I suppose the interpretations would be better, but, for reasons mentioned above, that just isn't in the cards for a collection of this nature. If you're familiar with 50 different recordings of "The Ring" series, or have season tickets to the New York Philharmonic, then this probably isn't for you. For us cretins with limited foreknowledge of classical music though, it serves as a succinct introduction with little to complain about.

Average customer rating:

the most sensetive music ever
Cool Camille
Astounding!!!
Great Selections, So-So Collection
Classical is the best

Saint-Saëns: Greatest Hits

Manufacturer: Sony
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Rimsky-Korsakov: Greatest Hits
Debussy's Greatest Hits
Sergei Rachmaninoff: Greatest Hits
Grieg: Greatest Hits
Mendelssohn: Greatest Hits

ASIN: B000002C61
Release Date: 1995-11-14

Tracks:

Samson et Dalila: Bacchanale
Carnival Of The Animals (Chamber Version): No. 13. The Swan
Carnival Of The Animals (Chamber Version): No. 14: Finale
Dance Macabre, Op.40
Suite algerienne, Op. 60: Marche militaire francaise
Introduction and Rondo capriccioso, Op.28
Samson et Dalila: 'Mon coeur s'ouvre a ta voix'
Concert Piece For Horn & Orchestra, Op.94
Romance, Op.37
Piano Concerto No.2 In G Minor, Op.22: III. Presto
Symphony No.3 In C Minor, Op.78 'Organ': II. Allegro moderato - Presto - Maestoso - Allegro

Customer Reviews:

the most sensetive music ever.......2005-10-26

This music take me away from every day troubles and brings my soul to a beutiful world of music.Saint-Saent's vision of music is different, his creations are sensitive and intence. He is agreat talent.

Cool Camille.......2003-03-06

I think that the sound of Saint Saens Music is very unique. I think that anyone out there wanting to listen to some excellent writing I assure you that Saint Saens has written it. On behalf of Amazon I would definitely rate this music 5 stars. I thank Amazon for a perfect portrayal of his works. You shoppers out there might want to take a look at buying this.

RIGHT AWAY!!!
-Nick

Astounding!!!.......2000-10-06

I have come accross very few CD's that have 74 minutes of music that I enjoy. This CD is one of those. Mason Jones does a great job on Morceau, everyone likes danse bachannalle, the piano concerto is great, it's just a really enjoyable CD to own. I recommend it highly, it's one of my favorites.

Great Selections, So-So Collection.......2000-06-23

As all good elementary school music teachers know, Saint-Saëns could evoke emotions from a rock. I don't know if it's his masterful command (or creation) of the idioms of music, or whether it's the formal structure of his compositions, but there's never any confusion about how one feels when listening to this Apollo.

This Sony recording supposedly collects his best. It does and it doesn't. The "Danse Macabre"--a perennial Saint Saëns fave--is definitely better than any others on the market--crisper, livelier, and ... er... creepier. And the Bacchanale is also superbly done. (Don't take my word for it though--you can compare these yourself from the various samples.) But as great as these individual pieces are, Sony failed to bring to the "Swan" the rest of the zoo from "Carnivale des Animaux," and, worse, they forgot the "Aquarium," too! Plus, the "Organ Symphony" *must* be heard in its entirety to sound like the serious piece of music that it is.

I haven't found the noumenal Saint-Saëns collection yet. But this one surely isn't phenomenal.

Classical is the best.......2000-06-22

It's composition very good. Thanks Sony for this great album.

Average customer rating:

Music to your ears...
Very relaxing to listen to
Outstanding program
Andre Rieu's Tuscany
"Tuscany" is one of Andre Rieu's best shows! Excellent CD!

Tuscany
Andre Rieu
Manufacturer: Denon Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Live In Dublin
Romantic Moments
At The Movies
The Christmas I Love
The Flying Dutchman

ASIN: B0002SXIQ8
Release Date: 2004-09-21

Tracks:

Romance Anonyme - Jeux Interdits
I Love You
Italiana
Barcarolle
La Paloma
Lagune Waltz
Intermezzo From Cavalleria Rusticana
Roses From Tyrol
Chanson d'Amour
O Mio Babbino Caro From Madame Butterfly
William Tell Overture
Opera Medley
Italian National Anthem
Light Cavalry
Ode To Joy From Symphony No. 9

Customer Reviews:

Music to your ears..........2007-04-05

I can't say enough about this musician. The music will sooth your soul. A must have for your car CD player, it will help you through the traffic :}

Very relaxing to listen to .......2007-03-07

I'm a new fan to Andre Rieu. I didn't start getting into his music until I caught his Christmas special on my local PBS station last year. I found his performances highly energetic and playful which is rare in this often serious musical genre. After catching a repeat performance of "Tuscany", I decided to make the cd version my next Andre Rieu purchase. Whenever I listen to "Tuscany", I can easily see Andre Rieu performing with his orchestra. His skills as a violinist is exquisite. He is very subtle and is never out of tune. "Tuscany" begins with three of the most beautiful classical numbers I have ever heard. The beautiful orchestral melodies puts me at ease. I wished that the cd included "The Rose" (the Bette Midler tune) that can be seen on the dvd. I loved the operatic version. It would have been a nice addition to the cd. Of all the operatic numbers my favorite has to be "Ode to Joy". I have to admit though the singers have a terrible tendency to caterwaul on the songs which can be quite disconcerting for these ears. On the other hand the same can be said about a lot of opera singers as well as modern pop singers. There wasn't a single song on the cd that I didn't enjoy listening to. Andre Rieu's love for music really does shine through his music here. I hope some day I will have the opportunity to see him perform live. I don't think nothing can compare to seeing this talented artist live. Until then his cds will do nicely.

Outstanding program.......2007-02-10

What wouldn't I give to have been enjoying this magnificent program in that beautiful square in Italy? Fantastic performance of unbelievabe quality and program choices. I wouldn't trade this DVD for anything.

Andre Rieu's Tuscany.......2007-01-10

Haunting melodies taking you to the hills of Tuscany where this concert was originally held. Plays well while travelling as well as at home.

"Tuscany" is one of Andre Rieu's best shows! Excellent CD!.......2007-01-10

I'm an Andre Rieu fan and can definitely review this CD as one of his best! It was well-recorded with good sound quality, and you can hear the excitement of that evening in Tuscany as you listen to this CD. I would also recommend the DVD/Video of that performance.

Average customer rating:

Beautiful voices, beautiful songs
Beautiful Music - Good Perfomances
Superb singing
A KISS
Romberg never sounded better!

Music of Sigmund Romberg

Manufacturer: EMI Classics
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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The Desert Song / The New Moon
The Student Prince (1952 Studio Cast)
Great Hits from Sigmund Romberg
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ASIN: B000002SDG
Release Date: 1990-10-25

Tracks:

The Student Prince: Students' Marching Song - Drinking Song - Come Boys (Kirsten)
The Student Prince: Arrival At Heidelberg - In Heidelberg Fair - Gaudeamus igitur (MacRae, Kirsten)
The Student Prince: Deep In My Heart, Dear (Kirsten, MacRae)
The Student Prince: Serenade (MacRae)
The Student Prince: Just We Two (MacRae, Kirsten)
The Desert Song: The Riff Song (MacRae)
The Desert Song: Why Did We Marry Soldiers - French Military Marching Song (Kirsten)
The Desert Song: Romance (Kirsten)
The Desert Song: The Desert Song (MacRae, Kirsten)
The Desert Song: Let Love Go - One Flower - One Alone (MacRae)
The Desert Song: The Sabre Song (Kirsten, MacRae)
The New Moon: Marianne (MacRae)
The New Moon: The Girl On The Prow (Kirsten)
The New Moon: Softly, As In A Morning Sunrise (MacRae)
The New Moon: One Kiss (Kirsten)
The New Moon: Stouthearted Men (MacRae)
The New Moon: Wanting You (MacRae, Kirsten)
The New Moon: Lover, Come Back To Me (Kirsten)
The New Moon: Try Her Out At Dances

Customer Reviews:

Beautiful voices, beautiful songs.......2006-10-06

Sigmund Romberg isn't in fashion today, but he was one of the founders of what became modern musical comedy, and in listening to this compilation of songs from three of his best-known operettas, you can understand why. Kirsten's soaring soprano and MacRae's rich baritone combine flawlessly to give the very feel that contemporary audiences must have gotten when they attended a performance of a Romberg work (MacRae also starred in the film version of "Desert Song"). The best pieces on the disc are the duets, some of which can give you authentic chills ("Deep in My Heart, Dear," "Wanting You"), and MacRae's thrilling solos ("Serenade," "The Riff Song," "Marianne," "Stouthearted Men," and the tango-esque "Softly, As in a Morning Sunrise"), but Kirsten's renditions of "Romance," "The Saber Song," "The Girl on the Prow," "One Kiss," and the classic "Lover, Come Back to Me" are almost equally good. I've replayed this collection at least 20 times in the last month and I'll do it again. If hearing it doesn't it make you want more Romberg, your tastes are obviously not for classic operetta. Highly recommended.

Beautiful Music - Good Perfomances.......2006-03-25

Kirsten was a first class opera singer who sings this music with technique, voice and style. MacRae has a pretty voice- but I miss the true operatic baritone depth, volume of sound and range of Merrill, Tibbett or Nelson Eddy in this music.

Superb singing.......2005-05-11

This album is not a "performance" but a studio recording of music from three operettas by the great Sigmund Romberg. The singing is superb. Gordon MacRae is a known quantity from his role in the movie version of "Oklahoma" and his voice is never disappointing. Dorothy Kirsten is less well known these days but her voice is well suited for operetta. This album is a deal as it contains most or all of the music of Sigmund Romberg and his lyricists for three operettas, "Desert Song", "New Moon" and " Student Prince". The only quibble with the album is that it begins with the weakest selection ("Student Prince") and if one plays it all the way through it's a long wait for "Desert Song" and the extraordinarily tuneful "New Moon". Most of the tunes are known these days (if at all) from instrumental "mood music" recordings. The singing of MacRae and Kirsten is enunciated well enough so one may enjoy lyrics as well, by the likes of Oscar Hammerstein III. The inclusion of all three operettas gives this album an advantage of the often mix-and-match approach to many available Macdonald & Eddy recordings.

A KISS.......2004-02-21

SUNG BY MARIO LANZA, HE IS AND WILL BE THE GREATEST TENOR OF THIS GENERATION AND THE NEXT GENERATION TO COME.THIS MANS VOICE WAS ONLY PARTIALLY DEVELOPED,IF ONLY AT THE HOLLYWOOD BOWL IN 1947,IF ONLY HE WOULD HAVE TURNED HIS BACK ON MGM AND CONCENTRATED MORE ON ORERA HE WOULD HAVE REACH THE HIS GOAL,OPERA.I HEARD HIS VOICE WHEN I WAS 6 YEARS OLD.I DOH"T THINK HE DIED OF A HEART ATTACK,HE WAS HELPED.I AM 62 YEARS OLD, AND HAVE WAITED FOR ANOTHER VOICE LIKED MARIO LANZA BUT SO FAR NONE HAS MATERALIZED.

Romberg never sounded better!.......2003-09-24

I am one of those who, as a great fan and collector of operetta songs, find this album (actually a compilation of 3 LPs from 1963) the single most brilliant one ever recorded.

There are very few singers who could get so completely into the spirit of the songs and characters of operettas as Gordon MacRae. A technically magnificent voice with a phenomenal range, vibrant intensity and great warmth and sincerity - the rare singer whose performances all felt spontaneous and who could go from caressing the ear one moment to singing in the most powerful tones the next - all in a glorious legit voice of course. His rousing numbers like "The Riff Song" from The Desert Song and "Stout-Hearted Men" from New Moon are so exilarating that they actually conjure up a larger-than-life vision. His haunting "Softly as in the Morning Sunrise" obliterates all other versions and in terms of passion expressed in song, it would be difficult to surpass his rendition of the Desert Song.

Kudos also of course to the everlasting charm, grace and talent of the great Dorothy Kirsten who sounds perfectly convincing and fetching as the youthful heroines she portrays even though she was already fiftyish at the time this was recorded. Her solos of "One Kiss", "Romance" and "Lover Come Back to Me" are nothing short of superb and convey the longing of her characters beautifully. Truly enchanting.

As someone who loves to compare as many versions as possible of the great musicals and operettas, I can truthfully say that I have never heard more exquisite versions of those songs anywhere. While many versions I have heard elsewhere seemed either over the top or emotionally detached, these ring with true romantic ardor and the arrangements are beautiful. If the beautiful duets like "Wanting You" from New Moon and "Deep in My Heart, Dear" from The Student Prince don't send shivers up your spine, nothing ever will. They litterally take your breath away.

I do feel, however, that a couple of the songs from the earlier MacRae version (from the early 50s) of The Student Prince rank a bit higher than the songs from this version if only for the fact that the arrangements of the "Student Marching Song and The Drinking Song" were livelier and performed not just by the chorus as they are here, but led by Gordon MacRae at his very best. I miss hearing him on those when I play this CD. (Most of the songs from his earlier versions of The Desert Song and The Student Prince are available on various CD compilations. His earlier version of New Moon has not been released on CD yet, but can be found on vinyl).

The Robert Wagner chorale is absolutely outstanding and does a splendid job throughout.

(Please note that the original vinyl albums of each show featured additional songs not included in this compilation and a finale medley).

Tracks:

Overture To 'Tannhauser'
Domna, Pos Vos Ay Chausida
We Don't Merely Use Instruments, We Play On Them. And They Play On Us.
Hungarian Dance No.7
The Violin Is One Of The Most Tender And Beautiful Instruments Ever Invented.
Violin Concerto In D Major (Adagio)
But For A Long Time It Was Seen As The Instrument Of The Devil.
The Soldier's Tale: Triumphal March Of The Devil
The Manipulative Seductiveness Of The Gypsy Violin.
Csardas Music
The Violin And The Initiation Of Nature
The Four Seasons (Spring, Mvt 1)
Birds Are Again Evoked In The Second Concerto, Especially Music's Natural Favourite.
The Four Seasons (Summer, Mvt 1)
Like The Devil, The Violin Is A Master Of Disguise.
Old Viennese Dance No.3 'Schon Rosmarin'
The Menacing Sensuality Of Ravel's Tzigane: A Very Different Side Of The Violin:
Tzigane
Do We Now Have The True Measure Of This Instrument? Not Just Yet.
Caprice No.24
The Many Effects Of The String Tremolando: Brandenburg Concerto No.4 (Last Mvt)/From Joy To Fright/Quartettsatz In C Minor/The String Tremolo Practically Spells The World Agitato.
Variations On A Theme Of Frank Bridge (No.7)
Prokofiev's Tremolo In Romeo And Juliet Should Not Be Heard Just Before Bedtime.
Romeo And Juliet: Act IV
Vivaldi Use It To Illustrate The Shivering Of Travellers Crossing The Ice.
The Four Seasons (Winter, Mvt 1)
The Violin Muted
Clair De Lune
The Gentleness Of Muted Strings Persists Even When A Whole Orchestra Plays.
Piano Concerto No.21 In C Major, K.467 (Slow Mvt)
The Pizzicato Violin
Pizzicato Polka
In Prokofiev's Second Violin Concerto, The Accompaniment Is Pizzicato.
Violin Concerto No.2 In G Minor (Slow Mvt)
Varieties Of Pizzicato: Colas Breugnon (The People's Feast)/Now A Drier, Leaner, Hungrier Pizzicato. There's Not A Lot Of Comfort Here./Capriol Suite (Tordion)/The Use Of Pizzicato As 'Percussion'/Romeo And Juliet (Act I)/Mahler Used Pizzicato...
The Planets (Mars - The Bringer Of War)
The Technique Of Double-Stopping Enables The Violin To Play Duets With Itself./Sonata No.3 In C Major For Unaccompanied Violin (Fugue)/Now A Later Example Of The Same Technique
Hungarian Dance No.4
Double-Stopping Is A Standard Feature Of A Lot Of Folk Music.
The Four Seasons (Autumn, Mvt 1)
Now The Same Technique, But The Sound Might Have Come From Another World.
Bolero
Double-Stopping Can Only Approximate The Sound Of A Real Violin Duet.
Cadenza To The Violin Concerto By Brahms
Now Compare That With A Real Violin Duet.
Forty-Four Duos (No. 1: Teasing Song)
Another Duo By Bartok, Demonstrating The Violin's Rich Lower Register
Forty-Four Duos (No.2: Maypole Dance)
And Now What May Be The Most Beautiful Accompanied Violin Duet In History
Concerto In D Minor For Two Violins (Largo)
The Soul Of The Violin Is In Song; But What About This Weird Passage?
Violin Concerto No.1 In D Major (Mvt 2)
The Use Of Harmonies In The Orchestra Can Be Both Magical And Unsettling.
Symphony No.1 'Titan' (Mvt 1, Opening)
Tchaikovsky's Use Of Harmonics In The Sleeping Beauty Is Both Strange And Darling.
The Sleeping Beauty (Act II, No.15: Entr'Acte)
Ravel's Harmonics In Mother Goose Effect A Magical Transformation.
Ma Mere L'Oye - Mother Goose (Beauty And The Beast)
Stravinsky's Harmonics In The Firebird Transport Us Almost Into Another World./The Firebird (Introduction)
The Natural Upper Notes Of The Violins Have A Unique Emotional 'Grab'.
Also Sprach Zarathustra (Of The Afterworldsmen)
Still In Their Upper Register, The Violins Unleash The Energy Of A Young Colt.
Variations On A Theme Of Frank Bridge (No. 4)
Elsewhere, Britten Uses The Same High Register To Create A Very Different Mood.
Four Sea Interludes (Dawn) From 'Peter Grimes'
To End This Outing With The Violins, A Charming Little Elfin Dance
Elfenreigen

Tracks:

Introduction To The Viola
Viola Concerto (Mvt 1)
Khatchaturian Gets A Very Different Sound From It: Fuller, Fruitier, More Exotic.
Gayane Suite No.1 (Armen's Solo)
Very Nearly The Whole Of The Violin's Upper Register Is Also Available To The Viola.
Passacaglia, Op.33b From 'Peter Grimes'
The Viola Can Bring A Special, Rich Twanginess To Pizzicato That The Violins Lack./Don Quixote/Berlioz Drew Sounds From It That Retain Their Metallic Strangeness Even Today.
Harold In Italy (Mvt 4)
The Muted Viola: Intimate, Gentle, Poignant In Dvork
Cypresses (No.9)
The Massed Violas Of The Modern Symphony Orchestra In Mahler
Symphony No.4 (Mvt 3)
The 'Period' Viola In Bach
Brandenburg Concerto No.6 (Last Mvt)
The Cello: A Voice Of Unique Nobility
Suite No.1 For Unaccompanied Cello (Prelude)
Brahms And The 'Soul' Of The Cello
Piano Concerto No.2 In B Flat Major (Mvt 3)
Most Orchestral Composers Tend To Emphasize The Cello's Lower Register.
Cantata 'Herz Und Mund Und Tat Und Leben', BWV 147 (Soprana Aria: Bereite Dir, Jesu)
In The Time Of Beethoven The Cello Remained As Fundamental As Ever.
Symphony No.3 'Eroica' (Finale)
But The Cello Is Not Condemned To Spend Its Life In The Basement.
Elfentanz, Op.39
Not Only In Recital Showpieces Like That Is The Cello Is Used In Its Highest Register.
The Protecting Veil (Opening)
A Cello With An Identity-Crisis: The Pizzicato Flamencan
Flamenco
Double-Stopping In The Lower Reaches Of The Cello's Range
Solo Suiet For Cello And Piano (Sardana)
It's In The Middle Register That The Cello Really Comes Into Its Own.
Oriental Dance, Op.2 No.2
It Was To The Cellos That Beethoven Gave Two Of His Most Famous Themes./Symphony No.5 (Mvt 2)/Still More Famous Than That Theme Is This One From The Ninth Symphony.
Symphony No.9 (Finale)
Introduction To The Double-Bass
The Carnival Of The Animals (The Elephant)
But The Double-Bass Can Be Intensely Expressive And Graceful.
Elegy No.1 In D Major
The Range Of The Double-Bass Is The Greatest Of All The String Instruments/Allegro Di Concerto, 'Alla Mendelssohn'/And It's Also Capable Of Very Considerable Virtuosity.
Capriccio Di Bravura
Double-Bass Solos In Orchestral Scores Are Rare But Often Memorable./Symphony No.1 'Titan' (Mvt 3)/In His Third Symphony Mahler Makes A Very Different Use Of The Instrument./Symphony No.3 (Mvt 1)
The Double-Bass Muted In Prokofiev/Lieutenant Kije Suite (Kije's Wedding)/In Another Work Prokofiev Uses The Double-Bass To Enhance The Winds./Romeo And Juliet (Act III)/And He Combines The Bass Clarinet With A Shivering Tremolo From The Double-Basses....
Symphony No.5 (Mvt 3)/So Much For The Strings/On Now To The Winds

Tracks:

The Antiquity And Magic Of The Flute
Prelude A L'Apres-Midi D'Un Faune
The Versatility And Agility Of The Flute
Orchestral Suite No.2 In B Minor (Badinerie)
The Flute In Fifteenth-Century Spain
Sa'Dawi
Other Flutes: The Bass And Alto
Chamber Music No.II
The Piccolo - Aptly Named
La Naissance D'Osiris (Mvt 6)
From A Piccolo Of The Eighteenth Century To One Of Its Descendants In The Twentieth
Suite No.1 For Small Orchestra (Valse)
A Variety Of Techniques
Chamber Music No.II
Flutter-Tonguing. But Tchaikovsky Got There Eighty Years Before.
The Nutcracker (Act II, No.2: Scene)
From The Transverse To The Vertical: The Baroque Recorder
Recorded Suite In A Minor (Menuet II)
An Unfamiliar, Early Vision Of The Instrument
Naelden, Naelden
The Bachian Oboe
Cantata 'Ein Feste Burg Ist Unser Gott', BWV 80 (No.7: Duetto)
Introduction To The Cor Anglais Or 'English Born'
Symphony No.9 'From The New World' (Mvt 2)
The Loneliness Of The Cor Anglais
The Swan Of Tuonela
The Cor Anglais Joins The French Horn In Haydn.
Symphony No.22 'The Philosopher' (Opening)
Introduction To The Oboe D'Amore, Beloved Of Bach - But Also Of Ravel
Bolero
The Clarinet Family: Boxing The Compass, From The Depths Of The Bass Clarinet.../The Egyptian (Violence)/...To The Raucous And Squealy.../Taras Bulba (The Death Of Ostap)/...To The Shrill And Complaining...
Petrushka (No.8: Peasant With Bear)/...To The High Sprits Of A Playful Puppy./Symphonie Fantastique (Last Mvt)/And To The Downright Jazzy/Romeo And Juliet (Act II)
As The High Clarinets Tend To Be Loud, So The Bass Tends To Be Soft:
Gayane Suite No. 1 (Mvt 5)
The Bass Clarinet Is Used By Most Composers Mainly As A Colouring Agent.../Petrushka (No.4: The Blackamoor)/...But It Does Occasionally Get A Whole Tune To Itself./Iberia (Almeria).
The Range Of The Normal Clarinet Parts Goes Quite High...
The Snow Maiden (Scene 5: Melodrama)
...And Quite Low.
Peter And The Wolf (The Cat)
The Clarinet As Concerto Soloist
Clarinet Concerto In A Major (Rondo)
But That's Not The Instrument Mozart Wrote It For; This Is:
Clarinet Concerto In A Major (Rondo)
Introduction To The Saxophone
Hary Janos Suite (Mvt 4)
The Soprano Saxophone Has Quite A Different Feel To It.
L'Arlesienne Suite No.1 (Minuet)
The Little Sopranino Sax Goes Even Higher.
Bolero
The Most Famous Use Of The Saxophone Is In An Orchestration By Ravel.
Pictures At An Exhibition (The Old Castle)
The Saxophone Can Be Quite Contagiously Good-Humoured.
Sax-O-Phun
The Puffa-Puffa Image Of The Bassoon
Peter And The Wolf (Grandfather)
The Bachian Bassoon, In Accompanimental Mode
Cantata 'Weichet Nur, Betrubte Schatten' ('Wedding Cantata'), BWV 202 (Aria No.1)
Bizet Leaves The Puffa-Puffa Image Out, Allowing The Bassoon To Sing./Carmen Suite No.1 (Les Dragons D'Alcala)
And Ravel, Also In Spanish Mode, Does Likewise.
Bolero
The Bassoon As A Voice Of High Seriousness, Indeed Desolate Loneliness
Symphony No.3 (Opening)
The Eerie Bassoon In Its Highest Register
The Rite Of Spring (Opening)
Stravinsky Now Draws On Its Lowest Register, Lonely And Melancholy.
The Firebird Suite (1919, Berceuse)
The Bassoon As Concerto Soloist, Avoiding All Exaggeration
Bassoon Concerto In G Minor (Finale)
The Deep-Voiced Contra-Bassoon, As A Fairy-Tale Beast
Ma Mere L'Oye - Mother Goose (Beauty And The Beast)
The French Horn Under Its Woodwind Hat
Wind Quintet, Op.43 (Last Mvt)
Now A More Prominent Role, In A Woodwind Quintet From An Earlier Era
Wind Quintet In A Minor, Op.100 No.5 (Mvt 2)
The Horn In Harmonious Blend With Strings In Another Quintet
Horn Quintet, K.407 (Finale)

Tracks:

The Trumpet As Virtuoso Soloist
Brandenburg Concerto No.2 (Last Mvt)
The Special Brillance Of Paired Trumpets
Concerto In C For Two Trumpets, RV537 (Mvt 1)
The Ceremonial Trumpet
Fanfare For The Common Man
Trumpets And Drums - An Incomparable Alliance
Messiah (The Trumpet Shall Sound)
The Versatility Of The Trumpet, From The Most Public To The Most Lonely
Piano Concerto In F (Slow Mvt)
The Trumpet As The Voice Of The City/An American In Paris/The Trumpet As Recruitment Officer/The Soldier's Tale (The March)/The Trumpet As Swaggerer
Carmen Suite No.2 (Habanera)
The Trumpet As The Voice Of Strength And Courage
Carmet Suite No.2 (Toreador's Song)
The Trumpet Muted/Petrushka (No.4: The Blackamoor)/Lieutenant Kije Suite (Opening)/The Trumpet As The Voice Of Weariness
Billy The Kid
The Trumpet As Character Actor
Pictures At An Exhibition (No.6)
The Trumpet As The Voice Of God
Mass In B Minor ('Et Exspecto')
The Birth Of The Trombone
Aenmerckt Nu Hier
The Birth Of The Brass As A Family
Canzon 12 In Double Echo
The Trombone In The Eighteenth Century
Trombone Concerto In B Flat Major (Finale)
The Tone Of The Tenor Trombone/Romance For Trombone And Organ/The Memorable Voice Of The Bass Trombone/Requiem (Mvt 2)/But The Bass Trombone Is More Than An Instrumental Bullfrog.
Hosannah
The Trombones Become Part Of The Orchestra.
Symphony No.5 (Finale)
The Wagnerian Trombone:/Overture To 'Tannhauser'
The Trombone As Caricaturist
Pulcinella (No.19: Vivo)
The Trombone As Raspberry/Concerto For Orchestra (Intermezzo)
The Horn And The Hunt
Horn Concerto No.4 In E Flat, K.495 (Finale)
The Challenging Horn Of The Baroque
Abaris Ou Les Boreades (Menuet)
The Scarcity Of First-Rate Players In Handel's Time
Walter Music (Minuet 1)
The Horn As Magician/The Firebird Suite (1919, Finale)
Horns And The Sound Of Nobility
Overture To 'Tannhauser' (Opening)
The Special Sound Of The Horn In Its Higher Register
Mass In B Minor ('Quoniam Tu Solus Sanctus')
The Trumpet-Like Sound Of Massed Horns
Symphony No.3 (Mvt 1, Opening)
The Tuba - Unfairly Maligned?
Symphony No.6 (Mvt 3)
The Tuba Perfectly Cast By Ravel
Pictures At An Exhibition (Bydlo)

Tracks:

Introduction. And We Begin With A Bang.
Fanfare For The Common Man/The Bass Drum On The Battlefields/Wellington's Victory, Op.91 (Opening)
At The Opposite Extreme Is The Triangle.
Piano Concerto No.1 In E Flat (Scherzo)
Categories Of Percussion: Tuned And Untuned. The Side Drum
Overture To 'La Gazza Ladra' - The Thieving Magpie (Opening)
The Side Drum In An Effective But Unexpected Role/Clarinet Concerto (Mvt 1)
The Tambourine. One Of The Oldest Instruments In The World
Den Hoboecken Dans
Even Older Is The Originally Oriental Gong.
Ma Mere L'Oye - Mother Goose (Laideronette)
No Single Instrument Can Match The Gong In Evoking The Breaking Of Waves./Passacaglia, Op.33b From 'Peter Grimes'/But Gongs Don't Have To Be Struck To Be Effective.
Gymnopedie No.2
The Cymbals Are Generally Discovered Early In Life./The Sanguine Fan/And They Do More Than Clash Together Loudly. They Can Be Clashed Together Softly./Studio Example: But They Needn't Be Clashed Together At All/Studio Example: They Can Be Lightly...
Other Untuned Percussion Instruments Include The Whip.: Piano Concerto In G Major (Opening)/And Here Are No Fewer Than Twenty, Cracked By Tchaikovsky: The Nutcracker (Act I, Scene 5)
More Versatile Than The Whip Are The Wood Blocks.../Studio Example/...Which Crop Up All Over The Place In Twentieth-Century American Music.
Rodeo (Hoe-Down)
Related To The Wood Blocks, By Sound, Are The Castanets./Jota Aragonesa/But The Castanets Were Also Used By Monteverdi Back In The Seventeenth Century.
Scherzi Musicali (Damigella Tutta Belle)
A Still Earlier Example From Fifteenth-Century Spain
Yo M'Enamori D'Un Aire
The Birth Of The Bongo
Symphonic Dances From 'West Side Story'
From The Streets Of New York To The Blacksmith's Shop/Il Trovatore ('Anvil Chorus')
Desert-Island Decibels: Grand Canyon Suite (On The Trail)/Arcana
From One Vegetable To Another: The Humble Squash, Or Marrow/Huapango
Onwards To The Tuned Percussion. First, The Timpani
Also Sprach Zarathustra (Introduction)
But The Drum Roll Can Be More Effectively Frightening Than The Big Bang.: Symphony No.2 'Resurrection' (Mvt 3)
Not One Drum Roll, But Many/Grand Canyon Suite (Sunrise)/Symphonie Fantastique (Last Mvt)
Taking Advantage Of Tunability
Music For Strings, Percussion And Celeste (Mvt 2)
The Russian Composer Rodion Shchedrin Takes A Downward Turn./Carmen Suite (Changing Of The Guard)/Tuned, Yes; But For The Truly Melodic We Must Look Elsewhere.
Introducing The Glockenspiel/Carmen Suite (Carmen's Entrance And Habanera)
Saint-Saens And The Xylophone
The Carnival Of The Animals (Fossils)
Ravel And The Xylophone
Ma Mere L'Oye - Mother Goose (Laideronette)
Introducing The Marimba/Carmen Suite (First Intermezzo)
Introducing The Vibraphone
The Treasure Of The Sierra Madre (Narange Dolce)
The Vibraphone Goes Russian.../Carmen Suite (Carmen's Entrance And Habanera)/...And Is Joined By The Marimba./Carmen Suite (Carmen's Entrance And Habanera)
Introducing The Hungarian Cimbalom
Folk Dances
The Cimbalom And The Symphony Orchestra
Hary Janos Suite (Mvt 3)
Introducing The Tubular Bells
Hary Janos Suite (Viennese Musical Clock)
A More 'Up-Front' Approach From Rodion Shchedrin
Carmen Suite (Introduction)
But The Bells Can Also Make The Sinister Even More Sinister./Symphony No.7 'Sinfonia Antartica' (Mvt 1)
Introducing The Celeste
The Nutcracker (Dance Of The Sugar Plum Fairy)
Magic, In The Use Of Collective Percussion
Miroirs (La Vallee Des Cloches)
Plucked Instruments: The 'Undercover Percussion'/Carmen Suite (Scene)
A Prime Case In Point Is The Harp, Irresistible To The Romantics./The Nutcracker (Act II, No.1: Scene)/The Non-Solo Harp As An Integral Part Of The Orchestra/Hungarian Rhapsody No.1
The Traditionally Subservient Role Of The Harpsichord In The Baroque Orchestra
Brandenburg Concerto No.2 (Slow Mvt)
The Piano: King Of The Tuned Percussion/Symphony No.3 'Organ' (Mvt 3)/And A Quarter Of A Century After That:
Petrushka (Russian Dance)
The Anti-Romantic Piano As An Integral Part Of The Orchestra
Music For Strings, Percussion And Celeste (Last Mvt)

Tracks:

Keyboard Instruments In The Orchestra - The Most Powerful Of Them All:
Symphony No.3 'Organ' (Finale)
But Things In Handel's Day Were Very Different.
Organ Concerto In B Flat, Op.4 No.3 (Last Mvt)
The Organ Is Difficult To Classify.
An Unexpected, Organ-related Guest
Concerto Pour Zampogna (Last Mvt)
Peasant-Fancying... And A Touch Of The Roaming Cowboy
Les Miserables (Drink With Me)
Outside Artefacts And The Power Of Association
Mahler's Sleighbells
Symphony No.4 (Opening)
A Roll-Call Of Some Unusual Guests/The Typewriter/Parade
Chains, And More/Integrales/An American In Paris/Sandpaper Ballet
Purpose-Built Oddities: Wind Machines/Symphony No.7 'Sinfonia Antartica' (Opening)
Don Quixote (Variation VIII)
National Calling Cards: The Guitar For Spain/Concierto De Aranjuez (Finale)
And The Guitar's Poor American Relative, The Banjo/Washington Breakdown
And Poorer Still, The Mouth Organ/The Treasure Of The Sierra Madre (Packing Up)
The Balalaika For Russia/Romeo And Juliet (Act II: No.14)
The Maracas For Mexico/The Treasure Of The Sierra Madre (El Desayuno)
The Bongos And Congas And A Whole Wealth Of Other Drums For Africa And Central America/Studio Example
The Sitar Of India/Evening Raga: Bhapoli
The Accordion For France (Especially Paris)/Paris Canaille
The Zither For Vienna/The Third Man (Theme)
The Cimbalom For Hungary/Folk Dances
The Guitar As An Integral Part Of The Orchestra/Rondena
There Are Whole Orchestras Of Balalaikas./Sveit Mesiats
The Effect Of The Wordless Human Voice, Used Purely As An Instrument/Symphony No.7 'Sinfonia Antartica' (Mvt 1)
Nocturnes
Instruments And the Imitation Of Nature. The Clarinet As Cuckoo
The Carnival Of The Animals (The Cuckoo)
The Flute As An All-purpose Aviary
The Carnival Of The Animals (The Aviary)
The Oboe As Duck
Peter And The Wolf (The Duck)
The Recording Of Reality. Does It Work As Well?
The Pines Of Rome (The Pines Of The Janiculum)
The Recording Of Reality Electronically Reborn In New Guises
Cantus Articus - Concerto For Birds And Orchesra (Mvt 2)
Beethoven Turns Avian: Cuckoo, Nightingale, And Quail
Symphony No.6 'Pastoral' (Andante Molto Mosso)
Some Improbable Casting: The Violin As Braying Donkey
The Carnival Of The Animals (Persons With Long Ears)
A Truly Orchestral Hee-haw To Be Reckoned With
Overture To 'A Midsummer Night's Dream'
A Thunderstorm In A Million
Symphony No.6 'Pastoral (Allegro-Allegretto)
the Instrumental Depiction Of A Silent World
The Carnival Of The Animals (The Aquarium)
Saint-Saens' Menagerie Takes A Curtain Call.
The Carnival Of The Animals (Finale)

Tracks:

The Grouping Of Instrumental Families. An Additive Approach. First, Two Violins
Forty-Four Duos (No.4)
A Great Contrast, Of Both Pitch And Character: Violin And Viola
Duo For Violin And Viola In B Flat Major, K.424 (Finale, Vars 1 & 2)/Studio Example
Arrival Of The Standard String Trio: Violin, Viola, And Cello
String Trio In B Flat (Menuetto)
The String Quartet: Two Violins, Viola, And Cello
String Quartet In F, Op.18 No.1 (Mvt 3)
The String Quintet - When The Extra Instrument Is A Second Viola
String Quartet No.5 In D, K.593 (Adagio)
The String Quintet - When The Extra Instrument Is A Second Cello
String Quintet In C (Mvt 3)
The String Sextet: Two Violins, Two Violas, And Two Cellos
String Sextet In B Flat (Mvt 2)
The String Octet: The Standard String Quaret Times Two
Octet In E Flat, Op.20 (Mvt 1)
Double The String Octet: A Fully Fledged String Orchestra
String Symphony No.2 (Finale)
The Massed Strings Of A Symphony Orchestra
Fantasia On A Theme Of Thomas Tallis
Contrasts Of Pitch And Instrumental 'Colour' In The Woodwind Section
Wind Quintet In A Minor, Op.100 No.5 (Theme)
In The First Variation It's The Horn That Gets The Lion's Share.
Wind Quintet In A Minor, Variation 1
In Variation Two The Torch Is Handed To The Bassoon.
Wind Quintet In A Minor, Variation 2
In Variation Three The Oboe Leads.
Wind Quintet In A Minor, Variation 3
Variation Four: Conversation Before Returning To A Solo-dominated Texture
Wind Quintet In A Minor, Variation 4
And Variation Five is Dominated By The Clarinet.
Wind Quintet In A Minor, Variation 5
The Next To Be Featured Is The Virtuoso Flute.
Wind Quintet In A Minor, Variation 6
Individual Farewells And A Closing Chorus
Wind Quintet In A Minor, Variation 7
A Mixed Group: Clarinet, Bassoon, Horn, String Quartet, And Double-Bass
Octet In F (Mvt 3)
The Early Classical Symphony Orchestra Of Haydn And Mozart
Symphony No.29 In A, K.201 (Finale)
Strings, Wind, But No Brass. What Haydn And Mozart Never Knew
Canzon 28
Beethoven's Fifth: Two Horns, Two Trumpets, And Three Trombones Join The Team.
Symphony No.5 (Finale)
From Beethoven To The Massive Orchestras Of Berlioz, Wagner, And Mahler
Beethoven Changed The Face Of The Symphony And The Orchestra Forever
Symphoy No.6 'Tragic' (Mvt 1)
The Cult Of Orchestral Elephantiasis Reaches Its Peak.
Symphony No.1 'Gothic' (VI: Te Ergo Quaesumus)
When Large Doesn't Necessarily Mean Loud: Debussy
Images (Gigues)
A Crisis Of Confidence; The Orchestra's Survival Hangs In The Balance, But It Still Develops. The Ondes Martenot:
Turangalila Symphony (Chant D'amour 1)
The Advent Of The 'Early Music' Movement Brings A New Vitality And Freshness.
Balle De Xerxes (Gavotte En Rondeau)
Computer And Synthesiser: Friends Or Foes?
Concerto In D Minor For Two Violins (Largo)
A Speculative Look Ahead/Mass In B Minor ('Dona Nobis Pacem')

Customer Reviews:

Instruments of the Orchestra - Great Reference Material!.......2007-04-04

This set lends itself to greatly enhancing one's knowledge of the orchestra, instruments in it, and their usage. I am a huge music buff, and I still picked up a great deal I previously did not know. I highly recommend this for all who wish to understand the origin of music, as well as the processes that are employed to create music!

Beginner or Expert.......2007-03-12

This CD is excellent for the beginner or expert! To be able to haear the instrumets separately and then together really provides a good education. and/or refresher. The book thaty comes with the CD is alomost worth the price by itself!

Very Informative and Enjoyable.......2006-11-20

Whether you're a music novice or pro, "The instruments of the Orchestra" is a very worthwhile purchase. The 7 CDs, with a total of 8 hours, are expertly narrated by Jeremy Siepmann. He's a great speaker, very much like the late Leonard Bernstein was. Mr. Siepmann takes you on an unforgetable musical journey covering the origins and use of the various orchestral instruments throughout musical history. The balance between his narration and a wealth of musical examples, which range from snippets to entire movements, is superb. The comprehensive enclosed booklet is excellent and faithfully follows the 7 CDs in content. Even with my 40+ years of music training I still learned new things from this wonderful collection. Considering the excellence of the content, and a cost that translates to about $5 per disc, this collection is a great value. Grab it, you won't regret that you did. Five solid stars!

Frank's view.......2006-08-19

This boxed set of CD's with booklet achieved all I had hoped that it would. There are good samples of individual instruments and well done commentary on each. The only drawback was that some of the samples were too brief and could have been longer, hoiwever I guess this fits in with time constraints of the medium. It has given me a lot of clues as to future purchases of CD's for listening to individual instruments. Altogeth a satisfactory purchase and a welcome addition to my collection.

Excellent Intro for Those Not Familiar with the Orchestra.......2003-11-08

I've listened to classical music for years and am interested in composition. I bought this CD set to learn how an orchestra and its instruments work. I thought the CDs would be a nice but boring lecture. They aren't! Not only are they FUN but they are informative as well. I learned a huge amount from each CD and couldn't wait to listen to the next one.

The narrator and writer is a great speaker and holds your attention well. He is definitely knowledgeable. He provides musical examples for each point he makes, so you get to "hear" what he just talked about. I'd say the CDs are about 65% music and 35% narration. You'll learn about the range of instruments, some history, different ways to play them, how they sound, and how they are used in the orchestra. This CD set was a great learning experience and is sold at such a low price!

I recommend this CD for those who want to learn about classical music and those who know about it but are interested in learning more about the inner workings of an orchestra. You'll learn much useful information. For instance, the Rite of Spring (with that eerie start) is written for bassoon! I never knew a bassoon could sound like that but now I do.

Tracks:

Overture To The Marriage Of Figaro
Piano Sonata No. 15, K .545
The Sleigh Ride (From Three German Dances, K. 605)
Horn Concerto No.4, K.495
Variations On Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star, K. 265
Violin Concerto No.4, K. 218
Piano Sonata No.10, K. 331- (Rondo Alla Turca)
Piano Concerto No.21, K.467
Eine Kleine Nachtmusik - (Romance)
Serenade For Winds, K.3 75 - (Adagio)
Selections From The 'Marriage Of Figaro': Cavatina - ('Se Vuol Ballare, Signor Contino')
Selections From The 'Marriage Of Figaro': Aria - ('Non Piu Andrai')
Selections From The 'Marriage Of Figaro': Terzetto - ('Susanna Or Via Sortite')
Symphony No. 38, 'Prague' - (Andante)
Ave Vernum Corpus, K. 618

Customer Reviews:

Enjoyable Classical Music.......2006-10-26

This cd is great because unlike other classical music cds made for babies, this one even adults can enjoy. Sometimes they change the song so that it sounds more like something a baby will appeal too, but this one just keeps the original song format which means even people without babies would be able to enjoy some of Mozart's classics.

Beautiful Collection of Classical Music.......2006-08-07

This is a fantastic CD of beautiful music. It is uplifting and soothing at the same time. I have several good classic music compilations CDs, but this is my favorite and the one that gets played daily! When the littlest one is napping, it goes on. When I'm cooking, it goes on. When we have the TV off and the kids are playing games or making puzzles, it is on! It stays in my kitchen CD player so at a touch of a button, lovely music can fill the house.

Check out the samples above (my [...] especially likes #5, Twinkle Twinkle Little Star). It is not "children's music," a disc of lullabies, or something to reserve for baby shower gifts. I cannot say enough good things about this disc! This is great music that makes you feel good - if it is building our brains too, all the better! Try it and enjoy :)

Build baby's brain with Classics Vol 2.......2006-07-25

I am a true fan of Classical music and this was purchased as a gift for a co-worker who is adopting a child from China. Therefore I did not open it nor listen to it. The recipient is now overseas picking up their daughter so I know they haven't had the opportunity to listen to it. I think it's a great idea, though.

Average customer rating:

Mozart for sleepy babies
Serene but not sleepy Mozart
Like a floating cloud
An Inexpensive Gem
Excellent CD especially for bedtime music of little ones

Mozart at Midnight

Manufacturer: Philips
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Quintets | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music

Beethoven at Bedtime: A Gentle Prelude to Sleep
Mozart for Meditation
Bach at Bedtime: Lullabies for the Still of the Night
Mozart for Morning Coffee: Freshly Brewed to Perk Up Your Day
Baroque at Bathtime: A Relaxing Serenade to Wash Your Cares Away

ASIN: B00000419X
Release Date: 1994-05-10

Tracks:

Eine kleine Nachtmusik: Romance (Andante)
Piano Concerto No. 21 in C: Andante
Symphony No. 29 In A: Adagio
Clarinet Concerto In A: Adagio
Symphony No. 25 In A: Andante
Violin Concerto No. 3 In G: Adagio
Serenade No. 10 In B-Flat: Adagio
Symphony No. 28 in C: Andante
Clarinet Quintet In A: Larghetto
Horn Concerto No. 3 In E-Flat: Romanze (Larghetto)
Sinfonia concertante In E-Flat for Violin, Viola & Orchestra: Andante

Customer Reviews:

Mozart for sleepy babies.......2006-09-19

I've used this CD to help my 2 little ones sleep. Nice and relaxing. And good for their brains, too!

Serene but not sleepy Mozart.......2005-09-22

Mozart lived in what the music world calls the "Classical Era" where most of the music composed was typically in three movements: Fast - Slow - Fast. Theme collections like this CD here "cherry pick" some of the nicer slow movements Mozart wrote and put them on one disc of similar tone and temperament. Featured in this collection are movements with the Italian music terms, "adagio" (very slow) or "andante" (moderate pace) - but not the "allegros" or "Rondos" (which are fast and lively). Such a grouping allows 60-70 minutes of music that is more condusive to reading, lounging or entertaining without the sudden or loud surges from the fast movements. Of course, the most pure and educational way to listen to classical music is in its complete form of all three or four movements. But, especially for the classical newcomer, this can be too much for cartain parts of one's day, so these compilation CD's of easy-going classical melodies can be a better way to enjoy classical music much of the time.

The selections here are an excellent representation of Mozart's music with performances that are quite good (but maybe not THE best for the experienced classical fan which is fine). Highlights are the dreamy clarinet and wind pieces and the famous slow and enchanting movements from the piano concertos (solo piano + orchestra) - a form of music Mozart perfected to extraordinary levels. But because some selections are full symphonies, concertos, or scored in those dramatic minor-keys that can be somewhat stimulating, the music is more a pleasant companion for late-night reading or conversation and less of a means to cure insomnia at midnight. But, otherwise, you will be experiencing here some of Mozart's finest music - which spotlights some of his more lyrical & musically-rich slow movements. If you want the most scerene music to fall asleep to, the best choices in this series are: "Baroque for Bathtime" and "Bach for Bedtime."

Like a floating cloud.......2004-03-15

Although I don't much about classical music I do appreciate the occasional seranade. There are certain times that lend more to listening to this type of music so maybe that is why they came up with the night-night title. It is extremely relaxing and if you are not careful or too tired you might begin cutting some zzz's. Actually I find that this is perfect music for reading before bedtime as it stimulates just enough to perk your attention but doesn't grab it and take you away from concentrating on your book. Although I'm not a big classical music person some of the music sounds very familiar so maybe for those in the know you might recognize some of old Wolfgang's best or most well known works. After looking over the liner notes and credits it seems that most of these recording are older but put together here for a theme. Some of the recording date back as far as 1970 with the newest being from 1994. I guess this is classical music for the novice, a sort of compilation of some of his Adagio's, Andannte's and Larghetto's. Now if I only knew how to differenciate between these identifying terms! It just sounds real soothing. The price is right for people that just dabble in this type of music occasionally and are not hard core serious classical music listeners. It is part of the Phillips Classics releases that includes a whole line of various major composers music set to a theme. For example, they have another one for Mozart that is more lively that is entitled "Mozart in the Morning" . I guess anytime is the right time for hearing some of these symphonies. Try it you just might like it.

An Inexpensive Gem.......2001-04-12

I find that often Mozart's most profoundly beautiful music occurs in the slow movements, particularly in the slow movements of the concertos. This is a fine selection of slower movements. The overall quality of the performances is exceptional. This relatively inexpensive gem always satisfies. It is an excellent gift.

Excellent CD especially for bedtime music of little ones.......1999-10-25

We bought this CD for the purpose of exposing our son (2 yrs) to classical music while providing good music to help relax him and put him to sleep for the evening. It works great! In fact, I often lay with my son as he goes down and I find myself lost in this CD. It makes it hard to get up. One slight flaw is that the music can be a tad Peaky at times and can sometimes wake a heavy eyed boy.

Susan Graham ~ Berlioz - Les nuits d'été

Average customer rating:

At its best as pure singing, but a little short emotionally
A concerto for voice. Bravo!
Prime Berlioz from two most gifted advocates
A Berlioz singer to treasure
The greatest "Nuits d'Ete" on record!

Susan Graham ~ Berlioz - Les nuits d'été
Hector Berlioz , John Nelson , Susan Graham , and Orchestra of the Royal Opera House
Manufacturer: Sony
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

French | Languages | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

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"C'est ca la vie, c'est ca l'amour": French Operetta Arias

ASIN: B0000029U0
Release Date: 1997-07-15

Tracks:

Les nuits d', Op. 7: I. villanelle
Les nuits d', Op. 7: II. le spectre de la rose
Les nuits d', Op. 7: III. sur les lagunes: lamento
Les nuits d', Op. 7: IV. Absence
Les nuits d', Op. 7: V. au cimeti re : clair de lune
Les nuits d', Op. 7: VI. l'ile inconnue
La Damnation De Faust, Op. 24: (d'amour l'ardente flamme) (Romance)
Benvenuto Cellini: (mais qu'ai-je donc?) (Air)
Les Troyens: (Ah ! Ah ! je vais mourir) (Monologue)
Les Troyens: (adieu, fiere cite) (Air)
Brice et Bdict: (dieu! que viens-je d'entendre?) (Air)

Amazon.com

On casual listen, Graham can seem like yet another pretty voice. And it is extremely pretty. But there's an intelligence and learnedness that can only make her more interesting as time goes on. As is, her performances are slightly undercooked, though there are some moments during Les Nuits d'été as passionate and committed as one could want. The arias added to fill out the disc aren't heard in optimal performances, but show what riches lie in Berlioz's neglected operatic output, namely Ascanio's lighthearted aria from Benvenuto Cellini and the long soliloquy from Beatrice and Benedict. --David Patrick Stearns

Customer Reviews:

At its best as pure singing, but a little short emotionally.......2007-02-15

Generally I take David Hurwitz to be more a comedian than a critic, but he's on to something about mezzo Susan Graham's interpretations being "undercooked," if by that he means emotionally cool. Her Nuits d'Ete is impeccably sung--one can hardly imagine anyone else who possesses such perfect vocal technique in this music--but I wasn't very moved. Perhaps it's John Nelson's bland conducting, but the two of them move gracefully over the surface without penetrating into Berlioz's deeper feelings. The lesser-known inner songs, which are consistently melancholy, come off best; Graham really seems to give us the poetry with a full heart. If anyone strongly disagrees, I am happy to concede how wonderful Graham is, but I've always been touched by these songs as sung by de los Angeles, Janet Baker, Leontyne Price, and ohters. Not here. No matter how well you control your tone and phrasing, Berlioz needs passionate outbursts and real spontaneity. (For what it's worth, I had the same impression recently hearing Graham sing the cycle with Tilson Thomas and the San Francisco Sym., where she displayed, if anything, greater control and beauty of voice than even on this CD.)

At just over 60 min., this isn't the most generous recital, but the fillers are very well done. Nelson remains careful and bland, which doesn't help, D'amour l'ardente flamme needs more poignancy from all concerned, but Graham has lots of stage experience with Beatrice and Benedict, so that aria comes off well. It's not reasonable to say that anything here doesn't, but when Dido sings her death aria, I don't hear any dramatic stretch--Graham is applying the same middle-of-the-road pathos that gets applied almost everywhere else.

A concerto for voice. Bravo!.......2006-05-16

Berlioz' 'Les Nuit's D'ete' and other pieces for the soprano voice, performed by Susan Graham, is one of my favorite CD's of female operatic / chamber song pieces, even though Ms. Graham is not as familiar to me as Renee Fleming or Anne Sophie von Otter.

Ms. Graham's collaboration with John Nelson directing the Orchestra of the Royal Opera House on the six songs based on poems by Theophile Gautier seem almost to be a concerto for soprano and orchestra, so well does Ms. Graham's voice fit into the orchesteral accompanyment.

The four pieces rounding out the 61 minutes on the disk are arias from four of Berlioz' operas, which seamlessly blend in with the title sextet of songs.

My French is weak, so there is little of the actual lyrics I understand without the translation, but you don't really need it to appreciate the musical talent on display here.

While I have not heard many other versions of this Berlioz song cycle, Graham's rendition is certainly the best in my experience.

Very enjoyable.

Prime Berlioz from two most gifted advocates.......2005-07-09

Berlioz' song-cycle Les nuits d'ete has been deservedly fortunate in its representation on CD. With recordings by Crespin, Veronique Gens, Susan Graham, and Anne Sophie von Otter all top-flight musically and well-recorded, choice will be a matter of personal taste. I find Graham and Gens jostling most gracefully for my own affections. I have seen a criticism of Graham's disc to the effect that the voice tends to blanket the orchestra and obscure detail. I disagree. The balance is convincing and the sonics exceptional in their revelation of Berlioz' intoxicating orchestration. Moreover, in John Nelson Graham has, in my estimation, a successor to Monteux and Munch as monarch among Berlioz conductors. (Nelson's recording of Benvenuto Cellini, for instance, represents a huge advance over the pioneering Philips version.) Graham amazes not only with the beauty of her sound but with her uncanny empathy with the French esthetic, a rarity among American singers. I'm sorry but it's true; hard trying just won't do it. The disc includes arias from Berlioz' Faust, Cellini, Beatrice, and Troyens, all splendid. Particularly moving is Didon's farewell to Carthage from Les Troyens ("Adieu, fiere cite"); sampling that should let you know if this disc is for you. Since the Gens disc is completed by yet other Berlioz, three songs plus La mort de Cleopatre, you have a ready excuse for duplicating Les nuits, if your shelves can stand it.

-Frank W. Barham

A Berlioz singer to treasure.......2003-10-12

I have taken a long time to get round to obtaining this recording. I noticed the other day that Graham is listed to sing her first Didon in the next couple of years. Not her first staged Berlioz, but probably the biggest single challenge for a soloist in this particular repertoire. It was for the opera arias, rather than the songs, that I wished to have this record.

But the song cycle is truly a knockout. These songs have long been a favourite, and just about every singer I can think of has had a go at them. Recent stand-out performances include Cecilia Bartoli, Ann Murray and, on record, Veronique Gens. The beauty of Berlioz is that the range and orchestration he uses, as well as the sheer potential for interpreting the lines, allows many different kinds of singer to tackle his work. Graham has perhaps the ideal Berlioz voice these days - a soprano-ish mezzo, with dark, brooding tone that can bloom into bright, sunny lines without strain. She is a really intelligent, thinking singer who uses words to colour the sound. Her partnership here with John Nelson is highly fruitful, and makes for a modern classic (to puit on the shelf with Norman, Gorr and Crespin, naturally).

No disappointments in the opera numbers either. Anyone who has heard her work in operetta (some lovely records out just recently, in fact) will recognise the sexy, teasing quality she brings to Benedict and to the Cellini number. Back on the tragic side of the coin, her Marguerite is suitably overwrought and the sense of regret she brings to the number is palpable. Dido is the pick of the bunch - rightly - and the combination of robust, furious tone and serene rememberance of her "nuit d'ivresse" is heart-stopping.

So - time to record Les Troyens with Graham, I believe. Not very sure who else would feature on this "Fantasy Recording" - answers on a postcard, please!

The greatest "Nuits d'Ete" on record!.......2002-09-01

I have been listening to Berlioz' song cycle for nearly thirty years, and have heard most of the famous recordings: Teyte, Danco, de los Angeles, Steber, Janet Baker, Jessye Norman et al. Formerly, it was only Baker who penetrated the poetry of the lyrics...the "old" French style was to simply sing in a straightforward manner with no particular inflection, a style that Teyte and Danco worked to perfection. But the advent of such "chanson" singers as Gerard Souzay, Regine Crespin and Gabriel Bacquier changed all that, their approach was more specifically poetic. That is the approach that Graham uses here, and I find that it works beautifully.

Tracks:

Queen of the Night Aria [From The Magic Flute]
Serenata Mexicana
Musical Snuff Box
Like a Bird
Bell Song [Lakme Dub]
Charmant Oiseau [Perle du Brl]
Adele's Laughing Song [Die Fledermaus]
Biassy [Prelude XVI]
Valse Caressante
Little Jack Horner - Alexander Kipnis
Sing a Song of Sixpence - John Charles Thomas
Blue Danube - Jimmy Dorsey & His Orchestra, Josephine Tumminia
Little Old State of Texas - Ezio Pinza, The Sons of the Pioneers
Fireman's Bride [Up in Central Park] - Jeanette MacDonald, Robert Merrill
Song's Gotta Come from the Heart - Jimmy Durante, Helen Traubel
Real Piano Player - Jimmy Durante, Helen Traubel
Please Don't Say No [Thrill of a Romance] - Lauritz Melchior

Customer Reviews:

Must be heard to be believed.......2006-04-09

Even the brilliant Judy Kaye in the recent play "Souvenir" about Ms. Jenkins couldn't quite match the unique sound of this singer, although she came close. For those who like this sort of thing, this is the real thing. The sound on this Naxos CD is superior to RCA's "Glory of the Human Voice??" which covers most of the same territory. The Naxos CD also restores the piano intro to the Bell Song and the heretofore rare Valse Caressante of which only a few pressings are known to exist.

That said, the rest of the (non-Florence) cuts are mostly forgettable. More kitch than camp. Annoying music abounds but the in the realm of the truly, stupendously awful Florence Foster Jenkins remains in a class by herself. No one can really compete with Ms. Jenkins on her own camp grounds and there is no sense in trying. The one exception being the sung "Blue Danube" with Josephine Tumminia and the Jimmy Dorsey orchestra which falls in the "what could they have been thinking?" department.

Personally a little of this sort of thing goes a long way. The Faust Travesty on the RCA set holds a bit more interest (but not all that much). I think a more interesting compliation would consist of "straight" renderings of the various arias and pieces contrasted with Madame Florence's so the listener may fully savor what she achieves in these performances.

Florence gets five stars but the rest of it gets a minus one, so it ends up with four.

This is the definitive FFJ!.......2005-01-09

A fellow reviewer has not paid close attention to the contents of "Murder On The High C's": this release actually contains every recording that FFJ made. She recorded 9 arias and released them on 5 78's (the fifth, "Valse Caressante", was split), all of them gathered here for the first time. What this album omits from the previous cd release ("The Glory??? of the Human Voice") is the arias by an almost equally incompetent baritone. "Murder..." more than compensates for this with the inclusion of some unbelievably tragic recordings by artists who could actually sing but found themselves saddled with shockingly bad material; it's an absolute feast for those who love outsider music. The 'nursery rhyme' songs provoke bewilderment, the swing version of "Blue Danube" must be heard to be believed, and the excellent liner notes accurately describe Lauritz Melchior's valiant performance of "Please Don't Say No" as "the single worst recording of anything ever made by an opera star who should have known better". "Murder On The High C's" is an insanely delirious treasure.

Sounds Like A Vacuum Cleaner Ingesting An Owl.......2004-10-15

Florence Foster Jenkins was a socialite who enjoyed singing in vast disproportion to her musical talent. This CD has some of her greatest works (so to speak) although the disc pales in comparison to her masterwork "The Glory (????) of Human Voice." (In fact several of the songs on this CD are available on that recording.) Particularly ear-shattering are "Musical Snuff Box" (watch out for that last note if you have pets, they will seriously dislike it), "Bell Song" which is essentially a series of a cappella pentatonic scales by and large, and finally the unique rendition of "Valse Caressante" (which was actually released as a single!) which will leave any listener in a near delirium.

In short, these rare Jenkins masterworks are amazing and hilarious. I can't recommend them highly enough to anyone even mildly curious about outsider music. Why the three star rating? It is certainly not due to Florence's participation, rather due to the packaging. The cover boasts "Florence Foster Jenkins and Friends." Little will most people suspect that the "friends" make up about half of the CD, and are totally unrelated to Jenkins except for possessing no musical talent. Some of the songs are merely boring (like the Jimmy Durante selections), and some are quite laughably funny like the dreadful "The Fireman's Bride," and "Please Don't Say No." Finally there is the real puzzler from the "what were they thinking?" file, "Little Jack Horner," an operatic retelling of the classic children's tale. The other reason I only give this disc three stars is because four of the nine Jenkins' songs are available on "The Glory (????) of Human Voice." I had expected different material on this CD.

The bottom line is that this CD is for Florence Foster Jenkins completists. (Ponder that.) People who want more exposure to Florence should buy her delightful "The Glory (????) of Human Voice," which I can't recommend highly enough.

comedy classic.......2004-05-27

In the summer of 2003, I had the luck of hearing Florence's recordings. Even though no one is quite sure whether she meant to be funny or not, listening to her cds always puts me in the best mood. Hearing her try to reach those high notes and missing terribly is the funniest thing in the world!! My family and I love Florence!!!

The "joke", never funny, is now painfully shabby.......2004-03-07

It is sad that a person who apparently had too much money and time to waste could have done so in preserving for an unsuspecting posterity such awful sounds. The so-called friends who flocked by invitation to her concert to relish an event of mockery were at least as much to blame as the poor woman herself for having encouraged such eccentric egocentricity.

Tracks:

Platoon: Adagio For Strings - Baltimore Symphony Orchestra/David Zinman
Elvira Madigan: Piano Concerto No.21 In C Major, K.467 - Radu Lupu/English Chamber Orchestra/Uri Segal
A Room With A View: O Mio Babbino Caro (Gianni Schicchi) - Renata Tebaldi/Orch Del Maggio Musicale Fiorentino/Lamberto Gardelli
Dangerous Moonlight: Warsaw Concerto - Cristina Ortiz/Royal Philharmonic Orchestra/Moshe Atzmon
Dances With Wolves: John Dunbar Theme - Hollywood Bowl Orchestra/John Mauceri
Raging Bull/Godfather III: Intermezzo (Cavalleria Rusticana) - National Philharmonic Orchestra/Gianandrea Gavazzeni
Brief Encounter: Piano Concerto No.2 In C Minor: Adagio Sostenuto (Excerpt) - Jean-Yves Thibaudet/The Cleveland Orchestra/Vladimir Ashkenazy
The Mission: Gabriel's Oboe - Prague Philharmonia/Nick Ingman
The Piano: The Heart Asks Pleasure First - Jean-Yves Thibaudet
The Gadfly: Romance - Alexander Kerr/Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra/Riccardo Chailly
Amadeus: Serenade In B Flat Major, K.361 'Gran Partita': Adagio - Members Of The Academy Of St. Martin In The Fields/Neville Marriner
Sunday, Bloody Sunday: Soave Sia Il Vento (Trio) (Cosi Fan Tutte) - Lucia Popp/Brgitte Fassbaender/Tom Krause/Vienna Haydn Orchestra/Istvan Kertesz
Diva: Ebben?...Ne Andro Lontana (La Wally) - Renee Fleming/London Philharmonic Orchestra/Charles Mackerras
Hannah And Her Sisters: Keyboard Concerto No.5 In F Minor, BWV 1056: Largo - Andras Schiff/Chamber Orchestra Of Europe
Immortal Beloved: Piano Sonata No.14 In C Sharp Minor 'Moonlight': Adagio Sostenuto - Vladimir Ashkenazy
Carrington: String Quintet In C Major, D956: Adagio (Excerpt) - Weller Quartet
Amadeus: Lacrimosa (Requiem) - John Alldis Choir/BBC Symphony Orchestra/Colin Davis

Tracks:

Billy Elliot: Scene (Opening Of Act 2) (Swan Lake) - Orchestre Symphonique De Montreal/Charles Dutoit
Life Is Beautiful (La Vita E Bella): Barcarolle (The Tales Of Hoffmann) - L'Orchestra De La Suisse Romande/Richard Bonynge
Dead Poets Society/Picnic At Hanging Rock: Piano Concerto No.5 In E Flat Major, Op.73 'Emperor'... - Vladimir Ashkenazy/The Cleveland Orchestra
Hilary And Jackie: Cello Concerto, Op.85: Adagio - Moderato (Excerpt) - Julian Lloyd Webber/Royal Philharmonic Orchestra/Yehudi Menuhin
Out Of Africa: Clarinet Concerto In A Major, K.622: Adagio - Jack Brymer/London Symphony Orchestra/Colin Davis
Children Of A Lesser God: Concerto In D Minor For 2 Violins, BWV 1043: Largo, Ma Non Tanto - Henryk Szeryng/Maurice Hasson/Academy Of St. Martin In The Fields/Neville Marriner
Frankie And Johnny: Clair De Lune - Eastman-Rochester Pops Orchestra/Frederick Fennell
Cinema Paradiso: Nuovo Cinema Paradiso - Prague Philharmonia/Nick Ingman
Death In Venice: Symphony No.5: Adagietto - Chicago Symphony Orchestra/Sir Georg Solti
Seven: Suite No.3 In D Major, BWV 1068: Air - Stuttgarter Kammerorchestra/Karl Munchinger
The Shawshank Redemption: Che Soave Seffiretto (Letter Duet) (The Marriage Of Figaro) - Kiri Te Kanawa/Lucia Popp/London Philharmonic Orchestra/Sir Georg Solti
Fatal Attraction: Un Bel Di (Madama Butterfly) - Renee Fleming/London Philharmonic Orchestra/Charles Mackerras
Ordinary People: Canon In D Major - Stuttgarter Kammerorchester/Karl Munchinger
Truly, Madly, Deeply: Cello Sonata In G Minor, BWV 1029: Adagio (Excerpt) - Janos Starker/Gyorgy Sebok
Shine: Prelude In C Sharp Minor, Op.3 No.2 - Vladimir Ashkenazy
On Her Majesty's Secret Service: We Have All The Time In The World - Prague Philharmonia/Nick Ingman

Customer Reviews:

If You Love Classical Music, This CD Is For You .......2007-01-10

This compilation of movie themes is one of the most pleasurable CD's you'll ever own.

Probably Decca's best "Adagios" set.......2006-07-26

I say "probably," since it's hard to outdo its "Beethoven Adagios" set. I've only bought a few of these "Adagios" sets because, looking over the track listings of so many, there's just so much overlap. Here, you get the best single collection of the bunch. Here, I was introduced to Addinsell's "Warsaw Concerto," and for that alone it was worth the price. But let's not forget a significant number of other gorgeous classic adagios: Beethoven's "Emperor" concerto (used in a gorgeous film, "Picnic at Hanging Rock"), Bach's "Air on a G String," Mahler's Adaghietto from Symphony no. 5, some obligatory Mozart, the Barber adagio, Debussy's Claire de lune, and - oh lovely! - Schubert's String Quintet in C. Then there are much-appreciated entries (Cinema Paradiso, Gabriel's Oboe) from a personal favorite composer, Ennio Morricone, one of the actual official film composers (as distinct from long-dead composers whose music was used in film) used for this collection, along with a couple from another personal favorite, John Barry. (You'd really need to get Barry's own set of "adagios," titled "Moviola," to get his best, e.g., the title theme to "Out of Africa" and to "Somewhere in Time." For Morricone, the master of the romantic adagio in the past century, go with "Itinerary of a Genius" or individual soundtracks like "Legend of 1900," "Lolita," "Once Upon a Time in America," "Once Upon a Time in the West," and others.)

A couple drawbacks to this set: (1) The adagio from Rachmaninov's 2nd is truncated to a mere 4 minutes. For this, one is well advised to purchase a CD with the entire concerto, or get a full version of just the adagio elsewhere (Decca does include a full version on its "Romantic Adagios" collection). (2) So much from so many composers is included, that there is too little room for more Beethoven. I'd prefer the adagio from the "Pathetique" sonata to the "Moonlight" one which was included here. For Beethoven adagios, you need the "Beethoven Adagios" set as an accompaniment (where you get, among other things, adagios for the op. 130 string quartet, the 6th symphony, the violin concerto, piano concerto no. 3, the 7th symphony, and the romance for violin no. 2, op. 50). If you're a fan of Mozart music often used in the movies, there's the "Mozart Adagios" set and/or the "Amadeus" soundtrack.

I'm a "purist" as to a few works; I'd rather hear the entirety of the "Emperor" concerto than merely the adagio, for instance. In plenty of other cases, an adagio movement is heard just fine as a stand-alone work; plenty of the most beautiful music is used for adagio movements, as these sets make clear enough.

One of the best CDs you'll ever own.......2003-03-23

This is an excellent selection of music. I listen to it every chance I get. It is great just to put in your CD player on "repeat" and allow it to soothe and inspire you for a few hours, for an evening, or an for entire day.

One reason I chose it was that I was looking for music that could simply be a nice background noise for when I'm working on things that require reading and concentration. I wanted music that would not be a distraction, and this does a good job. It is also great to listen to when doing almost anything, like even cleaning the house or doing laundry. I will admit though, that listening to the selection from Swan Lake might make you want to dance around the living room.

Also, besides the obvious ones that everybody knows (Beethoven's 5th, or Canon in D, etc.) I do not know enough to distinguish specific songs from their composers, which is why I was hesitant to buy a classical CD soley of one artist because once I got it I may not have liked it or been familiar with any of the songs. That is why I picked Movie Adagios because I knew it would be a selection of some of the best classical music from the movies, which it is.

Sublime!.......2002-09-08

Of course, I'm nuts for classical music and classic movies, so this compilation of music featured in some of the most famous movies ever made is an absolutely ideal CD.

Filmmakers have been raiding the classical music files since the days of the silents in order to heighten the mood of a scene and provide a greater emotional impact. Barber's Adagio for Strings has been used not only in "Platoon", as this CD lists, but also in "The Elephant Man". While there's only a small snippet of Rachmininoff's Piano Concerto No. 2 here, it's worth remembering that the entire piece is used throughout the magnificent "Brief Encounter" to heighten the impact of the romance. Mozart's Trio (Cosi fan tutte) was brilliantly used in "Sunday, Bloody Sunday" to comment on a complex romantic triangle.

There are also 5 pieces written directly for the screen, two by Ennio Morricone (the haunting Gabriel's Oboe from "The Mission" and the exquisite Nuovo Cinema Paradiso from "Cinema Paradiso"), two by John Barry (a lovely version of We Have All the Time in the World from the James Bond classic "On Her Majesty's Secret Service" and the elegiac John Dunbar Theme from "Dances With Wolves") and one by Michael Nyman (The heart asks pleasure first from "The Piano").

I love this CD, to relax with, to read with, and just immerse myself in the spectacular sounds of genius.

GREAT MUSIC.......2001-12-03

This is a great classical piece for the lovers of classical, as well as the ones who may hate it. These Adagios CDs get beter and better each time there is a new release. I must warn you there some good as well as some bad ones. There is a certain Adagio flavor for everyones. At the present I have others, but the ones I truly enjoy are Violin Adagios, The Piano Adagios and this one. This compilation is great for reading. Furthermore this CD can be great evening music... for sleeping.

Those of you who have not got on board with the ADAGIOS, please get on board the next time you go to your favorite music store. You may be surprised at how you have enriched yourselves with great music for your listening pleasure.

You may want to check other reviews here at Amazon under my section in the customers reviews.

Thanks

TRIPP

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