Vocal Recital

On this CD:

1. Die Jahreszeiten (The Seasons), oratorio, H. 21/3 With joy th'impatient husbandman
Composed by Franz Joseph Haydn
Performed by Friedrich Schorr

2. Die Zauberflöte (The Magic Flute), opera, K. 620 Bei Männern
Composed by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Performed by Friedrich Schorr, Emmy Bettendorf

3. Die Zauberflöte (The Magic Flute), opera, K. 620 Ein Mädchen oder Weibchen
Composed by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Performed by Friedrich Schorr

4. Euryanthe, opera in 3 acts, Op. 81 (J291) Wo berg'ich mich... und er soll
Composed by Carl Maria von Weber
Performed by Friedrich Schorr

5. Fidelio, opera, Op. 72 Ha! welch'ein Augenblick
Composed by Ludwig van Beethoven
Performed by Friedrich Schorr

6. Elias (Elijah), oratorio, Op. 70 Herr Gott Abrahams
Composed by Felix Mendelssohn
Performed by Friedrich Schorr

7. Elias (Elijah), oratorio, Op. 70 Ist nicht das Herrn Wort
Composed by Felix Mendelssohn
Performed by Friedrich Schorr

8. Elias (Elijah), oratorio, Op. 70 Es ist genug
Composed by Felix Mendelssohn
Performed by Friedrich Schorr

9. Tannhäuser, opera, WWV 70 Als du im kühnen Sange
Composed by Richard Wagner
Performed by Friedrich Schorr

10. Tannhäuser, opera, WWV 70 Blick'ich umher
Composed by Richard Wagner
Performed by Friedrich Schorr

11. Tannhäuser, opera, WWV 70 O du mein holder Abenstern
Composed by Richard Wagner
Performed by Friedrich Schorr

12. Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg, opera, WWV 96 Jerum, jerum!
Composed by Richard Wagner
Performed by Friedrich Schorr

13. Schwanengesang (Swan Song), song cycle for voice & piano, D. 957 Am Meer
Composed by Franz Schubert
Performed by Friedrich Schorr

14. Gedichte von J.W. von Goethe (51), for voice & piano Prometheus
Composed by Hugo Wolf
Performed by Friedrich Schorr

15. Sechs Gedichte von Scheffel, Mörike, Goethe & Kerner, for voice & piano Biterolf
Composed by Hugo Wolf
Performed by Friedrich Schorr

16. Traum durch die Dämmerung ("Weite Wiesen im Dämmergrau"), song for voice & piano, Op. 29/1 Traum durch die Dämmerung
Composed by Richard Strauss
Performed by Friedrich Schorr

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:

Balm in Gilead
Chassidic Chant
Quiet Flows The Don: From Border To Border
Quiet Flows The Don: Oh, How Proud Our Quiet Don
Elijah, Op. 70: The Lord God Of Abraham
The Purest Kind Of Guy
Joe Hill
The Peat-Bog Soldiers
The Four Insurgent Generals
Native Land
Song Of The Plains
Cradle Song
Within Four Walls
By An' By
Sometimes I Feel Like A Motherless Child
John Henry
Water Boy
My Curly Headed Baby
Mah Lindy Lou
Wagon Wheels
The House I Live In
Showboat: I Still Suits Me
Sylvia
Showboat: Ol' Man River
Porgy And Bess: It Ain't Necessarily So

Amazon.com

There was nothing like the Robeson sound, ever. To describe his deep, rich, perfectly equalized instrument is futile. Go instead to "Balm in Gilead," the opening track, and see if you can listen to the last pianissimo phrase without falling to pieces. Robeson was at his best when the music was slow and the words contained spiritual or social messages. Faster, lighter fare like Kern's "I Still Suits Me" or Gershwin's "It Ain't Necessarily So" find the serious-minded singer out of his element, lacking irony and swing. "Old Man River," though, gets a simple, dignified treatment. It's Songs of Free Men, though, that will just keep Robeson's artistry rolling along, especially in Sony's astonishing transfers. --Jed Distler

Customer Reviews:

Robeson on wax.......2007-06-19

I found this album in a thrift store last week, for a couple of dollars. It's the original pressing on four 78 RPM records, in a gatefold format. It's in pristine condition. I really bought it for the incredible cover art, although I hope to be able to listen to it in this format at some point.

The voice, the sound quality and the interpretation.......2004-09-24

Put this on your stereo and if it is good enough the depth and richness of Robeson's voice will make your fillings rattle and your chest rumble. The power of his voice is awesome. This CD is superbly recorded with no audible noise at normal listening levels.

A Voice from the 40s, often dated, often moving.......2002-09-01

"Red diaper babies" have greeted this disc with nostalgic joy, and it captures a time and an aesthetic and a political belief with precision. Anyone interested in the emotional life of the pro-Soviet left of the 1940s should buy this disc. It's something like Henry Wallace set to music. There is much more to Robeson than that, however, and Sony has given us Robeson whole: there are songs by American masters of the musical, there are labor songs, religious songs, as well as the kind of faux-folk songs which the butcher supreme Josef Stalin encouraged and which were not taken seriously inside the USSR (except at gunpoint!!) but which were taken up by dupes around the world. This is Robeson at his least savory - willing propagandist for a vile mass murderer. Songs such as "Native Land" (fittingly, Robeson is referring to the Soviet Union) and the Red Army song are the equivalent of the "Horst Wessel Song", anthems of murder, and it is difficult to listen to the worst of them without retching. On the other hand, Robeson's commitment to American folk culture was real. "Balm in Gilead" is deeply beautiful; "John Henry" is heroic; "By an' By" is both resigned yet hopeful. "Joe Hill" captures an era in labor history. Anyone interested in American popular song should hear these. Turning to Broadway, his "Old Man River" is very fine, though Robeson changed the lyrics for political reasons and Leonard Warren has done the song better. I disagree with the editorial reviewer: "I Still Suits Me" is wonderfully playful and shows Robeson using his gorgeously rich voice to tease and poke fun. However, Marc Blitzstein's "Purest Kind of a Guy" is beyond saving - another example of Robeson recording an unworthy song by a political fellow-traveller. Ugh. But for every miss there are two hits. Robeson performs Mendelssohn's Elijah with nobility, and sings his favorite song, "Water Boy", with joyous pride: "There ain't no hammer that's on these mountains that rings like mine, boys, that rings like mine."
No one need have any fears about the mono sound quality. The orchestra in the second half of the program is at times a little dwarfed by Robeson's voice, but it generally sounds clean and colorful, and the great artist's voice rings like no other.

Robeson at his best.......2000-05-12

It's hard to believe that most of these recordings pre-date the advent of magnetic tape: the CD transfer is superlative. The songs and performance are beyond reproach. Notable is the imaginative packaging in miniature 'record album' format, complete with the original cover art, and a replica of the original Columbia record label applied to the CD.

In response to a previous question: Robeson's performance of Danny Boy (Londonderry Air) can be found on the Vanguard LP entitled "Robeson" (VRS-9037).

some of the greatest songs of the last century.......2000-05-05

In the 1940s, before rabid McCarthyism and racism had taken its toll on him, Robeson made these wonderful recordings of spirituals, classics and pop tunes. Accompanied by the solo piano of the incomparable Lawrence Brown, or by an orchestra, the songs ring out with pride, dignity, skill and unmatched integrity. The shameful treatment that Robeson was subject to from American authorities certainly seem grotesquely absurd to a modern listener. The wonderful version of "The House I Live In" included on this cd should forever kill off any suspicion that Robeson did not love his country deeply. This album ought to be heard by millions of people, world wide. Robeson's voice is nothing less than a glorious high point in 20th century music, and it's hard to think of any recording capturing it to greater advantage.

Average customer rating:

Helsinki Recital [Hybrid SACD]

Manufacturer: Ondine
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music
Similar Items:

Pasión!
Schubert: Piano Sonata D. 958; Lieder; Fragments
Peter Lieberson: Neruda Songs

ASIN: B000PAAIBG
Release Date: 2007-06-12

Tracks:

Applause
Invitation To a Journey
Mignon's Romance
To the Land Where War Is Being Waged
Song Of Sadness
Phidyle
Longing
Torment
Perfume Of the Instant
Echoes
Oh, Do Not Sing To Me, Op.4/4
Twilight, Op.21/3
Fragment From A. De Musset, Op.21/6
The Muse, Op.34/1
What Happiness, Op.34/12
I Chant My Lay, a Hymn Of Love
Hark, How My Triangle
Silent And Lone the Woods Around
Tune the Strings, Oh Gipsy
In His Wide And Ample, Airy Linen Vesture
Songs My Mother Taught Me
Cloudy Heights Of Tatra

Average customer rating:

Wow! Bastianini can really sing!
a voice of gold
The gift from the Heaven
supreme beauty
Non ti scordar!

Ettore Bastianini in Recital

Manufacturer: Myto Records Italy
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Romantic (c.1820-1910) | Historical Periods | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

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Similar Items:

Verdi: Rigoletto
Robert Merrill
Recital: Piero Cappuccilli
Carlo Bergonzi - The Sublime Voice ~ 40 Tracks from the Legendary Tenor
Verdi: La Forza del Destino

ASIN: B000001MKV
Release Date: 2000-09-09

Tracks:

Il Barbiere Di Siviglia: Largo Al Factotum
La Forza Del Destino: Urna Fatale
Un Ballo In Maschera: Alzati/La Tuo Figlio
Un Ballo In Maschera: Eri Tu Che Macchiavi
Otello: Vanne/La Tua Meta Gia Vedo
Otello: Credo In Un Dio Crudel
Don Carlo: O Carlo, Ascolta
Rigoletto: Cortigiani, Vil Razza Dannata
Andrea Chenier: Questo Azzurro Sofa
Andrea Chenier: Son Sessant' Anni/O Vecchio
Il Tabarro: Nulla!...Silenzio!...
Il Tabarro: T'ho Colto!
I Pagliacci: Prologo
Cavalleria Rusticana: Il Cavallo Scalpita
Cavalleria Rusticana: Oh! Il Signore Vi Manda
L' Amico Fritz: Per Voi/Ghiottoni Inutili
Lodoletta: Tel Dissi/Lodoletta
Le Maschere: Quella E Una Strada
Il Sogno
Non Posso Chiedervi
Eterna Memoria
Ovunque Tu

Customer Reviews:

Wow! Bastianini can really sing!.......2007-03-19

Ettore Bastianini is so awesome! The man could really sing, and I mean, really sing! His voice is so dark, so sexy, aristocratic, it sounds like bronze. He really was a vocal phenomenon. I was always interested in him; the rave reviews on amazon convinced me to purchase this CD, and I'm glad I did. His voice was gorgeous.

a voice of gold.......2003-02-23

I first heard Bastianini is Serafin's London recording of "La Boheme" with Carlo Bergonzi and Renata Tebaldi. I was impressed then and I still am now.
To possess such evenness in every part of one's range is nothing short of amazing. Bastianini's high notes are as rich as his lows and it is stunning to hear such brassiness in a baritone. A beautiful timbre is matched by peerless vocal skill; he is VERY well trained as a singer. Nothing is out of tune, a beat behind, or cut short for lack of air.
His opera buffo is superb; I wish there was a recording of "The Barber of Seville" with him in the title role. He truly has character when he sings comedic roles and his diction is impeccable; I don't think I've ever heard recitative done that quickly before. He is a little static and distant in "Eri tu" (I like it a little slower), but I think that, had he lived longer, he would have grown more into the role of Renato. Despite this, he is a true Verdi baritone singing with great civility and consistancy. Track 7 from "Don Carlo" shows this perfectly; easily some of the best lyrical phrasing on record.
Every song is done with perfect technique punctuated by great expression. He makes the change from technical singer to interpretive artist with considerable ease, especially in the last tracks which are live recordings of him in concert.
The orchestra and piano accompaniments are just that; accompaniments. And there is little effort made on the part of the conductors to intrude upon his singing. There is depth, but it quietly provides a very easy platform from which to simply listen to his voice and enjoy the sparkling clarity.
The recording quality is excellent mono that sounds like a very distant stereo instead of like someone singing into a box. There is very little static or hiss and the audience is barely audible at all.
Truly, an excellent (and rare) recording of a singer whose voice was a gift from God. It's a rather odd, but very special album that any opera buff should have.

The gift from the Heaven.......2000-06-06

Ettore was the best and the most incredible baritone of all time. This CD contains many of earlier recordings when he switched from bass to baritone. And he sang absolutely wonderful. He'll take you to heaven when you hear pieces from Forza, Ballo and all the rest. He would have been a great Iago. He proved in this CD. He also proved that he was a great comedian in Barbiere and Maschere. What a pleasure and the gift he'd left with us. I can't thank him enough!

supreme beauty.......2000-06-04

When I listened to Ettore Bastianini for the first time, I got very impressed with the pureness of his sound. His range was incredible and even though he started his career as a bass, his roles as a baritone are superb. His voice of supreme beauty reminds us that baritone's voices don't have to be limited and common. This recording is great. That "Si puo? is powerful. All the arias are performed with passion and beauty. Bastianini is a must to have baritone in all opera collections.

Non ti scordar!.......2000-04-14

While there have been a few great baritones since Ettore Bastianini's departure from the opera stage, I feel it would be a great loss if we allow his name to be forgotten. In a recent survey by Opera News magazine, Dmitri Hvorostovsky named Bastianini as his inspiration and singing role model, particularly emphasizing a certain "dark force" of his voice. This says a lot coming from today's leading baritone. Indeed, the beauty of the voice and the impeccable technique can be a point of standard for everyone who came after.

Bastianini started out as a bass before developing the powerful upper register to match his rich secure low notes. His baritone is, therefore, the darkest you would ever hear, with a possible exception of Renato Bruson. Yet high tessitura of Verdian arias presented no difficulty for him. On this disk the arias from Un Ballo, Otello, Rigoletto, and Don Carlo are presented in a sequence, all of the highest difficulty and all flawlessly executed. Bastianini must have been perfect on stage as well with sound so immense it overwhelms the recording system several times. His talents also shine in rarely performed arias from operas "Lodoletta", "Il Tabarro", and "L'Amico Fritz". There are four beautiful art songs at the end of the disk. While Bastianini was mostly famous for the sheer beauty of his voice, I found his characterizations to be wonderful as well. Just take Figaro's flamboyant swaggering introduction versus Iago's dark brooding credo. It really sounds like two different people singing. Without ever breaking the line or sacrificing the quality for the dramatic effect, he was able to convey the very nature of the character.

Tracks:

Dear, If You Change
All Ye, Whom Love Or Fortune
Whoever Thinks Or Hopes Of Love
Can She Excuse My Wrongs?
Sorrow, Stay
A Shepherd In A Shade
Sovran Uccello Se'Fra Tutti Gli Altri
De Tous Bien Plaine
Amors Amors
Filles A Marier
Aura Soave
Amarilli, Mia Bella
Belle Rose Porporine
Stand Auff Maredel! Liebes Gredel
Der Mai Mit Lieber Zal
Ach, Senleiches Leiden
Du, Auserweltes Schons Mein Herz
Wer Die Augen Wil Verschuren
Froleich Geschrai So Well Wir Machen

Album Description

Released for the first time ever, this concert recording of Jan DeGaetani showcases the legendary mezzo's work in the felid of early music- recorded in 1977, and the peak of her powers. It is a little known fact the DeGaetani's career started as a performer of early music, so that this disc is a revelatory addition to her discography. The spectacular flexibility and purity of intonation that DeGaetani brought to so many contemporary scores serve her beautifully in this well-recorded document. Accompanied by the great lutenist Paul O'Dette, as well as viola da gamba player Judith Davidoff and a shawm player Philip West, this recital ranges from the Medieval music through the Renaissance, and includes music by John Dowland, Donato de Cascia, Hayne van Ghizeghem, Giulio Caccini, and Oswald von Wolkenstein.

Average customer rating:

This is a great lieder recital.

Hans Hotter Wolf Lieder Recital

Manufacturer: Testament UK
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

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Similar Items:

Hans Hotter Lieder Recital
Schumann: Dichterliebe / Wunderlich, Giesen
Bach: Cantata No. 82 "Ich habe genug"; Brahms: Vier ernste Gesänge; 12 Lieder
The Hugo Wolf Society - The Complete Edition 1931-1938
Wolf: Lieder - Ian Bostridge with Antonio Pappano

ASIN: B00004YU8M
Release Date: 2000-12-12

Tracks:

Morike-Lieder: No.5 Der Tambour
Goethe-Lieder: No.34 Ob Der Koran Von Ewigkeit Sei?
Goethe-Lieder: No.36 So Lang Man Nuchtern Ist
Italienisches-Liederbuch: No.27 Schon Streckt' Ich Aus Im Bett
Italienisches-Liederbuch: No.22 Ein Standchen Euch Zu Bringen
Goethe-Lieder: No.22 Anakreons Grab
Drei Gedichte Von Michelangelo: No.1 Wohl Denk' Ich Oft
Drei Gedichte Von Michelangelo: No.2 Alles Endet
Drei Gedichte Von Michelangelo: No.3 Fuhlt Meine Seele
Goethe-Lieder: No.14 Cophtisches Lied I
Goethe-Lieder: No.15 Cophtisches Lied II
Goethe-Lieder: No.51 Grenzen Der Menscheit
Goethe-Lieder: No.49 Prometheus
Harfenspieler I, Goethe-Lieder: No.1 Wer Sich Der Einsamkeit
Harfenspieler II, Goethe-Lieder: No.2 An Die Turen
Harfenspieler III, Goethe-Lieder: No.3 Wer Nie Sein Brot
Italienisches-Liederbuch: No.14 Geselle, Woll'n Wir Uns In Kutten Hullen
Morike-Lieder: No.12 Verborgenheit
Eichendorff-Lieder: No.2 Der Musikant
Morike-Lieder: No.10 Fubreise
Morike-Lieder: No.9 Nimmersatte
Goethe-Lieder: No.29 Anakreons Grab

Customer Reviews:

This is a great lieder recital........2001-04-03

Lieder recitals are rarely commercially viable. Even at Salzburg in the 1930s, they were rarely sold out. To hear settings by Schubert, Schumann, Brahms and Wolf of texts by Goethe, Heine, and other of the great German poets, for solo voice with piano accompaniment, music lovers nowadays can rely more and more on CD issues such as this. I reckon the situation is not one to complain about. Lieder CDs of singers of the present and past can offer good value: clear vocal reproduction, texts in German and translation, and the option of rearranging or repeating items.

Testament have collected the Wolf lieder recorded by Hans Hotter and Gerald Moore during the 1950s. More than 20 lieder were recorded - one twice - and the producer was Walter Legge. Whether as Prometheus fulminating at the gods, or a phoney monk asking to be left alone by the bedside of a sick young woman, whether as an anguished mendicant harper or as a visitor to a beautiful garden who discovers that it contains the grave of Anacreon - Hotter's interpretations are masterly. Gerald Moore accompanies in his usual skilled, robust way.

I detect no technical or performance faults during this 70 minute CD. Some of the later items appear in stereo for the first time. This is a great lieder recital.

Average customer rating:

Superb recital...
Troyanos Is Superb!
Troyanos is Superb

Tatiana Troyanos in Recital

Manufacturer: Video Artists Int'l
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Classical | Styles | Music

Modern & 20th Century | Historical Periods | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

French | Languages | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Arias, Duets and Trios

ASIN: B00000JKQ6
Release Date: 1999-11-30

Customer Reviews:

Superb recital..........2000-04-03

in every way. Ms. Troyanos impresses us vocally, artistically and linguistically. The songs encompass a wide range of languages, musical styles and emotionality, and yet she sounds quite comfortable in each setting. Bolstered by Maestro Levine's heartfelt accompaniment, Ms. Troyanos renders a performance that inspired me to feelings of both awe and admiration. We are fortunate indeed to have this permanent record of such a memorable performer. I was inspired to seek out her performances after viewing a recent rebroadcast of the 1982 Met telecast of Der Rosenkavalier which featured her as Octavian.

Troyanos Is Superb!.......2000-02-08

This live recital by Troyanos, with accompanist Livine, is what fans have long been waiting for. Simply said, this recital genuinely reflects the beauty and passion that was expressed through Troyanos' unique voice. Her sound was exquisite and this cd remains true to that sound. For those of us who love her sound and miss her presence on the operatic stage, this is a wish come true. Levine also provides great accompaniment. Let's hope there is more live material by Troyanos awaiting release in the near future.

Troyanos is Superb.......2000-01-19

If you have never before had the experience of hearing the late mezzo-soprano Tatiana Troyanos, this CD is a wonderful starting point. And for all of us who have been fans of Troyanos' for some time, this also is a "must have."

At long last, we have a lieder recital of hers preserved on compact disc. Here, finally, is a masterfully engineered recording.

Troyanos is as gifted a singer of lieder as she was of opera. My favorite selection on this recording was Ravel's Greek Songs. But everything here is absolutely terrific. I have listened to it many times since I bought it, and it still brings tears to my eyes.

Tracks:

Scherzo in C minor
Sonato for violin in G minor: Allegro vivo
Sonato for violin in G minor: Intermede. Fantasque et leger
Sonato for violin in G minor: Finale - Tres anime
Sonato for violin in E minor: Allegro
Sonato for violin in E minor: Tempo di Minuetto
Sonato for violin in A major: Allegretto moderato
Sonato for violin in A major: Allegro
Sonato for violin in A major: Recitativo-Fantasia - Moderato
Sonato for violin in A major: Allegretto poco mosso
Hungarian Dances No. 2 in B minor
Hungarian Dances No. 5 in G minor
Beau Soir

Customer Reviews:

Unparalleled!!.......2006-11-01

Mutter's Mozart violin sonata E minor is unparalleled in its emotional depth.
Better than any other recent recordings and even historical recordings by Arthur Grumiaux.
Another works are also excellent.

Not to be missed for the Mozart alone.......2006-03-22

Other reviewers have commented on Mutter's extraordinary technique and fully thought out interpretive choices on this recital. For me the highlight of the disc is the Mozart E-minor Sonata. This is the only Violin Sonata Mozart worte in the minor key, and given its chronological proximity to the death of his mother, one cannot help but wonder about its biographical significance. In any case, what a profoundly tragic and yet dignified music this is! The first movement is unrelentingly dramatic and contrapuntally ingenious. The second movement has an abundance of sweetness and melancholy that is positively Schubertian. One can argue that in terms of tragic grandeur and expressive profundity, Mozart never surpassed this sonata in any of his later compositions.
Mutter's interpretation of this sonata is stunning. I was totally surprised and initially disturbed by the wealth of accents, rubato and tonal colors that she brought to the piece. The overall tempo was also unusually slow. (What a contrast to another recent recording of the sonata by Hilary Hahn, which was also technically flawless, but interpretively more restrained and "classical".) And yet the more I listened to the performance, the more I come to be persuaded that the treatment was fully appropriate and indeed matches the profound musical utterances inherent in the composition.
We probably will not hear anything like this in a long time. And really, there is no better way to celebrate the 250th birthday of Mozart than listening to it and be moved by again and again by this miraculous music.

The most interesting violin recital to come along in a while.......2006-01-26

I must say,at the outset, that a lot of fine violinists have recorded these pieces so there is no shortage of technically and musically compelling performances to choose from, but this particular recording bears further scrutiny and I feel, should be in everyone's collection, both for its tremondous conviction and its few excesses.Unlike one of the reviewers, I never got the impression at any point in this recital that technique was put first and expression sacrificed in its stead. On the contrary, a few of the musical choices may be perhaps too strong-headed and almost overbearing for some of the music; in particular the tempo changes and agogic accents (accents of duration to make a given note have more expressive importance by being held beyond its "official" length) in the opening movement of the Mozart E minor Sonata strain the limits of the high classic style and lose the long line in favor of expressive detail that need not be so prominently highlighted. This tempo tugging works to much better effect in the atmospheric Debussy Sonata and successfully creates dramatic contrast in the Franck Sonata which also receives heightened contrast with passages, like the end of the Recitativo movement, played with a bare, vibrato-less tone that adds gravitas and a sense of finality to the proceedings. It would be no understatement to say that Mutter has thought these pieces through quite thoroughly, perhaps as much as anyone is capable of - her choices of where to speed things along, hold things back, add high-powered vibrato, or not, thicken the sound or thin it, hold on to certain notes or let them go more freely, all have an intellectually solid foundation and are not flightly, callous, flippant, or capricious. That said, I can understand that some might find her contrasts in tempi and dynamics to push the limits of what is acceptable. This is also what is so fascinating about this recording because I can think of no other violinist whose recorded this repertoire that has taken the chances she has and managed to pull it off convincingly. The only regret is that, given such a strong personality, she overwhelms Lambert Orkis who, though a fine musician, is nonetheless left a bit in the shadows by her dramatic even searing intensity. A more balanced combination can be found in the recording of French violin repertoire by Augustin Dumay and Maria Joao Pires, the latter possessing the most amazing legato playing of any pianist I've ever heard. With the caveat that the pianist and violinist are not on equal footing sonically (interpretaively they are), I would recommend this recording very very highly for its expressive power and plethora of interesting musical ideas. It is uncommon music making and deserves a fair hearing.

hey mr. Grawowski..........2005-05-07

Your opinion about Mutter has nothing to do with the sense of artistic feeling. It's just an excuse to avoid the fact that she's probably the best soloist in the world (in that is concerned to the violin). Are you bothered by the fact that a woman can be in the first place? Just guessing, I'm a man and I'm proud of such talent, because it's so inspiring, perfect... as any classical master intended to be.

In fact, I guess you're the kind of people who praise Horowitz, Toscanini, and those kind of self indulgent wanna be musicians. It's no wonder that you named Argerich... because she's the best example of this... plays fast all the time, too strong, too sharp... typical of somebody who jumps a ladder just to get to the bottom. This is no talent at all.

Anne Sophie Mutter has nothing to do with this circus. She has talent, discipline and character. What more you can ask for these sort of works? You should check the music again, unless you feel insecure about this gem. This is no 2nd class music.

Fabulous technique, but leaves me cold..........2004-09-06

This is an extraordinarily well-played CD. Mutter is probably the greatest violinist technically playing right now, and she and Orkis seem to make music without any human effort. And maybe that's part of the problem here. The effort has an expressive purpose. Listening to these performances, it's hard to imagine Mutter has ever shed a drop of sweat. She is so detached from the music she is making nowadays (compared to her style maybe 13 years ago and before) that it is almost scary. It seems to me like her main concern in every piece she plays is how perfectly she can play the piece, and her obsession with technique can border on showboating. With her technique, I think she can play *anything* flawlessly. But what I haven't gotten from her in a long time is a point of view in the music, an identification. Her recordings recently say to me "Let me show you what I can do with the violin in this piece" rather than "Let me show you what the composer is about." Her Brahms Hungarian Dance No. 5 has all the "gypsy" spirit of a Mozart recital. Such music is too earthy, I think, for Mutter. (The same goes for her recent CD of tango music with hubby Previn.)

It would be pointless to break these pieces down and discuss each. They're all played the same. No surprises, other than how perfect her technique is. I don't get the aristocratic elan of Stern, the burnished tone and slavic overtones of Perlman, the ringing line of Heifetz, or the steely granite of Oistrakh, or anything else. Orkis too is mechanically perfect but not at all individualistic. I'd defy anyone in a blindfold test to identify him. Furthermore, I don't hear the give-and-take collaboration I hear with so many other great chamber ensembles, which is why ultimately I don't think history will judge them as a great chamber music duo. True I liked much of their Beethoven collaboration, but even there I felt Mutter was leading and Orkis was on the leash. Here there's no doubt. I wish Mutter would push herself more--not with further technical challenges, which she does not need, but with collaborative challenges. (I'd love to hear her in duets with someone like Martha Argerich or Krystian Zimerman.) Until she does this, to my mind she won't be completely satisfying. Maybe Previn, a fine give-and-take chamber musician (or at least he was last time I heard him), can help.

Average customer rating:

A classic performance meets a first recording

Harold Wright Recital No. 2

Manufacturer: Boston Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music
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Clarinet Concert No. 5
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ASIN: B000009PYL
Release Date: 2001-01-01

Tracks:

Grand Duo Conc in E-flat Op.48: Allegro Con Fuoco
Grand Duo Conc in E-flat Op.48: Andante Con Moto
Grand Duo Conc in E-flat Op.48: Rondo (Allegro)
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Customer Reviews:

A classic performance meets a first recording.......1999-04-04

This CD combines the works of quite a distinct bunch of styles and periods, all performed by the late legendary clarinetist Harold Wright and his colleagues from the Marlboro Music Festival. The CD opens with the Weber Duo Concertante, a showy and dramatic Romantic-era work. The performance on this CD is otherwise quite good, but is marred by a couple of technical errors made by the pianist, Luis Batlle, in the last movement. There is no such difficulty with the rest of the works. The Dahl selection is, as far as I can tell, the premiere recording of this work. I have to say that it grows on one, although it is difficult to reach at first. The performance is dramatic and expressive and is everything one could hope for. The final work on the CD is the Schubert Shepherd on the Rock, with Rudolf Serkin and Benita Valente. This is a truly great performance. Nobody has done it better. Nobody is ever likely to do it better. If you don't sing to the hills after this one, you have no soul.

Cecilia Bartoli - Rossini recital ~ 19 songs & Cantata: Giovanna d'Arco

Average customer rating:

A young Bartoli sings rarely heard Rossini songs beatifully - a treasure of a disk
Rossini really could write; Bartoli really can sing

Cecilia Bartoli - Rossini recital ~ 19 songs & Cantata: Giovanna d'Arco

Manufacturer: Polygram Int'l
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Bartoli, Cecilia | Divas | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music

Classical | Imports | Stores | Music
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Cecilia Bartoli - Rossini Arias / Patanè
Cecilia Bartoli - An Italian Songbook (Bellini, Donizetti, Rossini)
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Cecilia Bartoli - If You Love Me (Se tu m'ami ), 18th-Century Italian Songs

ASIN: B0000041YF
Release Date: 1990-12-21

Tracks:

La Pastorella
Belta Crudele
Il Trovatore
La Regata Veneziana
Mi Lagnero Tacendo
Il Risentimento
La Grande Coquette
Ariette A Lancienne
L'orpheline Du Tyrol
La Legende De Marguerita
Nizza
L'ame Delaissee
Canzonetta Spagnuola
Giovanni D'arco

Customer Reviews:

A young Bartoli sings rarely heard Rossini songs beatifully - a treasure of a disk.......2006-01-03

This is a treasure of a disk that you should purchase right now. You will not only enjoy it deeply many times, but thank me for pointing you to beautiful music that is not often perfromed and sung by a voice that is absolutely perfect for the music. Let me provide a bit of background.

Gioacchino Rossini was born to a family of musicians in 1792. He began writing music at 15 and by 1829 he had written nearly 40 operas and had been the toast of society. He had early success in 1813 with "Tancredi" and in 1816 with "The Barber of Seville" (under the title of "Almaviva"). And while he wrote some songs and sacred works along the way, he won the world over with his operas and concluded with "Guillaume Tell" (William Tell) in 1829. Thereafter, he wrote sacred works and small works for his own delight that he shared with his friends at soirées in his home (they were regular and sought after events between 1857 until his death in 1868). He wrote hundreds of these pieces and would play the piano (he called himself a pianist of the fourth class) for the singers. Rossini referred to these short songs, pieces for small ensembles, and solo pieces as his "Sins of Old Age" ("Péchés de viellesse"), however he never printed them and, in fact, many of have yet to be printed (but should be).

This disk was recorded in 1990 just before Bartoli's twenty-fourth birthday. Her voice is so beautiful and flexible with many rich colors that each piece sounds like a jewel. Yes, she is a very young singer and her voice has become even richer as she has matured, but this is a glorious disk and something you will want to listen to repeatedly. Some of the songs are short, others are a bit longer, and there is the big finish with the full cantata "Giovanna d'Arco" ("Joan of Arc") from 1832 (but first publicly performed in 1859). It was composed as a gift for Olympe Pellisier, who became his second wife in 1847.

Enjoy!

Rossini really could write; Bartoli really can sing.......2005-08-31

I was surprised that no one had commented on this fine recording before. It's been around for quite a while, I've owned it for ten years and it is still one of my favorite Rossini recordings.
Cecilia Bartoli made her mark early as an interpreter of Rossini's work and this album gives ample evidence that the buzz surrounding her early career was more than just hype. While she is known as today's pre-eminent mezzo-soprano, she was a virtual unknown when she recorded this.
Her technique and voice type are perfect for these songs but it is her obvious love for, and command of, the Rossini repetoire which set this CD apart from most.
The three installments of "La regatta Veneziana" may be the best on record, but buy this for "Giovanna D'Arco." This is masterful work, particularly from such a relatively young and, at the time, inexperienced singer.
While Cecilia' maturity and confidence in her abilities have, of late, made her performances sometimes seem almost effortless, the exuberance of a young Cecilia makes this set irresistable.

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