Tchaikovsky: Symphony No. 3; Francesca da Rimini

On this CD:

1. Francesca da Rimini, symphonic fantasy for orchestra in E minor, Op. 32
Composed by Pyotr Il'yich Tchaikovsky
Performed by London Philharmonic Orchestra
Conducted by Sir Thomas Beecham

2. Symphony No. 3 in D major, Op. 29 "Polish", Op.29
Composed by Pyotr Il'yich Tchaikovsky
Performed by Royal Philharmonic Orchestra
Conducted by Sir Thomas Beecham

Tchaikovsky: Symphony No. 3; Francesca da Rimini, Music, Pyotr Il'yich Tchaikovsky, Sir Thomas Beecham, London Philharmonic Orchestra, Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, Classical, Classical Composers, Classical Music, Orchestral, Orchestral & Symphonic, Romantic Orchestral Music, Romantic Symphony, Symphonic

Tchaikovsky: Symphonies 1-3
Average customer rating:

A disappointment from a declining Markevitch

Peter Ilyich becomes Tchaikovsky

Decent performances, good value

Very Straightlaced Readings

Brilliant early Tchaikovsky

Tchaikovsky: Symphonies 1-3

Manufacturer: Philips
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

All Works by Tchaikovsky | Tchaikovsky, Peter Ilyich | ( T ) | Featured Composers, A-Z | Classical | Styles | Music
Romantic | Symphonies | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music
General Modern | Modern, 20th, & 21st Century | Historical Periods | Classical | Styles | Music
General | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music
General | Classical | Styles | Music
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Tchaikovsky: Symphonies no 4, 5, & 6 / Karajan, Berlin PO

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Tchaikovsky: Piano Concertos Nos. 1-3; Concert Fantasy

ASIN: B0000041BS
Release Date: 1995-04-11

Tracks:

Symphony No. 1 In G Minor, Op. 13 - Winter Reveries: 1. Allegro Tranquillo
Symphony No. 1 In G Minor, Op. 13 - Winter Reveries: 2. Adagio Cantabile Ma Non Tanto
Symphony No. 1 In G Minor, Op. 13 - Winter Reveries: 3. Scherzo. Allegro Scherzando Giocoso
Symphony No. 1 In G Minor, Op. 13 - Winter Reveries: 4. Finale. Andante Lugubre - Allegro Maestoso
Symphony No. 2 In C Minor, Op. 17 - Little Russian: 1. Andante Sostenuto - Allegro Vivo
Symphony No. 2 In C Minor, Op. 17 - Little Russian: 2. Anantino Marziale Quasi Moderato
Symphony No. 2 In C Minor, Op. 17 - Little Russian: 3. Scherzo. Allegro Molto Vivace
Symphony No. 2 In C Minor, Op. 17 - Little Russian: 4. Finale. Moderato Assai

Tracks:

Symphony No. 3 In D, Op. 29 - Polish: 1. Introduzione E Allegro
Symphony No. 3 In D, Op. 29 - Polish: 2. Alla Tedesca. Allegro Moderato
Symphony No. 3 In D, Op. 29 - Polish: 3. Andante Elegiaco
Symphony No. 3 In D, Op. 29 - Polish: 4. Scherzo. Allegro Vivo
Symphony No. 3 In D, Op. 29 - Polish: 5. Finale. Allegro Con Fuoco
Francesca Da Rimini, Op. 32

Amazon.com

Igor Markevitch's Tchaikovsky performances have been among the best since the early '60s. He turned the unruly London Symphony Orchestra into a first-rate Tchaikovsky ensemble, in which a finely disciplined approach to rhythm provides the perfect foundation for some highly expressive music-making. The neglected Third Symphony is particularly cogent and exciting in Markevitch's hands. No lover of this composer should miss hearing these terrific discs. --David Hurwitz

Customer Reviews:

A disappointment from a declining Markevitch.......2007-03-18

Sadly, these early Tchaikovsky symphonies find Igor Markevitch, one of my great heroes, in decline. He suffered a disastrous hearing loss around 1961, and ever after his brilliant podium skills were not the same. I suppose on reputation alone one could admire these recordings, but in truth they are competent and fairly ordinary from beginning to end. I would only buy them as a standby or for reasons of economy.

The LSO plays competently, too, but without enough vitality or Russian passion. Philips' recorded sound is unattractive too, lacking in body and warmth. I must agree with Mr. Lipscomb that if you place any of these three symphonies beside their best rivals, the "Winter Dreams" sounds listless next to Tilson Thomas and the BSO (DG), the "Little Russian" lacks the spontaneity and vigor of Giulini on EMI, and the "Polish" needs the power and conviciton of the Chicago Sym. under Abbado (Sony). The best thing here is a nervy, restless Francesca da Rimini, but that's not enough reason to purchase the whole set.

Peter Ilyich becomes Tchaikovsky.......2006-12-25

The planets aligned when the young Tchaikovsky, the London Symphony Orchestra, and Igor Markevitch came together between 1965 and 1975 in London for performances that Philips has had the good sense to issue in their high-value Philips Classics series. This two-desk set is a classic that years to be played on a high-quality sound system that will bring out the concert-hall effects it concludes.

Though the digital remastering fails to eliminate a low hum when played at high volume, the authenticity of the sound is worth this minor inconvenience. At one point, the listener can hear a page turn - perhaps a page of Markevitch's score. A cantankerous music lover might ask with annoyance how the hell they allowed a microphone close enough to Markevitch's podium to fall into a glitch like that. This astonished and less demanding reviewer almost pulled his truck off the road at the sheer historical thrill of becoming privy to such a human 'error' four decades after the fact.

In these three symphonies, Tchaikovsky is working out the tonalities that will appear in full flower later in his career, not least in the heart-rending struggles of the underrated but profoundly beautiful 'Pathetique'. The plausibilities available to a late Romantic composer like Tchaikovksy allowed the elasticity of tempo and tone that made possible the climb-and-descend, climb-and-descent motifs that are Tchaikovsky explores in these first three of his recognized symphonies, a modality that becomes almost a Tchaikovsky signature when his body of work is considered as a whole.

Markevitch's baton is patient with Tchaikovsky, allowing the LSO and the New Philharmonia Orchestra to work unhurriedly though some of Romantic music's most memorable passages.

A reviewer would be remiss not to underscore the value of the Philips Classics series, where almost canonical performances by legendary performers of the 1960s, 1970s, and 1980s are made available at two-for-one pricing under digital remastering that rescues valuable sounds for the ages.

This 1995 issue would serve well even as a listener's sole recording of Peter Ilyich's first three symphonic steps towards becoming the rather immortal musician we know as Tchaikovsky.

Decent performances, good value.......2005-08-20

As boxed sets go, this is probably as good as you will find when it comes to the early Tchaikovsky symphonies, and the price will be impossible to beat. No doubt individual recordings of the various symphonies are available that will have more more flair to them --- definitely, these performances take a strict by-the-numbers approach which may leave more ardent Tchaikowsky devotees feeling chilled. However, by and large, the performances are consistently decent if not great (I prefer a livlier tempo for the Polish, but that's just me).

This is the perfect set for those who are largely indifferent to Tchaikowsky's symphonies --- as I must admit that I am these days --- but nonetheless would like to have them available for listening for not a lot of money. It is also a good starter set for those who are just beginning to assemble a basic collection of the standard symphonic repertoire.

Very Straightlaced Readings.......2005-05-19

This super-cheap, extremely well-recorded Philips CD set of Tchaikovsky's first three symphonies is easy to recommend. The disciplined playing by the London Symphony is top-notch and Markevitch obviously knows his way around all three scores. So if you are looking for an inexpensive way to own Tchaikovsky's earliest symphonies in excellent stereo, this set strikes me as a clear first choice.

As for the interpretations, however, I have some misgivings about Markevitch here. He was unquestionably one of the 20th Century's virtuoso conductors: his pointillistically detailed style and cool precision are recognizable in just about everything he recorded. And, on occasion, he conducted Tchaikovsky with real expressive fire - his French Radio Orchestra account of "Romeo & Juliet" (Angel LP) is my all-time favorite, along with Mengelberg's (Andante - see my review). And his Philharmonia readings of Ravel's "La Valse" and the Shostakovich 1st Symphony are in a class of their own (EMI).

It's only when you do some comparing with individual symphony recordings by other conductors that the shortcomings of Markevitch's cool objectivity here become all too apparent. Perhaps the LSO is partly to blame - they simply don't sound very Russian to my ears. With Markevitch at the helm, the 1st symphony is more like wintry dreams than Winter Dreams, the Little Russian only sounds a little Russian, and the 3rd Symphony has too much polish and too little that's Polish. In a nutshell, there isn't much heart or soul on display here.

My preferred alternatives in these works are mostly old mono recordings that any self-respecting audiophile wouldn't touch with a ten-foot pole: the Dante LYS CD of the Nikolai Golovanov/USSR Radio's impassioned #1 (recorded 1948) and the old Stradivari LP (re-issue needed!) of the 1st with Natan Rachlin and the Bolshoi Symphony (coupled with a wonderful #2); #2 played with warmth and insight by Beecham/RPO (Columbia LP) and an extraordinary "live" Second with Igor Stravinsky conducting the NY Phil. (available only in that orchestra's 10-CD "Historic Broadcasts" set); and the partially cut rendition of the Polish by Albert Coates on that conductor's volume in IMG's "Great Conductors" CD series. And finally - a modern recording! - there's an inspired "live" 3rd with Svetlanov (BBC Legends).

I keep this Markevitch set because 1) it's well-played and 2) it contains my only stereo accounts of #1 and #2. However, the icy chill of Markevitch's conducting in the Philips companion CD set of #4-6 was too much for me: I weeded it.

Recommended as an inexpensive collection in first-rate sound. But for genuine excitement, I listen far more frequently to the alternatives listed above.

Brilliant early Tchaikovsky.......2005-05-01

Tchaikovsky's Symphonies 1, 2 and 3 may not share the fame and popularity of the later three (neither in the concert hall nor on disc), yet they are nonetheless fascinating pieces of music from start to end. In Igor Markevitch they find the strongest advocate. Markevitch clearly had a natural affinity with this music and quite ideally caught the contrasting moods of these early symphonies.
In this pioneering set recorded in the mid-sixties he always obtained strong, often exciting, incisive playing from the London Symphony Orchestra. An intense "Francesca da Rimini" with the New Philharmonia is offered as a thrilling bonus.
The sound quality is excellent overall. Next to Dorati's set (on Mercury) this twofer is a clear first choice for Tchaikovsky's early symphonies - at any price.

Tchaikovsky: Symphonies Nos. 2 & 6; Romeo and Juliet; Francesca da Rimini

Average customer rating:

A famous "Little Russian" and more great Tchaikovsky from Giulini
Extraordinary performances by a master conductor!
My Favorite "Pathetique"

Tchaikovsky: Symphonies Nos. 2 & 6; Romeo and Juliet; Francesca da Rimini

Manufacturer: EMI Classics
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music
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The Chicago Recordings
Dvorák: Symphony No.9/ Schubert: Symphony No.8
Mahler: Symphony No. 9 / Schubert: Symphony No. 8

ASIN: B0007RO570
Release Date: 2005-05-24

Tracks:

I. Andante Sostenuto - Allegro Vivo
II. Andantino Marziale, Quasi Moderato
III. Scherzo (Allegro Molto Vivace - L'istesso Tempo)
IV. Moderato Assai - Allegro - Presto
Symphonic Fantasia

Tracks:

I. Adagio - Allegro Non Troppo
II. Allegro Con Grazia
III. Allegro Molto Vivace
IV. Finale (Adagio Lamentoso - Andante)
Fantasy Overture

Customer Reviews:

A famous "Little Russian" and more great Tchaikovsky from Giulini.......2006-09-26

Giulini's classic recording of the 'Little Russian' symphony was always one of his calling cards--it has real sweep and urgency, miles away from the less-than-vital conducting style he adopted in later years. The sonics are paper thin but clear, and the Philharmonia plays with commitment. I was grateful to hear such excitment in the first movement (by comparison the readings from Karajan, Abbado, and even Bernstein sound inert). The pointed woodwind playing in the second movement is tangy, the Scherzo bounces along like ballet music, and the finale remains grand without pomposity. How rare those virtues are in performances of the Tchaikovsky Second.

Francesca da Rimini is considerably better recorded, but I wish EMI had toned down the treble a little. Giulini's reading doesn't quite match the searing ones from Mravinsky, Stokowski, and Markevitch, but it's very good, with additional intensity form the highlighted recording. The Pathetique that follows was always well rgarded, even if once again Giulini can't match the incandescence of Mravinsky, the sheer virtuosity of Reiner with the Chicago Sym., or the personal intensty of Bernstein on DG. His is an ardent, heart-on-sleeve performance that appeals to me far more than, say, Jansons or Pletnev, however. The Scherzo is dashing and vibrant, and the finale, a minute or two slower than usual, feels melancholy rather than tragic. The recorded sound is the best so far on this bargain two-fer.

finally we get Giulini's Romeo and Juliet, also widely admired in its day forty years ago. By now te listener will appreciate the conductor's overall style, which is distinctly warm but not Russian, tending toward gentleness rather than blazing excitement. All the ardor of Rome and Juliet is brought out, yet the intensity remains restrained. All in all, EMI has ignored these recordings for a long time, and it's woderufl to have them gathered together in one place.

Extraordinary performances by a master conductor!.......2005-12-13

Carlo Maria Giulini 's death on June has been possibly the saddest musical absences of this year. I won 't get tired to affirm the musical world lost a wise man in all sense. The happy meeting with the Philharmonia was a successful event, this orchestra is simply magnificent. Woods, strings, metals are extremely powerful and filled with aristocratic profile when you require it. Giulini and this ensemble made important contributions. Go for instance to his Mozart' s Symphonies 40 and 41 of 1965 (London Label, hard to get it, by the way)

His vision of Tchaikovsky 's Second Symphony is the most complete and integral I have ever heard previously or even later. There have been fortunate, powerful, sumptuous and perfumed versions: Markevitch and Muti have made striking performances. But anyone of them has been able to equal this unique and eloquent reading. Giulini made a true dissection, an openhearted and systematic interpretation filled with details without losing the apex of the work. He underlined literally all the ingredients that consolidate it as the most Imperial of his three First Symphonies. There is emotion, lyricism, vitality, energy, expressive elegance and visceral approach. There is not any detail you may refuse.

His Sixth Symphony deserves special mention. Absolutely idiomatic, profound and persuasive. Giulini went to the core of the score and extracted all the substance to expose before us one of the most relevant and pyramidal versions in the history of the disc. There is an admirable fact you always should take in mind every time you listen it. Go for the expressive Waltz of the second Movement and then go to the Fourth Movement and realize how the composer reintroduces the same Waltz but in a dark tonality This is the key.

Francesca de Rimini is rich in details, precise and dramatic, although the best rendition of this page comes from Munch and the Boston Symphony.

Romeo and Juliet is a magisterial version, filled of flair and panache; once more the virtuosity of the Orchestra allows us to watch those little details, such as modulation, tempi, and careful sense of expression.

This album deserves without any bit of doubt, to be placed in the coveted list of the best and more successful re mastering records of the Year. Not only due its artistic significance but besides, the sumptuous fidelity and polished sound.

Bravo for the Sound Engineers of EMI. I really hope future feats keep going like this extraordinary event.

A must-buy; it 's my most sincere recommendation.

My Favorite "Pathetique".......2005-05-25

There are lots of magical accounts of Tchaikovsky's 6th Symphony available on CD -- Monteux (see my review), Mravinsky, Reiner, Markevitch, Karajan, Ormandy, Barbirolli, Silvestri -- but my hands-down favorite account of the "Pathetique" has always been Giulini's 1959 recording with the Philharmonia. It was previously available in several CD incarnations from EMI but has been out-of-print for years...until now! With this release, EMI has produced another gem in the "Gemini" series, the label's new incredibly inexpensive two-disc budget classical line. This set features four glorious Giulini Tchaikovsky recordings -- the aforementioned 6th Symphony, the 2nd Symphony also known as "Little Russian" (a brilliant performance!), Romeo and Juliet, and Francesca da Rimini, all with the Philharmonia from the late 50s and early 60s in grand golden-age stereo. Like the 6th, the 2nd and Romeo have been available on CD previously but were also OOP prior to this reissue -- only the Francesca was currently in-print via an EMI Seraphim title. Now you can finally hear for yourself what all the fuss is about, and you don't have to spend a fortune to do it.

Average customer rating:

EXCITING PERFORMANCES VINTAGE STEREO SOUND BUT NOT SACD
Dorati's MLP Tchaikovsky Gems Are Back!

Tchaikovsky: Symphonies Nos. 1-6

Manufacturer: Philips
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

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Tchaikovsky: Swan Lake
Bartok: Orchestral Works; Bluebeard's Castle
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Beethoven: Complete String Quartets

ASIN: B00035VV7I
Release Date: 2004-11-09

Customer Reviews:

EXCITING PERFORMANCES VINTAGE STEREO SOUND BUT NOT SACD.......2005-09-27

Despite whar Mr Richman says in his review below this five disc box set does NOT consist of hybrid SACD discs. They are all CDs - generously filled but still basic 16 bit discs. It may be that Mercury's parent company plans to release these discs singly as three channel SACDs but here you get the two channel mixes that originally appeared on LP and on the 1990s CD releases. It would have been great to hear them in three channel - Dorati's "Firebird" sounds magnificent on SACD - but this box is still a bargain. There's some low level hiss and the occasional tape clunk but these are small blemishes on some exciting late 50s and early 60s recordings that make most of today's offerings sound sterile and cautious. Dorati's Tchaikovsky is never winsome or self-pitying. As a masterly ballet conductor Dorati never ignores the lilt and sway of the composer's waltz-inspired lighter moments - but he and the orchestra (London Symphony and Minneapolis) really let rip for the exciting brass perorations. Try the finale of the "Little Russian" symphony, or "Francesca di Rimini", for some real sock-blowing sound! Even if you own other recordings of these popular works try to find a space on your shelf for Dorati and the inimitable Mercury sound.

Dorati's MLP Tchaikovsky Gems Are Back!.......2005-05-25

Those familiar with my reviews on Amazon know my great love for the Mercury Living Presence series. Equally great is my disgust that so many of these brilliant recordings have been deleted in the last few years! Thankfully, some of these legendary performances are resurfacing as SACD hybrids. Unfortunately, they are now being sold at full-price, despite a competing hybrid series on RCA/BMG being available at midline. In spite of the added expense, I hope this MLP reissue trend will continue, and maybe we'll even see a few items getting their CD debut.

This Tchaikovsky Symphony Cycle by the great Antal Dorati has always been one of my favorite MLP offerings. While a two-disc set of Symphonies 1-3 and a single title of the 4th continue to be available in their original CD incarnations, the CDs of Symphonies 5 & 6 have gone out-of-print recently. However, with this box set they are now deservedly restored to the catalog. Even better is the fact that the four 5CD box sets being reissued have been so reasonably priced. This Tchaikovsky set, and the ones of Dorati conducting Bartok, Paray conducting French music, and Hanson conducting a variety of American music, including his own compositions, have a total cost cheaper than the original single issue CDs! Once again, Mercury Living Presence lives!

Tchaikovsky: Complete Symphonies, Overtures

Average customer rating:

Careful - Misprinted copies!
Do not buy it.
Bargain price, but is this a bargain?
what a bargain!!

Tchaikovsky: Complete Symphonies, Overtures
Maurice Abravanel
Manufacturer: Vox (Classical)
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music
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ASIN: B00005QKFQ
Release Date: 2001-10-16

Tracks:

Symphony No. 2 in C Minor, Op. 17: Andante sostenuto; Allegro vivo
Symphony No. 2 in C Minor, Op. 17: Andantino marziale
Symphony No. 2 in C Minor, Op. 17: Allegro molto vivace
Symphony No. 2 in C Minor, Op. 17: Moderato assai
Symphony No. 5 in E, Op. 64: Andante; Allegro con anima
Symphony No. 5 in E, Op. 64: Andante cantabile, con alcuna licenza
Symphony No. 5 in E, Op. 64: Valse: Allegro moderato
Symphony No. 5 in E, Op. 64: Andante maestoso; Allegro vivace

Tracks:

Manfred, Symphony in Four Tableux after the Dramatic Poem of Byron, Op. 58: Lento Lugubre: Moderato con moto: Andante
Manfred, Symphony in Four Tableux after the Dramatic Poem of Byron, Op. 58: Vivace con spirito
Manfred, Symphony in Four Tableux after the Dramatic Poem of Byron, Op. 58: andante con moto
Manfred, Symphony in Four Tableux after the Dramatic Poem of Byron, Op. 58: Allegro con fuoco
Marche Slave, Op. 31
Ouverture Solennelle, Op. 49

Tracks:

Symphony No. 6 in B Minor, Op. 74: Adagio; allegro non troppo
Symphony No. 6 in B Minor, Op. 74: Allegro con grazia
Symphony No. 6 in B Minor, Op. 74: Allegro molto vivace
Symphony No. 6 in B Minor, Op. 74: Adagio lamentoso
Symphony No. 1 in G Minor, Op. 11: Allegro tranquillo
Symphony No. 1 in G Minor, Op. 11: Adagio cantabile ma non tanto
Symphony No. 1 in G Minor, Op. 11: Allegro scherzando giocoso

Tracks:

Symphony No. 1 in G Minor, Op. 11: Andante lugubre; Allegro maestoso
Symphony No. 3 in D, Op. 29: Moderato assai; Allegro brillante
Symphony No. 3 in D, Op. 29: Allegro moderato e semplice
Symphony No. 3 in D, Op. 29: Andante elegiaco
Symphony No. 3 in D, Op. 29: Scherzo
Symphony No. 3 in D, Op. 29: Allegro con fuoco
Francesca da Rimini, Symphonic Fantasia after Dante, Op. 32

Tracks:

Symphony No. 4 in F Minor, Op. 36: Andante sostenuto; Moderato con anima
Symphony No. 4 in F Minor, Op. 36: Andantino in modo di canzona
Symphony No. 4 in F Minor, Op. 36: Scherzo: Allegro
Symphony No. 4 in F Minor, Op. 36: Finale: Allegro con fuoco
Hamlet, Overture-Fantasy after Shakespeare, Op. 67a
"Romeo & Juliet," Overture Fantasy after Shakespeare

Customer Reviews:

Careful - Misprinted copies!.......2006-03-27

As others have said in their reviews, the Utah Symphony Orchestra does a good job, but does not overwhelm the listener with passion. Overall, a good buy to get all the symphonies in one collection.

HOWEVER, it seems that at least one release of this set contains a misprint where Disc 1 is actually another artist and genre altogether! My disc 1 is some sort of Gospel CD, and even looking it up in the CCDB database didn't turn up the artist or title. Perhaps Amazon will replace your copy if you have one of the misprints, but VOXBOX will NOT. So buy with care.

Do not buy it........2006-02-03

Not Even a recording of Tchaikovsky's Symphonies. This is really music you would here at a july 4th celebration.

Bargain price, but is this a bargain?.......2005-11-19

Maurice Abravanel and the Utah Symphony made a number of fine recordings for Vox, Vanguard, and Westminster in the 1960s and 1970s, especially of Milhaud, Harris, Copland and other 20th century composers. Abravanel, who became conductor of the Utah Symphony in the late 1940s, is credited as having raised the musicians' standard of playing, and getting the orchestra increased recognition through new recordings released during the early stereo era (late 1950s on).

The Utah Symphony plays well enough, but they do not have the power of the Philadelphia Orchestra under Ormandy, the Cleveland Orchestra under Szell, the Chicago Symphony under Reiner, in other words, of the major American orchestras. They are professional and more than competant, but do not have the lush string tone for Tchaikovsky's great moments. Therefore, you may find this wanting a bit for power in climaxes, and the louder parts of slow movements. When stacked against the best recordings of the Tchaikovsky Symphonies, Abravanel comes up short, sounding bland and unexciting.

However, there are some good recordings in this collection. Abravanel's Tchaikovsky Symphonies 1 and 2 are better than many recordings of these works, but there are exposed violin parts in Symphony 1: IV which are scratchy and out of tune. These parts are HARD to play, however, but the Utah Symphony doesn't have the precision of the Boston Symphony under Michael Tilson Thomas (DG) or the Berlin Philharmonic under Karajan (DG), for example. Abravenel's Symphony 3 is also better than some, but not the best: dry acoustics make this rather lackluster sounding. Better for Symphony 3 is the Polish National Orchestra/Antoni Wit (Naxos).

Symphony 4 sounds good to me, but is a little light: it could use more power in the stormy pages of I, and the furious swirling passages of IV. For Symphonies 5 and 6, the competition is tough: lots of very fine recordings, so they suffer a little in comparison. 5 is especially dry; 6 fares better than 5, but neither can compare to Ormandy (Sony), Bernstein (Sony), or Wit (Naxos).

MANFRED is better than some, but again inferior to the best: Muti (EMI), Previn (EMI) or Markevitch/LSO (Philips). 1812 and Marche Slave are both excellent, Francesca less so - the lush string sound thing again.

So is this a bargain? For about $15.00, you get 7 major works and a bunch of discmates, but if you already have the great recordings listed above, you don't need this. I tend to go at the Tchaikovsky Symphonies disc by disc: Tilson Thomas/Boston (Symphony 1, DG); Markevitch/London Symphony (2, Philips);
Wit/Polish National (3, Naxos); Ormandy/Philadelphia(4, Sony);
Wit/Polish National (5, Naxos); Ormandy (6, Sony) are all suggested alternatives, but there are certainly many other excellent ones.

what a bargain!!.......2003-12-13

this collection is worth buying if only for the price--FIVE CDs for the price of one! for someone seeking an inexpensive way to explore the symphonic works of tchaikovsky this set is hard to beat. it is true that the perfomances are not at the same level of say bernstein and the NY philharmonic, they are admirably performed. personal favorites are symphonies 4,5 and 6. the utah symphony brings out the meaning and emotion of these masterworks of romanticism, particularly the muted sentiment of no. 6. the famous scherzo of no. 4 comes across with playful bounce you would expect. there are disappointments. the 1812 overture is okay, but lacks the punch of other performances, particularly the timeless one from nearly fifty years ago on the mercury label. the marche slave is a bit humdrum. but again, at this price for this much music, the flaws can be overlooked. highly recommended for beginning collectors on budget!

Tchaikovsky: Symphony No. 3; Francesca da Rimini

Average customer rating:

Tchaikovsky: Symphony No. 3; Francesca da Rimini

Manufacturer: Classica D'oro
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music

Tracks:

Francesca Da Rimini, Op. 32 - London Philharmonic Orchestra
Symphony No. 3 In D, Op. 29 'Polish': Moderato Assai-Allegro Brillante
Symphony No. 3 In D, Op. 29 'Polish': Alla Tedesca: Allegro Moderato E Semplice
Symphony No. 3 In D, Op. 29 'Polish': Andante Elegiaco
Symphony No. 3 In D, Op. 29 'Polish': Scherzo: Allegro Vivo
Symphony No. 3 In D, Op. 29 'Polish': Finale: Allegro Con Fuoco-Tempo Di Polacca

Average customer rating:

A great conductor, but not always shown off at his best
Exceptional conductor
Exceptional issue !
Exceptional finesse
Brilliant "Artiste" Rescued From The Vaults

Igor Markevitch

Manufacturer: Umvd Labels
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Minuets | Ballets & Dances | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

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

German | Languages | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Oratorios | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

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ASIN: B00009LW31
Release Date: 2003-08-12

Customer Reviews:

A great conductor, but not always shown off at his best.......2006-03-14

I am as great an admirer of Igor Markevitch as the reviewers below who rhapsodize over this bargain 9-CD set from DG. But in truth there are few truly great performances contained here, the best of Markevitch's large output being readily available on DG, Philips, EMI, and Testament. He had the misfortune to suffer hearing loss at the end of his career and also to be associated too often with inferoir ensembles like the Lamouruex orchestra of Paris, caught here in rather awful, wiry sonics that DG has not remastered. So despite the general elation, I think it's worth examining these 9 CDs one by one. (I am adding short comments to the list prepared by a reviewer below.)

CD 1: Mozart 34th and 38th Symphonies with the Berlin Philharmonic (BP) from 1954, and Mozart's 35th Symphony (1957) and Gluck's Sinfonia in G Major (1958) with the Orchestre Lamoureux, Paris (OLP). MONO except for the Gluck
This is one of the best discs in the colleciton, featuring Markevitch's alert, lean, often rapid Mozart, played with great refinement by the Berliners. The sound is very good for the time, despite the expected edginess in the violins.

CD 2: Haydn Sinfonia Concertante (OLP, 1957), Cimarosa's Concerto for Two Flutes with flutists Aurele Nicolet and Fritz Demmler (BP, 1954) and Schubert's 3rd Symphony (BP, 1954). MONO
Unless you are a fan of spiky French instrumentalists, the elegant Haydn performance sounds cramped and sharp-edged. The much more minor Cimarosa is far better played. The Schubert Third gets the best sound by far. I'm not taken with Markevitch's clipped phrasing and lack of affection throughout, but it's a vigorous, committed performance.

CD 3 and 4: All Beethoven, with the exception of an insightful 15-minute, 1957 interview with Markveitch. Here we get Leonore III Overture (OLP, 1958), Symphony #3 'Eroica' (Symphony of the Air, 1956-57), Symphony #6 'Pastorale' (OLP, 1957), and the Coriolan, Fidelio, Name Day and Consecration of the House Overtures (all OLP, 1958). STEREO except for Sym. #3
All the overtures from the Lamoureux forces are thin and spiky, far from the usual Beethoven style. Fans may appreciate Markevitch's Russian-Gallic temperament here; I'm not so sure. The Eroica from Berlin is much better sounding, although the mono recording is boxy and somewhat muffled--in all his Beethoven Markevitch prefers fast tempi and sharp angles. Surprisingly, the Pastrole is in a different vein--warm and relaxed, with tempos often as slow as Klemperer's. But the Lamoureux orchestra's technical abilities are quite underwhelming, and I can't find a compelling reason to listen to the performance except in patches.

CD 5: Brahms Symphony #1 with the Symphony of the Air (1956), Alto Rhapsody (with Irina Arkhipova and the Russian State Academy Choir), Tragic Overture with the USSR State Symphony Orchestra (both 1963). STEREO
For the first time since CD 1 we get a compelling sense of Markevitch's stature. The Brahms First with Toscanini's (remaned) orchestra is fully the equal of anyone's--huge, heroic, and wonderfully played. The Russian performance of the Alto Rhapsody features the great Arkhipova, and for once the Soviet sonics are good. The Tragic Overture, dating from after Markevitch's decline in hearing (1963), seems a bit undernourished and is in dim, distant sound, but it casts a spell nonetheless.

CD 6: Brahms 4th Symphony (OLP, 1958), Kodaly Psalmus Hungaricus with tenor Robert Ilosfalvy (RSA Choir & USSR SSO, 1963). STEREO
The Brahms Fourth is a very good performance in the lean, propulsive Toscanini style. I don't fancy the scrappy playing of the Lamoureux orchestra, especially the coarse brass blatting away in the finale--other conductors like Szell have done better in this vein--but in its punchy, rough-and-ready way Markevitch's Brahms Fourth commands attention. We are in a differetn world with the Kodaly, however, which gets a stunning performance, and the brutish playing by the Russian orchestra really works.

CD 7: Orchestral music of Wagner--Preludes to Acts I and III of Lohengrin, Tannhauser Overture (all OLP, 1958), and Venusberg Music from Tannhauser, Siegfired Idyll and Ride of the Valkyries (all BP, 1954). MONO
The Berlin Phil. doesn't sound like the world-class orchestra it would become once again under Karajan, but these excerpts are well played and recorded for their time. Markevitch was a modernist in Wagner, favoring fast tempos and eschewing expressive profundities. The music can take it, but one is always aware that something deeper is necessary. An odd-man-out disc but enjoyable.

CD 8: French fare with Gounod's 2nd Symphony and Bizet's Jeux d'enfants (both OLP, 1957), and Debussy's La Mer and Deux Danses (both OLP, 1959). MONO except for the Debussy
These Lamoureux readings are Gallic to the core, of course, and thoroughly delightful. Everything that sounds wrong in Beethoven works perfectly here. The mono sound, however, is edgy and shrill at loud volume. Things improve for the Debussy--La Mer, a Markevitch showpiece, gets an alert, quicksilver performance with many individual otuches in phrasing. It comes closest to being great of anything in the whole ocllection.

CD 9: Tchaikovsky 6th Symphony (BP, 1953) and Francesca da Rimini (OLP, 1959). MONO and STEREO respectively.
The colleciton ends on a high note, since Markevitch was arguably the greatest Tchaikovsky conductor after Mravinsky. The mono sound for the Berliners is good for its era. This is a neurotic, anguished Pathetique of the kind we rarely hear today. Likewise the Francsca da Rimini, where the Lamoureux's shrill, thin woodwinds seem to add to the effect.

In sum, the half-dozen superior performances stand out fairly obviously, and all are worthwhile for any listener. Frankly, the rest belongs in the realm of specialty collecting, although naturally others may strongly disagree, especially anyone who likes the Lamoureux orchestra much better than I do.

Exceptional conductor.......2005-06-08

Markevitch was, once, part of Diaghilev's "Ballets Russe"'s ensemble, and understood Stravinsky, Tchaikovsky, and other Russian composers (and their intents) very-well, and very-dynamically. His Philips' recordings (1970) of Tchaikovsky symphonies (plus other works) are still, some of the best, integral cycles-of-interpretations to be had, and his expertise was not bounded-by Russian works - his (Berlioz) Damnation of Faust, among other interpretations - are some of the best that discipline can devise. A MARVELOUS conductor, as was the (also) Russian-born, Jascha Horenstein. ... Horenstein, Markevitch, & Sixten Ehrling were some of the BEST of the post-War (including some pre-War recordings) era, and very-much of ANY recordings of them are much worth-having ... including the present, DG set.

Exceptional issue !.......2004-09-09

Since I heard once on vynil the incredible apssionate and to me the greatest veriosn ever made of the First Symphony of Johannes Brahms ever made .
And believe me , I love this symphony and I have heard at least one hundred versions : with Furtwangler , Toscanini superb performance of the forties , Istvan Kertsez , Kubelik Chicago , Munch , and a long etc .
But the inner mood and the clear but cleverly established sequence of the right tone and the use of the concise tempo in every phrase make of that version unique and unrepeteable .
I know about the Mozart Symphonies with the Berlin Philarmonic that still in those ages sounded with the furtwanglerain mood . They are sublime .
But consider once more that only with this Brahms Symphony, all the rest of the set you may consider a special buy , a worthable and fundamental bonus. Igor Markevitch was a conductor unfairly neglected .
Watch this CD because it will let you astonished and will prove by itself all the virtues of that master conductor .

Exceptional finesse.......2003-11-14

Of all the nine, really adorable, boxed sets by DG it was this one that I hastened to grab since Markevitch's interpretations had always been to my liking.
To be more honest, it was his Lamoureux recordings that I was after. In these recordings, it is the wind sound that dominates, and especially the brass section. For this reason, his Damnation and his Mozart Coronation had always been my favourites.
The present box contains a splendid Brahms 4th with a Chaconne, at the end that really moved me with its intensity (Markevitch slows quite a lot in the middle section to allow his woodwinds express themselves and this pronounces much more the forceful brass-dominated outer sections).
By the way, this set gives quite an idea of Markevitch's popularity at the time (recordings in the US with Toscanini's NBC Orchestra - renamed Symphony of the Air, recordings in Moscow with Brahms and Kodaly plus the 2 great European orchestras: the Lamoureux and the Berliners - some years before Karajan's arrival).

Brilliant "Artiste" Rescued From The Vaults.......2003-08-13

Now that Deutsche Grammophon is part of Universal, we have seen some interesting things happen, and not all of them bad. What I'm referring to in this case is the new "Original Masters" Limited Edition Box Set series. Finally, the classical music world has taken a page out of the jazz reissue handbook -- put out a quality product featuring rare recordings but make its availability limited, and people will snatch it up.

Now in its second round of the "Original Masters" box sets, DG has chosen to follow-up on the success of the "Great Conductors of the Century" series. They have just released two glorious 9-disc collections of the performances of conductors Igor Markevitch and Ferenc Fricsay, the vast majority of which have been previously unavailable on CD.

This particular set, "Un Veritable Artiste," showcases some of the numerous recordings made by the great conductor Igor Markevitch for Deutsche Grammophon and Philips, many of which have been rare (and expensive) collector's items for years. As the track information is non-existent above, I will try to be of assistance.

The first disc contains Mozart's 34th and 38th Symphonies with the Berlin Philharmonic (BP) from 1954, and Mozart's 35th Symphony (1957) and Gluck's Sinfonia in G Major (1958) with the Orchestre Lamoureux, Paris (OLP).

Disc two features Haydn's Sinfonia Concertante (OLP, 1957), Cimarosa's Concerto for Two Flutes with flutists Aurele Nicolet and Fritz Demmler (BP, 1954) and Schubert's 3rd Symphony (BP, 1954).

Discs three and four are all Beethoven, with the exception of an insightful 15-minute, 1957 interview with Markveitch. Here we get Leonore III Overture (OLP, 1958), 3rd Symphony (Symphony of the Air, 1956-57), 6th Symphony (OLP, 1957), and the Coriolan, Fidelio, Name Day and Consecration of the House Overtures (all OLP, 1958).

Disc five is all Brahms -- the 1st Symphony with Symphony of the Air (1956), and the Alto Rhapsody (with the Russian State Academy Choir) and Tragic Overture with the USSR State Symphony Orchestra (both 1963).

Disc six continues with Brahms, his 4th Symphony (OLP, 1958), and ends with Kodaly's Psalmus Hungaricus with tenor Robert Ilosfalvy (RSA Choir & USSR SSO, 1963).

Disc seven focuses on orchestral music from the operas of Wagner. Here we have the Preludes to Acts I and III of Lohengrin and the Tannhauser Overture (all OLP, 1958), and Venusberg Music from Tannhauser, Siegfired-Idyll and The Ride of the Valkyries (all BP, 1954).

Disc eight features all French fare with Gounod's 2nd Symphony and Bizet's Jeux d'enfants (both OLP, 1957), and Debussy's La Mer and Deux Danses (both OLP, 1959).

The final disc, number nine, wraps things up with Tchaikovsky's 6th Symphony (BP, 1953) and Francesca da Rimini (OLP, 1959).

Despite the fact that many of these recordings are in mono (mostly the pre-1957 ones), the first rate performances more than compensate for any audio shortcomings. The stereo performances are the warm, glowing and brilliant accounts that vintage collectors have appreciated for years.

Well, I guess the consolidation of the music industry isn't so bad after all, as long as I can look forward to more reissues like Igor Markevitch: Un Veritable Artiste.

Average customer rating:

Overdone and not well played
not very original but good sound

Tchaikovsky: Symphony Nos.1, 2 & 3

Manufacturer: Melodiya
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music
ASIN: B000001HDB
Release Date: 1997-06-17

Tracks:

Symphony No. 1 In G Minor, Op. 13 'Winter Dreams': Allegro tranquillo
Symphony No. 1 In G Minor, Op. 13 'Winter Dreams': Adagio cantabile ma non tanto
Symphony No. 1 In G Minor, Op. 13 'Winter Dreams': Scherzo. Allegro scherzando giocoso
Symphony No. 1 In G Minor, Op. 13 'Winter Dreams': Finale. Adante lugubre - Allegro maestoso
Symphony No. 2 In C Minor, Op. 17 'Little Russian': Andante sostenuto - Allegro vivo
Symphony No. 2 In C Minor, Op. 17 'Little Russian': Andantino marziale, quasi moderato
Symphony No. 2 In C Minor, Op. 17 'Little Russian': Scherzo. Allegro molto vivace
Symphony No. 2 In C Minor, Op. 17 'Little Russian': Finale. Moderato assai - Allegro vivo - Presto

Tracks:

Symphony No. 3 In D Major, Op. 29 'Polish': Introduzione e allegro. Moderato assai, tempo di marcia funebre - Allegro brillante
Symphony No. 3 In D Major, Op. 29 'Polish': Alla tedesca. Allegro moderato e semplice
Symphony No. 3 In D Major, Op. 29 'Polish': Andante elegiaco
Symphony No. 3 In D Major, Op. 29 'Polish': Scherzo. Allegro vivo
Symphony No. 3 In D Major, Op. 29 'Polish': Finale. Allegro con fuoco, tempo di Polacca
Symphonic Fantasia After Dante: Francesca da Rimini, Op. 32

Amazon.com

Evgeny Svetlanov's Tchaikovsky is coarse, vulgar, hysterical, crudely played (with some unbelievably noisy sounds emanating from the brass section), and often exciting as hell. Your reaction to it depends on your tolerance for approximate intonation and willful interpretive excess, and while it's kind of hard to make the case for these recordings as first recommendations, if you don't take them all that seriously, they really are fun to listen to now and then. --David Hurwitz

Customer Reviews:

Overdone and not well played.......2007-01-05

I suspect the person asking 30 bucks for this CD has no idea how bad it really is. The orchestral playing is very unrefined and the interpretations are way too emotional. Play this music straight and you get all the emotion you need. If you find this CD at your local flea market for less than 5 bucks, it may be worth it just to hear how Tchaikovsky should not be played. Otherwise, simply ignore the 30 dollar asking price here.

not very original but good sound .......2006-01-14

At some moment the originality is lost. From Pjotr his fourth and first look very much alike. This is good though. Buy it if you are a real fan of Pjotr`s music.

Average customer rating:

Tchaikovsky: The 6 Symphonies

Manufacturer: RCA
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Suites | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Symphonies | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music

Classical Music | The Sony BMG Masterworks Store | Amazon.com Label Stores | Stores | Music
Similar Items:

Kurt Atterberg: The Symphonies (Box Set)
Vaughan Williams: The Nine Symphonies
Rachmaninov: His Complete Recordings
Piano Quintet in F Min / Complete String Quartets (1, 2, 3)

ASIN: B0000CNTLY
Release Date: 2003-12-16

Tchaikovsky: Suite No. 3; Francesca da Rimini

Average customer rating:

Third Suite Finely Executed, but Francesca is Pretty Bad

Tchaikovsky: Suite No. 3; Francesca da Rimini

Manufacturer: Chandos
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Suites | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music

Tracks:

Suite No. 3 Op. 55: I. Elegie: Andantino molto cantabile
Suite No. 3 Op. 55: II. Valse melancolique: Allegro moderato
Suite No. 3 Op. 55: III. Scherzo: Presto
Suite No. 3 Op. 55: IV. Tema con variazioni: Andante con moto -
Suite No. 3 Op. 55: IV. Tema con variazioni: Andante con moto - Variation I
Suite No. 3 Op. 55: IV. Tema con variazioni: Andante con moto - Variation II: Molto piu mosso
Suite No. 3 Op. 55: IV. Tema con variazioni: Andante con moto - Variation III: Tempo del tema -
Suite No. 3 Op. 55: IV. Tema con variazioni: Andante con moto - Variation IV: Tempo del tema -
Suite No. 3 Op. 55: IV. Tema con variazioni: Andante con moto - Variation V: Allegro risoluto
Suite No. 3 Op. 55: IV. Tema con variazioni: Andante con moto - Variation VI: Allegro vivace
Suite No. 3 Op. 55: IV. Tema con variazioni: Andante con moto - Variation VII: Moderato
Suite No. 3 Op. 55: IV. Tema con variazioni: Andante con moto - Variation VIII: Largo
Suite No. 3 Op. 55: IV. Tema con variazioni: Andante con moto - Variation IX: Allegro molto vivace
Suite No. 3 Op. 55: IV. Tema con variazioni: Andante con moto - Variation X: Allegro vivo e un poco rubato
Suite No. 3 Op. 55: IV. Tema con variazioni: Andante con moto - Variation XI: Moderato mosso
Suite No. 3 Op. 55: IV. Tema con variazioni: Andante con moto - Variation XII: Finale, Polacca: Moderato assai
Francesca da Rimini Op. 32: Fantasia After Dante: Andante lugubre
Francesca da Rimini Op. 32: Fantasia After Dante: Allegro vivo
Francesca da Rimini Op. 32: Fantasia After Dante: Andante cantabile non troppo
Francesca da Rimini Op. 32: Fantasia After Dante: Allegro vivo

Amazon.com

The Third Suite is both the best known and the least known of the four that Tchaikovsky wrote. This is because its finale, a brilliant "theme and variations" lasting some 20 minutes, is often performed separately while the first three movements, which are by no means inferior, hardly ever get played at all. Here's a chance to make up for this injustice. The whole work is a delight--every bit as fine as the symphonies--and this performance is excitingly direct and refreshing. --David Hurwitz

Customer Reviews:

Third Suite Finely Executed, but Francesca is Pretty Bad.......2001-03-13

The Third Suite would get 4 stars and the "Francesca" 2 stars if I could separate them. The Third Suite is very close to a symphony in tone and temperament, and at 44 minutes, takes up the majority of this CD. Here we have a good rendition of a minor Tchaikovsky opus, and you ought to get to know it if you don't already.

The tone poem "Francesca da Rimini" (the filler, at 25 minutes) is another matter entirely. Here Tchaikovsky paints in his most apocalyptic colors the story of two lovers cast into Hell for their sins. This music will not tolerate a tepid or pedestrian approach. It begs for consummate mastery, for total commitment, for every performance to be the ultimate one, to leave you on the floor in utter anguish. Sadly, Neeme Jarvi falls far short in this assignment. This performance goes nowhere fast. Jarvi makes the Bartokian Gates of Hell passage that opens the piece a simple walk into a dark room. He makes the blasting Winds of Hell a merely unwelcome summer storm.

Tracks:

Also sprach Zarathustra: Opening Fanfare (2001 - A Space Odyssey) - Silver Screen Classics
Adagio For Strings Op.11: Adagio For Strings, Op. 11 (Platoon) - Silver Screen Classics
The Sleeping Beauty: Waltz (Rollerball) - Silver Screen Classics
Wally's Aria, Act I.: La Wally (Diva) - Silver Screen Classics
Midsummer Night's Dream: Wedding March (Midsummer Night's Dream) - Silver Screen Classics
Symphony No. 5: Adagietto (Death In Venice) - Silver Screen Classics
Piano Concerto K.365: III. Rondo Allergo (Amadeus) - Silver Screen Classics
L'Elisir d'Amore: Aria 'Una Furtiva Lagrima' (Lorenzos Oil) - Silver Screen Classics
Hungarian Rhapsody No. 2: Hungarian Rhapsody No. 2 (Who Framed Roger Rabbit) - Silver Screen Classics
Symphony No. 6 'Pathetique': Adagio Lamentoso (The Music Lovers) - Silver Screen Classics

Tracks:

The Four Seasons: I. Spring (allegro) (The Four Seasons) - Silver Screen Classics
Canon In D: Canon In D (Ordinary People) - Silver Screen Classics
Carmen: Habanera (Carmen Jones) - Silver Screen Classics
William Tell: Soldier's Dance (E La Nave Va) - Silver Screen Classics
Clarinet Concerto: Adagio (Out of Africa) - Silver Screen Classics
Violin Concerto No.2: III. Allegro assai (Love Story) - Silver Screen Classics
Lohengrin: Prelude Act 1 (Ludwig) - Silver Screen Classics
The Pearl Fishers: Duet ' Au Fond du Temps Saint' (The Pearl Fishers) - Silver Screen Classics
Slymphony No.8 (Unfinished): II. Andante con moto (Notturno) - Silver Screen Classics
Bolero: Bolero (10) - Silver Screen Classics

Tracks:

Gayaneh: Sabre Dance (Punchline) - Various Artists
Cavalleria Rusticana Intermezzo sinfonico: Cavalleria Rusticana Intermezzo Sinfonico (Raging Bull) - Various Artists
Symphony No. 4 'Italian': IV. Saltarello - Presto (Breaking Away) - Various Artists
Madama Butterfly: Love Duet ' Viene La Sera' (Mona Lisa) - Various Artists
Pomp & Circumstance: March No. 1 (A Clockwork Orange) - Various Artists
Gianni Schicci: Aria 'O Mio Babbino Caro' (A Room With A View) - Various Artists
Twilight Of The Gods: Funeral March (Excalibur) - Various Artists
Sinfonia concertante K. 364: I. Allegro maestoso (Amadeus) - Various Artists
Moment Musical D.780 No. 3: Moment Musical D.780 No. 3 (E La Nave Va) - Various Artists
Flute Sonata In F Major K.13: I. Allegro (Love Story) - Various Artists
Symphony No. 7 In A Major: II. Allegretto (Immortal Beloved) - Various Artists

Tracks:

Ride of the Valkyries: Ride Of The Valkyries (Apocalypse Now) - Various Artists
Piano Concerto No. 21: II. Andante (Elvira Madigan) - Various Artists
Dance Of The Toy Flutes: Dance Of The Toy Flutes (E La Nave Va) - Various Artists
William Tell: Overture (A Clockwork Orange) - Various Artists
Madama Butterfly: Finale 'Con Onor Muore' (Fatal Attraction) - Various Artists
String Quartet In C D.956: II. Adagio (Notturno) - Various Artists
Aufschwung: Aufschwung (Heat and Dust) - Various Artists
Idomeneo: March (Barry Lyndon) - Various Artists
Carnival Of The Animals: The Swan (E La Nave Va) - Various Artists
Emperor Waltz: Emperor Waltz (The Last Emperor) - Various Artists

Tracks:

Tocatta In D Minor: Tocatta In D Minor (Rollerball) - Various Artists
Mandoline Concerto: Mandoline Concerto (Kramer Vs. Kramer) - Various Artists
Symphony No 29 In A Major K.201: I. Allegro moderato (Amadeus) - Various Artists
Symphony No 9 In C Major: II. Andante con Moto (Notturno) - Various Artists
The Force Of Destiny: Overture (E La Nave Va) - Various Artists
Manon Lescaut: Aria: 'Sola, perduta, abbadonata' (Hannah And Her Sisters) - Various Artists
Clair de Lune: Clair de Lune (E La Nave Va) - Various Artists
Carmen: Seguedille of Carmen 'Pres de remparts' (Carmen) - Various Artists
Symphony No. 9 'Choral': 4th Movement (Excerpts) (Dead Poets Society) - Various Artists
Fur Elise: Fur Elise (Immortal Beloved) - Various Artists

Tracks:

The Marriage Of Figaro: Overture (Trading Places) - Various Artists
Concerto for 2 violins: II. Largo ma non tanto (Children Of A Lesser God) - Various Artists
Quintet In F Major 'Trout Quintet': I. Allegro vivace (Notturno) - Various Artists
Oboe Concerto In D Minor: II. Adagio (Lorenzos Oil) - Various Artists
Tales From The Vienna Woods: Tales From The Vienna Woods (Heat And Dust) - Various Artists
Symphony No. 9 'Choral': 2nd Movement (A Clockwork Orange) - Various Artists
l'apres midi d'un faune: Prelude (Nijinsky) - Various Artists
The Thieving Magpie: Overture (A Clockwork Orange) - Various Artists
Symphony No. 6 In F Major 'Pastorale': IV. Allegro - The Storm (Immortal Beloved) - Various Artists

Tracks:

Rhapsody In Blue: Rhapsody In Blue (Manhattan) - Various Artists
Madama Butterfly: Aria: 'Un bel di vedremo' (Fatal Attraction) - Various Artists
Adagio: Adagio (Gallipoli) - Various Artists
Turandot: Aria: 'Nessun dorma' (The Witches Of Eastwick) - Various Artists
The Marriage Of Figaro: March (Amadeus) - Various Artists
Piano Trio No. 2 In E Flat Major: II. Andante con moto (Notturno) - Various Artists
Requiem: Introitus (Amadeus) - Various Artists
Requiem: Dies Irae (Amadeus) - Various Artists
Requiem: Rex Tremendae (Amadeus) - Various Artists
Requiem: Confutatis (Amadeus) - Various Artists
Requiem: Lacrymosa (Amadeus) - Various Artists
Symphony No. 5 In C Minor: I. Allegro conbrio (Immortal Beloved) - Various Artists

Tracks:

Strike Up The Band: Strike Up The Band (Manhattan) - Silver Screen Classics
La Boheme: Aria: 'Che Gelida Manina' (Moonstruck) - Silver Screen Classics
'1812': Overture (The Music Lovers) - Silver Screen Classics
Ave verum corpus: Ave Verum Corpus (Lorenzos Oil) - Silver Screen Classics
Carmen: Escamillio's Song 'Votre Toast' (Carmen) - Silver Screen Classics
La Boheme: Aria: 'Addio...D'onde lieta usci' (Moonstruck) - Silver Screen Classics
The Abduction From The Seraglio: Finale (Amadeus) - Silver Screen Classics
Piano Concerto No. 20 In D Minor: II. Romanze (Amadeus) - Silver Screen Classics
Symphony No. 25: Allegro con brio (Amadeus) - Silver Screen Classics
The Marriage Of Figaro: Finale 'Pace, pace' (Amadeus) - Silver Screen Classics

Tracks:

Peer Gynt: Morning (Song Of Norway) - Silver Screen Classics
Eine kleine Nachtmusik: Menuetto Allegretto - Rondo Allegro (Ace Venture - Pet Detective) - Silver Screen Classics
Xerxes: Largo (Les Liaisons Dangereuse) - Silver Screen Classics
The Magic Flute: Aria: 'Der Holle Rache'; Aria Queen Of The Night (Amadeus) - Silver Screen Classics
Symphony No. 6 'Pastorale': II. Andante molto mosso (Fantasia) - Silver Screen Classics
La Gioconda: Dance Of The Hours (Fantasia) - Silver Screen Classics
Ave Maria: Ave Maria (Fantasia) - Silver Screen Classics
Andrea Chenier: Aria: 'Come se amare' - 'La mamma morta'; Aria Of Maddalena, 3.Akt (Philadelphia) - Silver Screen Classics
Semiramide: Overture (Unfaithfully Yours) - Silver Screen Classics
Piano Concerto No.5 'Emperor': II. Adagio un poco mosso (Immortal Beloved) - Silver Screen Classics

Tracks:

Messiah: Hallelujah (Look Who's Talking Too) - Various Artists
Serenade 'Gran Partita': III. Adagio (Amadeus) - Various Artists
Stabat Mater: 'Quando corpus morietur' (Amadeus) - Various Artists
The Magic Flute: Aria: 'Ein Madchen Oder Weibchen' (Amadeus) - Various Artists
A Night On The Bare Mountain (Fantasia) - Various Artists
Tannhauser: Pilgrims Chorus (Unfaithfully Yours) - Various Artists
Francesca da Rimini: Francesca Da Rimini (Unfaithfully Yours) - Various Artists
Blue Danube Waltz (Champagne Waltz) - Various Artists

Customer Reviews:

An excellent sampler to get into classical music.......2002-07-02

So often we hear classical music in the movies and wonder "What is that called?" Well now it's here - a chance to find it and listen again to something that caught your ear and your heart. While normally I'm not a big fan of sampler complication albums, I love this set because of the breadth of works represented here. While not explicitly instructional (the liner notes are non-existent, and there is no real explanation of the works beyond their appearance in a specific movie), it lets you experience many famous, and lesser known pieces of classical music. Besides just giving you a nice album to put on and relax to, it also lets you find someone that you may not have heard before, listen to a piece and maybe go off in search of more by the same composer.

The bottom line is that for this price, you have a bargain of CD's of fine quality, and extraordinary breadth, with an anchor to the movies to help put them in a place. Besides, where else can you look for a specific film to try and find out what was that piece that is stuck in your head?

Ten cd's for one incredible price........2001-08-26

Not only do you receive an entire collection of ten cds for a phenomenal value, but you get the best classical music ever composed. These are songs that have been featured in widely popular films, including Apocalypse Now, which brought fame to Wagner's Ride of the Valkyries. This will make a priceless gift for any lover of the cinema or of classical music. All of the songs that are included range from a variety of eras. In addition, famous composers from Mozart to Strauss make an appearance in this musical collection. These songs will remind you of the great movies that you've seen.

Music Review:

Music Review

music review

Recommended Music:

Special Love

Benjamin Lees: Piano Sonata No. 4; Mirrors: Fantasy Variations

Beethoven: The Late String Quartets / Busch Quartet

Music: Happy Nightmare Baby

Bobby Jones: Stroke of Genius [Soundtrack]

Basics EP [Explicit Lyrics] [EP]

Arc [Live]

Big Thing Coming [CD-single] [Enhanced] [Import]

Akustycznie [Import]

Beethoven: The Great Symphonies [Box set]

All This Useless Beauty

Amanti Eroi (Sanremo 2003) [Enhanced] [Import]

Bass Shakers, Vol. 3

Worship Together: Here I Am to Worship for Kids

Passport