Piano Recital (Eduard Stan plays Bach, Busoni, Chopin)

Track Listings

1. Bach: Jesus bleibt meine Freude

2. Bach/Busoni: Nun komm der Heiden Heiland

3. Bach/Busoni: WAchet auf

4. Bach/Busoni: Ich ruf zu dir, Herr Jesus Christ

5. Franz Schubert: Sonata in B flat Major, D. 960

6. Franz Schubert: Sonata in B flat Major, D. 960

7. Franz Schubert: Sonata in B flat Major, D. 960

8. Franz Schubert: Sonata in B flat Major, D. 960

9. Chopin: Nocturne op. 62, No. 2 (E Major)

10. Chopin: Mazurka op. 63, No. 3 (c sharp minor)

11. Chopin: Mazurka op. 50, No. 3 (c sharp minor)

12. Chopin: Barcarolle op. 60 (F sharp Major)

Tracks:

No. 3 C Sharp Minor, Op.39: Scherzo No. 3 In C Sharp Minor, Op.39
Rhapsody, Op.79: No.1 Agitato In B Minor
Rhapsody, Op. 79: No. 2 Molto passionato, ma non troppo allegro In G Minor
Toccata, Op. 11
Jeux D'Eau: Tres doux
Barcarole In F Sharp Major, Op. 60
Hungarian Rhapsody No.6: Tempo Giusto - Presto - Andante - Allegro - Presto
Sonata For Piano In B Minor: Lento assai - Allegro energico
Sonata For Piano In B Minor: Grandioso
Sonata For Piano In B Minor: Cantando espressivo
Sonata For Piano In B Minor: Pesante - Recitativo
Sonata For Piano In B Minor: Andante sostenuto
Sonata For Piano In B Minor: Quasi Adagio
Sonata For Piano In B Minor: Allegro energico
Sonata For Piano In B Minor: Piu mosso
Sonata For Piano In B Minor: Cantando espressivo senza slentare
Sonata For Piano In B Minor: Stretta quasi Presto -- Presto -- Prestissimo
Sonata For Piano In B Minor: Andante sostenuto - Allegro moderato - Lento assai

Amazon.com essential recording

Classical music people, critics in particular, have a reputation for being grumpy, and this disc illustrates why. It's called Martha Argerich Debut Recital. Now, what does this tell you about it? Nothing, that's what. And the title isn't even correct! Actually, there's more material here than appeared on her debut recital, not the least of which is a stunning Liszt Sonata in B minor, which is the major work on the disc. When one of the two or three greatest living pianists turns in a performance of a major work like the Liszt Sonata that has been generally acclaimed, you would think that her record company would somehow get that piece of news into the title of the recording. --David Hurwitz

Customer Reviews:

WOW! Absolutely stunning!.......2007-01-16

I just bought this disc and was blown away by it. It was everything I thought it would be and then some. It has to be one of the great piano recital CDs of all time. I can't imagine anyone being disappointed with this.

Undeniably Argerich.......2006-11-08

Any one interested in knowing how piano should be played and can be played should get this CD. When I first heard the CD, I was surprised already by her debut recital Argerich has mastered such a distinctive style. I must disagree with the reviewer below who describe this as not imaginative, for nothing could be further from the truth. Argerich's playing is clearly her own, and no one else's. If one wants to hear a technically perfect but emotionally empty playing of Chopin, many of the newer artists would happily fill that bill. And for the record, Horowitz can make plenty of mistakes too, but that doesn't take the charm away from listening to his playing.
That being said, this is one of the most turbulent, drenching rendition of Chopin there is. I love it.

You have to listen to this Lizst sonata.......2006-07-05

Before this performance I thought that I did not like the sonata because no other pianist could keep its many parts and segments together from the beginning to the end. This is the only performance that does that for me. When I listened to it for the first time, I broke up in tears. Argerich's interpretation is mezmerizing. Buy it! Any serious music collector should have this CD.

Unbelievably Amazing..........2006-06-16

I've never paid attention to the Liszt Sonata until I heard this recording. I canNOT BELIEVE some people are calling her without soul or "muddy"... This is the single most inspiring and shocking CD. Really gives you chills when you listen to it. Makes your heart beat faster.

Is that Liszt's great Sonata?.......2005-10-12

No words! Just a simple, superfast read of Liszt's masterpiece, no soul, no ritardandos, nothing. Only supersonic playing, full of virtuosity and bravura in "virtuoso parts", mere exercise in others. That is what people call "cirkus Liszt"! Horrible!

Average customer rating:

The definitive "Pictures at an Exhibition"
terrible coughs.
The Most Memorialand Quoted Piano Recital from the 1950's
The best interpretation of "Pictures at an Exhibition" I have heard
Great but the worst recording i hear

The Sofia Recital 1958

Manufacturer: Polygram Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B0000523QI
Release Date: 2001-03-13

Tracks:

Pictures At An Exhibition: Promenade
Pictures At An Exhibition: I Gnomus
Pictures At An Exhibition: Promenade
Pictures At An Exhibition: II II vecchio castello - Promenade
Pictures At An Exhibition: III Tuileries
Pictures At An Exhibition: IV Bydlo
Pictures At An Exhibition: Promenade
Pictures At An Exhibition: Ballet des poussins dans leurs coques
Pictures At An Exhibition: VI Samuel Goldenberg und Schmuyle
Pictures At An Exhibition: Promenade
Pictures At An Exhibition: VII Limoges: le marche'
Pictures At An Exhibition: VIII Catacombae: Sepulchrum romanum - Cum mortius in lingua mortua
Pictures At An Exhibition: La Cabe sur des pattes de poule
Pictures At An Exhibition: La Grande Porte de Kiev
Moment Musical in C Major, D780 no.1
Impromptu In E Flat Major, D899 No,2
Impromptu in A Flat Major
Etude In E Major, Op.10 no.3
Valse oubliee No.1 In F Sharp Major
Valse oubliee No.2 In A Flat Major
Etude d'execution transcendante No.5
Etude d'execution transcendante No.11
Prelude In G Sharp Minor, op.32 no.13

Customer Reviews:

The definitive "Pictures at an Exhibition".......2007-04-30

Not much more I can add to this. If you have any interest in the original piano version of "Pictures" at all then this is the one to get. Try Muti's for an excellent version of the piece as orchestrated by Ravel(Along with a great "Rite of Spring"; dirt cheap too)- Mussorgsky: Pictures at an Exhibiton; Stravinsky: The Rite of Spring.

Nobody else understands "Pictures" as well as Richter and in his hands time melts and you are taken on a journey you will not soon forget. Richter pushes and pulls this piece wherever he wants and we the listeners are happy to follow him where he chooses to take us.

The piano sound is quite good for its time. Fairly full and with a good dynamic range. Unfortunately the audience seems to have a case of infectious coughing. Similar to the live Wartime recordings of Furtwangler in that respect. You get used to it though, and either way it doesn't matter in the hands of a performance of this stature.

There's a reason that you can still buy this nearly 50(?!) years after it was recorded. Not only are people still talking about this recital, but we are still waiting for a recording to match it in modern sound without audience interruptions. I suspect we may have to wait a long, long time.

terrible coughs........2006-11-16

there are two recordings that would've perhaps been much more appreciated had there not been several people who coughed their way through the entire concert. the furtwangler 1942 recording of Beethoven's sixth symphony and this one.
jesus. i'm not one to complain about coughing, but we have issues here. was it communism?? really, were russians this worse off???????

things set aside, the performance itself.. is magical.

i can't add much more to previous reviewers except this: expect one of the worst recordings from the 1950's... if you brainwash yourself into believing this is one of those naxos or pearl remastered 1920s recordings, you'll find yourself much more pleased.

The Most Memorialand Quoted Piano Recital from the 1950's .......2005-12-15

Svaitoslav Richter is the quintiessential pianist of the 20th century. This epic live recording of the Mussorsky's "Pictures at an Exhibition" stands as the supreme recording of the piano version ever recorded. Although some will argue that Horowitz recorded of his this piece with is its numerous interpretative changes is also notable but is mearly a flashey more superficial rendition than Richter's. Richter here captures this pieces mistical and heavenly appeal so perfectly it seems its nuances are forever engrained in your mind. The Promenade is so stately and energetically expressed it seemingly gives us permission to enter a heavenly 30 minute musical forum. The variation number 5, 8, 10 and the next to last are my favorites. Being a pianist (and I use that term loosely) this recording has taught me so much with regards to vivid imagery. For example the next to last variation leaves me with the impression that it is someone taking the road to heaven and finally arrives at its gates. Then is looking at the Gates of Heaven as they Open. A grand moment in any life. Richters imagery is so perfectly unbalanced that he leaves us on edge to anticipate each colorful moment. This is truely my favorite recording in classical piano because it is so awe inspiring.

The best interpretation of "Pictures at an Exhibition" I have heard.......2005-11-17

Wow.

If the vivid imagery Richter creates in this live performance isn't enough to bring tears to your eyes, the technical prowess will certainly send you searching for the "repeat" button on your cd player.

Richter, as always, delivers an emotional and monumental performance.

Great but the worst recording i hear.......2005-10-01

fisrt of all excuse me for my bad englih, i m french ;o)
A concert recording can't be perfect, this is the worst i hear. All the people are ill and the record man was probably far as 50m of the piano behind a door.
So, Why three stars ?
because i love this music and nobody play it as Richter this day.
Great music, Great moment...

Average customer rating:

Instruments of the Orchestra - Great Reference Material!
Beginner or Expert
Very Informative and Enjoyable
Frank's view
Excellent Intro for Those Not Familiar with the Orchestra

Instruments of the Orchestra
Various Artists
Manufacturer: Naxos
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B00006O0NT
Release Date: 2002-12-03

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:

A Divine Revelation
Fantastic

Dinu Lipatti: Besancon Recital
Dinu Lipatti , Frederic Chopin , and Johann Sebastian Bach
Manufacturer: EMI Classics
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Waltzes | Ballets & Dances | Classical | Styles | Music

Suites | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music

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Great Recordings Of The Century - Dinu Lipatti
The Complete Chopin Recordings
Dinu Lipatti plays Chopin, Enescu, Ravel, Liszt & Brahms
Chopin: Waltzes Nos. 1-14
Piano Concertos

ASIN: B0001HAHPA
Release Date: 2004-03-23

Tracks:

I. Prelude
II. Allemande
III. Courante
IV. Sarabande
V. Menuet I & Menuet II
VI. Gigue
I. Allegro Maestoso
II. Andante Cantabile Con Espressione
III. Presto
No.3 In G Flat
No.2 In E Flat
No.5 In A Flat Op.42
No.6 In D Flat Op.64 No.1
No.9 In A Flat Op.69 No.1
No.7 In C Sharp Op.64 No.2
No.11 In G Flat Op.70 No.1
No.10 In B Minor Op.69 No.2
No.14 In E Minor Op.Posth.
No.3 In A Minor Op.34 No.2
No.4 In F Op.34 No.3
No.12 In F Minor Op.70 No.2
No.13 In D Flat Op.70 No.3
No.8 In A Flat Op.64 No.3
No.1 In E Flat Op.18

Customer Reviews:

A Divine Revelation.......2005-06-14

Everyone who knows what they are talking about agrees: Dinu Lipatti was heaven sent. Cortot thought so, so did Walter Legge and countless others. This recording is nothing short of the last and greatest divine revelation Lipatti gave us. The Schubert G Flat Major impromptu is one of the most amazing performances around. If you are a pianist, you must listen to Lipatti to understand what piano playing means.

Fantastic.......2004-07-08

One of the most classic recitals in music history, played by a GOD.

Average customer rating:

Great expressive power
Highly original player in a brilliant set - the packaging less so.
Exquisite
Making music or faking it?
Amazing

Chopin Recital

Manufacturer: Deutsche Grammophon
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Etudes | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

Fantasies | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music

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Yundi Li: Liszt
Chopin: Scherzi/Impromptus
Vienna Recital
Chopin, Liszt: Piano Concerto No. 1
Yundi Li: Live in Concert

ASIN: B00005UVZB
Release Date: 2003-04-08

Tracks:

Piano Sonata No.3 In B Minor, Op.58 Allegro Maestoso
Piano Sonata No.3 In B Minor, Op.58 Scherzo. Molto Vivace
Piano Sonata No.3 In B Minor, Op.58 Largo
Piano Sonata No.3 In B Minor, Op.58 Finale. Presto, Ma Non Tanto
Andante Spianato Et Grande Polonaise Brillante In E Flat Major,Op.22 Andante Spianato. Tranquillo
Andante Spianato Et Grande Polonaise Brillante In E Flat Major,Op.22 Grande Polonaise. Allegro Molt
ude In A Minor, Op.10 No.2
ude In G Flat Major, Op.10 No.5
ude In A Minor,Op.25 No.11
Nocturne In B Flat Minor, Op.9 No.1
Nocturne In E Flat Major, Op.9 No.2
Nocturne In F Sharp Major, Op.15 No.2
Impromptu No.4 In C Sharp Minor, Op.66 -Fantaisie-Impromptu-

Amazon.com

This is not your grandfather's Chopin playing! Chinese pianist Yundi Li won the 2000 Warsaw International Chopin Competition at the age of 18. His debut album comes with a small portfolio of hi-tech androgynous fashion photos of the pianist. Li's playing is hi-tech, too. He handles the most difficult music in this recital (like the finale of the Third Sonata and the Grande Polonaise) with disarming ease, tossing off complex passagework with apparent ease. Interpretively, Li is definitely a modern Chopinist, de-emphasizing the poetic aspects of the music in favor of momentum and structure--although his tone is always pleasing, never edgy. Listeners used to the more traditional Chopin styles of Rubinstein and Cortot may find this disconcerting. For those accustomed to Argerich or Pollini in Chopin, Li merely takes their styles a step further. Even if we wind up retreating eventually to the Rubinstein tradition, Li offers a perspective that many will find bracing, and he is extremely well presented by DG's realistic recording. --Leslie Gerber

Customer Reviews:

Great expressive power.......2007-06-09

There is a certain unruffled calmness at the center of Yundi's playing that I find remarkably attractive and enticing musically. Like all outstanding pianists, he plays from within and seems to know exactly what he's trying to express. I find his interpretations deeply idiomatic of the composer, and I believe this is something that cannot be taught; it is a gift that one must be born with. There will always be room in the world for such distinctive, mature and refined playing, no matter how young the performer.

Highly original player in a brilliant set - the packaging less so........2007-05-29

19 year old Chopin expert - one could not help comparing him with the big names in Chopin. But, did any of the big names managed to step forward in such a tender age as Yundi Li?
Youth, however, is not an excuse for his placement. Yundi Li has proved to the world that his own original interpretation of Chopin is valid - the almost zen like approach to the ethereal style of this composer, bringing forth both cyrstalline beauty and conviction.
Introverted and full of artistic talent, Mr. Li is destined to be one of the foremost standard bearers of fine arts in the 21st century. That said, the art direction by Universal records leaves much room for improvement, as amply demonstrated in this debut album of Yundi Li, and the most recent Beethoven album of his compatriot Lang Lang.
Rather than showing off the artistic character or the charisma of the performers, these two album's art direction savours of commercial propaganda and hype.
The pianists deserve better treatment than these.

Exquisite.......2006-06-24

Regardless of the hype and harm, this is a masterstroke by a prodigy who will have a secure future in recitals and recordings. These interpretations are at the same time euphoric and technically brilliant. It boggles the mind where this youngster will rise to as he continues to gain seasoning and experience. The exuberance that Yundi Li brings to his performances puts such a modern spin on these recordings that any criticisms start to sound like "old fogey-ism" at its worst. Give the young man his time. This is an auspicious debut. Let us give thanks.

Making music or faking it?.......2006-04-15

Yundi Li won the Chopin competition at 18. It must have been some athletics of the keyboard that year... Mr Li is musical but bears detestable manierism. Although from his own account, he studies scores and listen to others interpretation and chose what he likes, the tempo of the scherzo of the Sonata in B minor is again broken with a slow middle part that exists only in the mind of pianists who lack imagination: Chopin knew the effect he wanted and never indicated a change of tempo.
This is the art of representation: Mr Li plays at playing Chopin. It is similar to saying I read a book for the vocabulary and the grammatical structure but I ask other readers what it means.
In concert Mr Li proved a disappointment. Let's give it to him he seems better than his colleague Mr Lang at that sonata. This however doesn't mean much...
Recently, Yundi Li has been making the rounds with Mozart K330, Schumann Carnaval and Liszt Sonata in B minor. Despite acknowledging performances that are uninspiring at best, the critics keep massaging the ego of this pianist. This is another proof that marketing has taken over music making. It is a shame that no one has the intellectual honesty to make the call in New York, Vancouver or Toronto!

Amazing.......2005-07-22

If one was as precise as to give the time such as:

"the crescendos at mm. 10 and 11 of the first movement, and again at mm. 21-22",

he should at least indicate which piece of the music in this CD he was refering to. It is AMAZING to read so much weird comments by some reviewer.

You can certainly distinguish with your eyes closed music played by Yundi Li from that by Lang Lang as you are able to distinguish easily an insightful playing from that played by a robot.

The following passage given by one reviewer best reveals the depth of understanding of Chopin's music by Yundi Li:

"Technique, then, is not so much the point. What is far more captivating and compelling in Li's playing is its Romantic impulse, its communication of essences: its musical vibrancy. His greatest strength lies in the representation of Chopin's diverse utterances, ranging from melancholy to a longing for death, from heart rending lyrical moments to heart-shattering outbursts. He understands the composer's world of emotion and is not stingy with the use of extreme rubati, which serve only to reinforce his wholly personal insights into this music. Yundi Li adds a new shading to something long familiar, uncovers new facets that reflect the work in a different light. He joins the long list of interpreters in the truest sense of that word: as a medium between the work and the audience".

Average customer rating:

An Amazing Live Recital
Fabulous
A masterpiece!
Best of numerous Perahia's disks

The Aldeburgh Recital

Manufacturer: Sony
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Etudes | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

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Songs Without Words
Murray Perahia Plays Franck & Liszt
Handel/Scarlatti: Murray Perahia Plays Handel & Scarlatti
Schubert: Piano Sonatas, D958, 959, 960
Chopin Etudes

ASIN: B00000279L
Release Date: 1991-01-18

Tracks:

32 Variations For Piano In C Minor, WoO 80: Allegretto
Carnival Jest From Vienna, Op. 26: I - Allegro. Sehr lebhaft
Carnival Jest From Vienna, Op. 26: II - Romanze. Ziemlich langsam
Carnival Jest From Vienna, Op. 26: III - Scherzino
Carnival Jest From Vienna, Op. 26: IV - Intermezzo. Mit grosster Energie
Carnival Jest From Vienna, Op. 26: V - Finale. Hochst lebhaft
Hungarian Rhapsodie No. 12: Introduction. Mesto - Adagio - Allegro zingarese - Allgretto gioioso - Stretta. Vivace
Consolation No. 3 In D Flat Major: Lento placido
Etudes-Tableaux: Op. 33 No. 2 in C Major
Etudes-Tableaux: Op. 39 No. 5 in E-flat Minor
Etudes-Tableaux: Op. 39 No. 6 in A Minor
Etudes-Tableaux: Op. 39 No. 9 in D Major

Customer Reviews:

An Amazing Live Recital.......2005-05-25

This is one of the most incredible live performances I've ever heard, plain and simple. The Beethoven variations are crisp and propulsive, an excellent opener to the program. Schumann's Carnival Jest is not my favorite piece, but Perahia performs it flawlessly.

The Hungarian Rhapsody No. 12 is the highlight of the disc - this is a work of staggering technical difficulty, and I'll be damned if I can find a single mistake. Perahia handles the crashing fortissimos and quiet delicacies with equal aplomb, and his wide trills (a favorite of Liszt) are perfect. This is one of the few pieces which still reliably gives me shivers.

The Consolation acts as a nice let-down from the bravura of the Rhapsody - it's like a Chopin nocturne, but with a little more sugar and a little less melodic inventiveness. As for the Rachmaninoff Etudes-Tableaux, they are played marvelously. No. 2 in C is spooky in its cross-rhythms and modal ambiguity, and Perahia's performance of No. 5 in E-flat minor, probably the most musically profound of them all, is my favorite on record.

Overall, an excellent CD well worth buying.

Fabulous.......2003-02-26

This is a terrific recital. It is virtually flawless technically and musically it lives up to Perahia's well earned reputation a great musician first. So I second the sentiments of the previous reviewers. I would recommend folks to seek out the video recording also made in the Maltings, Snape - home of the Aldburgh Festival and longtime residence of Benjamin Britten and Peter Pears. Its is a object lesson in how economically the greatest pianists play.

A masterpiece!.......2000-04-24

I fully agree with the music fan from Minneapolis, this CD is certainly one of the best recorded by Perrahia and for many reasons: the variety of the program in this life concert, some unequivalent interpretation of Liszt, actually with Brendel or Zimerman. The R.Shumann Carnival inimitable, and the interpretation talent shown in Etudes Tableaux of Rachmaninov have nothing to envy the others like Horowitz or Ashkenazy. The Listz rapsody: amazing! fan of Horowitz, Cziffra: listen this version, we may only regret that Murray did not record yet the Complete Rapsodies....The Consolation in D major is a regal when you have a pianist of a delicate touch. For the Beethoven Variations i have nothing to add to our other customer rewiewer... I have more than a dozen of CD with Perrahia and this one is presently my favourite. The sound is excellent, concert was recorded in 1989 and in DDD.

Best of numerous Perahia's disks.......1999-02-21

I think this is the best recording of numerous Perahia's disks. As it's a live recording, we can listen to how he plays in front of live audiences. His performance here is much more lively and spontaneous than his studio recordings. In particular, his performance of Beethoven's "32 variations" is the best performance recorded so far.

Average customer rating:

Jorge Bolet--Genius
Liszt in the grand manner
Just fantastic
One of the Best Liszt CDs out there
Bolet and Liszt

Bolet Rediscovered: Liszt Recital

Manufacturer: RCA
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Galops | Ballets & Dances | Classical | Styles | Music

Etudes | Forms & Genres | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Chamber Music | Classical | Styles | Music

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Classical Instrumental Music | The Sony BMG Masterworks Store | Amazon.com Label Stores | Stores | Music
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ASIN: B00005AQ2F
Release Date: 2001-04-03

Tracks:

Liebestraum No.3
Gnomenreigen
Un Sospiro
Funerailles
La Campanella
Waldesrauschen
Grand Galop Chromatique
Rhapsodie Espagnole
Tannhauser Overture

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It shouldn't take more than a few seconds into the first track, the Liebesträum No. 3, for this disc to hook you. It exhibits masterly playing of the sort we rarely hear these days or even from Bolet's later recordings for Decca/London, when his playing was stolid and inhibited. But this Liebesträum is awash in poetic lyricism of the first order, with marvelous legato playing.

Bolet links every note seamlessly to the next, like a string of beads, an effect reinforced by a pearly, limpid tone. Bolet always refused to subordinate his lyric gifts to mere technical facility, so even pieces other virtuosos turn into barn-burners, like Funérailes and Rhapsodie espagnole, are more measured here, with each note given its full value and the flashier aspects present but secondary to the total picture. The final track, Liszt's dazzling piano arrangement of Wagner's Tannhäuser Overture, is breathtaking, not only because of Bolet's supreme mastery of this devilishly difficult piece, but also because it was recorded in one impromptu take after a formal recording session was over.

The entire contents of this disc, recorded in 1972 and 1973, were buried in RCA's vaults and never released until now. Their discovery and release are something to be grateful for, since they burnish Bolet's posthumous reputation and give enormous pleasure. --Dan Davis

Customer Reviews:

Jorge Bolet--Genius.......2006-07-06

I was amused by the harsh review by "The Music Fan." I knew Jorge Bolet. Jorge Bolet was a friend of mine. The Music Fan, you are NO Jorge Bolet.

Liszt in the grand manner .......2005-03-23

Jorge Bolet's repertoire was limited - roughly, Beethoven through Liszt, plus some Rachmaninov and Prokofiev; hardly any Bach (except for the Bach-Busoni Chaconne) or Mozart, no moderns - but within that range he was one of 20th century's greatest pianists. It's a real shame that his stature among the classical music-loving crowd is not up to his immense gifts. Here is a pianist who had it all: the technique of a Lazar Berman, the unfaltering good taste of an Artur Rubinstein and the portentous yet suave sonority of an Emil Gilels. And these qualities show wonderfully in this CD. Bolet was, in his time, one of the world's greatest Liszt players, and this release catches him at his best. A not-to-be-missed disc.

Just fantastic.......2004-07-10

The producer of this recording tells in the booklet notes that Jorge Bolet was at his absolute peak during these sessions - more than in his later London recordings which he calls stolid. I personally wouldn't be so negative about Bolet's later efforts, but on this disc from 1972-3 he certainly is in absolute top form. Here is one Liszt disc you'll want to listen to over and over because of its amazing richness in piano playing and the full exposure of Liszt's sound world. Bolet is a master of Romanticism and has an amazing feel for playing this type of music, Liszt in particular, `right'. He possesses a pearl-like tone that makes his legatos sound otherworldly, and has a thunderous strength as well - sometimes he can even be rough. But generally his playing shows a certain decent restraint that makes sure it doesn't become vulgar. Bolet's technique too was stellar, but at moments his fingers can be somewhat stiff and uncomfortable. His pros and cons and temperament do not completely suit a few included pieces, making them somewhat unsatisfactory. Other tracks however, are revelatory. I can only wonder how RCA managed to keep this disc abandoned for so long.

Bolet performs a Liebestraum that borders to the miraculous; I've seldom heard anyone play the piano with such an enchanting eloquence. Un Sospiro is also wonderful, although it doesn't touch the same extreme heights; it sounds as if he does not feel the same Dionysian inspiration as in the Liebestraum. La Campanella, another Liszt favorite, sparkles beautifully with a roaring climax - but it is obvious that Bolet's fingers are not really well-suited to this featherweight playing. The Gnomenreigen etude is too stiff and lacks contrast - but then, I don't give a damn about this piece (we could also have done without that nonsensical chromatic Galop and the Spanish rhapsody; where is Vallée d'Obermann anyway?).

Then we come to the two really great compositions on the disc (and, together with the Liebestraum, the main reason to get it immediately) namely Funérailles and the Tannhäuser Ouverture. Both are dazzling performances; without one hint of self-consciousness or sentimentality Bolet casts a thrilling spell over Funérailles. He handles the gripping sphere of the piece perfectly without sacrificing musicality to showmanship: the octave sections are certainly overwhelming (listen to this with speakers full on; you don't know what you're hearing!), but Bolet always applies that aforementioned restraint to keep things in proportion. Finally, there's the Tannhäuser Ouverture which is fantastic all the way through - as the booklet notes rightly remark, he starts decently and slowly but builds the intensity to a hair-rising pace in the last minutes. It gives me nothing but great joy to listen to such splendid piano playing, and I can forgive Bolet for his regularly overcharged fortissimos. Altogether, great cd and fantastic piano playing even though some tracks are less good (and certainly some pieces of choice). It settles Jorge Bolet among the greatest pianists of the 20th century.

One of the Best Liszt CDs out there.......2003-04-25

I was not a big Liszt fan, to me, Liszt always seemed too bombastic, and sometimes it seemed too void of any artistic quality in its music. Often, I find my peers working on vitrousic pieces of Liszt while I typically go for Chopin, Schubert or the other Romnatics.

Well this CD has proven me wrong! Wow! I remember first listening to this CD in a library while studying for some stupid AP exam (chemistry ) and 5 seconds into the first piece (Liebestraum Nr. 3) I was hooked and could NOT pay attendtion to the stupid book anymore. I sat there and listened all the way to the 5th track motionlessly before returning to read about acids and bases, and even so I was routinely interrupted by the beautiful music. In fact now days I listen to the CD EVERYDAY, especially the Tannhauser Overature at the very end.

Bolet plays beautifully. From the first Liebestraum Nr. 3, he gives us true meaning of the word "Libebestraum" (or "Dreams of Love" translated) with a very gentle touch but is nevertheless full of "passionato" and "expressivo". The second track (Gnomenreigen), the 7th (Grand Galop chromtaique) and especially the 5th (La campanella) are all "cute" pieces that are great for encores. Un sospiro (track 3) is probably my favourite: it has the qualities of a cantabile but is infused with a passion that is rarely expressed by other pianists. Bolet's techique is flawless and the meleody sings with a rare beauty.

Now onto the centerpiece of the CD, the Tannhauser. Legend has it that this was such a diffcult piece that even Liszt himself when performing had to stop in the middle to rest. It is littered with octives, double octives, diffcult chords and plenty of fast and trill like passages. For Mr. Bolet, he decided to record this in an impromptu after a day of recording. When listened to, it is definitely hair-raising (and he definitely did not stop in the middle either!). The sheer power archieved by Mr. Bolet is overwhelming, but he is never too rash and uncareful. The piece ends magnificantly, leaving with you with a definite "wow".

Overall, this is probably one of the best Liszt CDs and piano CDs out there. Bolet is genius, and here pianoism and Liszt is at its finest.

Bolet and Liszt.......2003-04-02

First of all, it is impossible to describe in words what you hear in music. The more profound the interpretation, the less likely you can explain it in words, but this is my attempt.

Although Bolet released several CDs of Liszt music; most prominently the double CD on Decca in the mid 1980's, I believe this one to be his finest. I am currently an undergraduate piano student, and I have become inspired to play the music of Liszt through hearing great pianists such as Bolet. I am currently playing and learning the Spanish Rhapsody, Tannhauser Overture, Liebestraum No. 3, and Un Sospiro; all of which are featured on this album.

The recordings on this CD are approximately ten years earlier than the one released on the Decca label, the mid 1970's. I believe that Bolet was technically as well as musically in his prime during this period of his life. This assessment is based on a comparison of his recordings from the 1970's vs. the 1980's, as well as the testimony of my longtime piano teacher, who while completing his graduate studies at Juilliard had an opportunity to see Bolet perform at Carnegie Hall in the mid 1970's, although this performance does not correspond with the one released on the "Great Pianists of the 20th Century".

The Un Sospiro recording on this album is one of the best. With Bolet as well as other great pianists, technical proficiency is not an issue in his playing. Looking at strictly the musical aspects, his interpretation of this piece is great. It has an overall mood of melancholy, more than anything, which I think is particularly evident in the closing measures of the piece.

The Spanish Rhapsody and Tannhauser Overture are two unfortunately neglected pieces among the piano literature. Any admirer of the Romantic composers in general and Liszt in particular will agree. I will say with confidence that Bolet's performance of both of these pieces are unparalleled in the modern era of piano playing. If anyone knows of a better performance of either of these pieces (in my opinion not Claudio Arrau or Leslie Howard) then let me know. Bolet's performance of the Tannhauser on this CD as well as on his live recording at Carnegie Hall are both superb, and should be heard by every Liszt enthusiast.

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

1. Bach: Jesus bleibt meine Freude
2. Bach/Busoni: Nun komm der Heiden Heiland
3. Bach/Busoni: WAchet auf
4. Bach/Busoni: Ich ruf zu dir, Herr Jesus Christ
5. Franz Schubert: Sonata in B flat Major, D. 960
6. Franz Schubert: Sonata in B flat Major, D. 960
7. Franz Schubert: Sonata in B flat Major, D. 960
8. Franz Schubert: Sonata in B flat Major, D. 960
9. Chopin: Nocturne op. 62, No. 2 (E Major)
10. Chopin: Mazurka op. 63, No. 3 (c sharp minor)
11. Chopin: Mazurka op. 50, No. 3 (c sharp minor)
12. Chopin: Barcarolle op. 60 (F sharp Major)